Tumble and Fall

Danni had been talking a mile a minute ever since the plane had touched down in Philadelphia and her hurried pace through the airport left her waiting on Ryan and Justin impatiently as she reached the car rental agency.

“Reservation under Justin Schultz,” Justin said smoothly, handing a credit card over to the woman behind the counter. He smiled at her and Danni shook her head, grasping Ryan’s hand in hers when he sidled up beside her.

“Where did you go?” Danni asked quietly.

“Got recognized, signed a few autographs.” Danni nodded and they waited on Justin who was flirting with the twenty something blonde helping him.

“I’m in town for a couple of days; any suggestions for places to go?”

“You should go to Rumor.”

“Yeah? So I’ll meet you there tonight?” he winked. The girl giggled and Danni rolled her eyes. She grabbed the keys out of his hands and the paper telling her where to find the car.

“We’ll meet you at the car, Schultzy,” Danni said. He waved them away as he leaned across the counter to talk to the girl. She and Ryan wheeled their carry on’s behind them and headed out to the parking deck to find their rental, a ford explorer. Danni put their things in the back and Ryan pushed her against the back of the SUV once she had closed it.

“What are you doing?” Danni asked as he stepped closer, wedging one thigh between hers.

“Making out with you in a parking deck.” With his sling free arm pinning her in place and Danni straddling his leg, he leaned down to kiss her, her mouth opening willingly under his as his tongue explored her. He could do this for hours; he never got tired of kissing her. Danni pressed against him lightly, aware of his arm in its sling. He couldn’t wait to be rid of the sling and hold her properly again. Her hand slid up his arm and into his hair and Ryan moaned when her fingers kneaded the skin at the back of his neck.

“I love you,” Ryan blurted out. She pulled away from him in shock, her eyes wide. Ryan blushed and his eyes went to the ground. On her tiptoes, Danni rocked against his side, nuzzling the crook of his neck and kissing him.

“I love you too,” she whispered in his ear and Ryan’s eyes snapped up to meet hers. She slid an arm around his waist and hugged him and his good arm wound around her and he just held her for a minute before they started kissing again.

“Ahem!” Justin cleared his throat loudly. “What are you doing?”

“Making out,” Danni answered.

“This is a public place.”

“In Philly.”

“They still have hockey fans here.”

Ryan shrugged. “I don’t care,” he said. He pulled Danni back to him and kissed her.

“Oh my God!” Justin wailed as he climbed into the back seat. Ryan grinned.

“On the drive home, climb into the back with me while Justin drives so we can make out and bug him.”

Danni giggled. “That is not nice, Ryan. I thought you were always nice.”

“Not always," he winked.

“Come on; my parents are expecting us.” They got into the front seat and Danni maneuvered out of the parking deck, heading for the home she had grown up in. It was a thirty minute drive with traffic, twenty on a good day. Luckily it was a good day and Danni pulled into the driveway exactly twenty three minutes later. Justin jumped from the vehicle and threw himself on the ground.

“Oh thank god! Steady, stable earth!” he shouted. Danni hopped down and kicked him in the side. “Ow!” he complained.

“Get up. I do not drive that bad.”

“Except for that one time when you changed lanes and I thought the Mack truck was going to take us out, you’re a great driver, babe,” Ryan said as he walked around the front of the vehicle. “Where are we again?”

“Haddonfield, New Jersey.”

“I thought we were in Pennsylvania,” Justin said in confusion.

“We’re just outside Philly.”

“This is where you grew up?” Justin asked, eyeing the massive house before them.

“Why does Haddonfield sound so familiar?” Ryan asked.

Two dogs came darting towards them, barking excitedly and Danni bent down to pet each of them, looking up and spotting the brown haired boy chasing after them.

“Hey Carson!” she waved.

“I thought you had an older brother,” Ryan said in confusion.

“I do. Carson lives next door. I used to babysit them.”

“Them?”

“He has two brothers.”

“Why does that kid look familiar?” Justin asked.

“Is your dad home?” Danni asked Carson as he got closer. Carson nodded and walked over, hugging Danni before looking over at the two men with her. His eyes went wide with recognition.

“These are my friends, Justin and Ryan,” Danni said to him. “Where are your brothers?”

“Back at the house,” Carson finally spoke. Danni shielded her eyes and spotted the other two playing hockey in the driveway.

“I’ll be over in ten minutes to see them. Go tell them,” she prodded, turning him gently and pushing him towards his house. She grinned as he ran off and Danni led the way to the front door of her house.

“Is your family rich?” Justin asked.

Danni laughed. “My dad is a lawyer. He’s pretty well known around here.”

“So you’re rich.”

“My parents are. I am not. My parents believe you build your own fortune or misfortune as the case may be. They paid for my school but I am on my own from there. I worked through high school and college and saved up everything I could. I did get ten grand as a graduation gift which is what I was planning to travel around on and instead used to pay rent and utilities and everything.”

The front door swung open and Danni ran into her moms open arms, hugging her tight.

“Welcome back,” she said.

“Mom, this is Justin,” Danni said, “and my boyfriend, Ryan.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet both of you boys.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs, Reid,” Ryan said politely. “Danni has told me a lot about you and the rest of your family.”

“You can call me Adele, Ryan,” she smiled. “Your father is at work still but he’ll meet us at dinner. I made up your brother's room and the guest bedroom...and your room of course.”

“I’m taking the guys next door. Be back in an hour?” She nodded and headed back inside. Danni slipped her hand into Ryan’s and they crossed the lawn between the two houses.

“Danni!” two voices shouted, before crashing into her.

Danni laughed. “Hey Cam, hey Caelan. How are you guys?”

“Seriously,” Justin whispered, poking Ryan in the ribs as Danni was engulfed by the two boys. “Why do they look familiar? Why do I feel like I've met them before?”

Ryan shrugged. “I don’t know. I feel like I should know them too but can't place them.”

“Are you home for the summer?” Cameron asked Danni.

“Not exactly. I got a job and I moved. I’m only here for a couple of days.”

“Why did you bring them?” Caelan pointed with disdain at Justin and Ryan.

From behind them they heard a rumble of laughter and Danni turned, pushing between Justin and Ryan to hug the source of the laughter.

“Danny B! Oh my god! I will seriously disown this team if they buy you out. I’m still mad about Richie.”

“No hockey talk,” Danny admonished. “Seasons over.” She frowned. “Who’d you bring with you?”

“Just my boyfriend and his loser friend,” she replied with a grin.

“Which one is the boyfriend and which one is the loser?”

“Boyfriend,” Ryan answered, pointing at himself. “Loser friend,” he added with a jerk of his head towards Justin.

“I’m not a loser,” Justin frowned.

“Sean is still here,” Danny told her.

“Is he home?”

He shook his head. “Out golfing with Harsty and Claude.”

“Well at least now I know who is going to get us into the club tonight.”

“Come inside; we need to catch up,” Danny said.

“Looks like you three need one more for teams. Nuge can ref,” Justin said excitedly, grabbing a stick from the garage.

Danni glanced over to Ryan. “You good?”

“Yep.”

“You sure? You can come inside with us.”

“Naw, you go catch up.” She nodded and followed Danny inside his house.

“Dude,” Justin elbowed Ryan in the side. “Did you know she knew Briere?”

“Not a clue,” Ryan answered.