Tumble and Fall

Two weeks after getting back from Philly, Ryan got the okay to no longer have to wear his sling. With his doctors and the trainers for the Oilers, they developed a rehab program for him. After spending another week in Edmonton to make sure everything was okay, Ryan and Danni packed up to spend a few weeks in Burnaby. Justin left the day before them for home and wouldn’t be back until early September to prepare for training camp.

“The condo feels empty without Schultzy,” Danni said as she and Ryan cuddled on the couch watching movies.

“That’s because Schultzy is loud.”

Danni reached over Ryan and grabbed the remote, pausing the movie. “We have the place to ourselves.”

“Okay?”

Danni ran a hand down Ryan’s chest before settling on his belt. “And we have the place to ourselves,” she grinned. She leaned into him and kissed him and grabbed the hem of his shirt.

He grabbed her wrist and held her still, searching her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. Are you? We’ve been seeing each other for three months and I told you date five. Date five was at least forty dates ago.”

“I didn’t want to ruin anything.”

“I know, I didn't want to either. I love exactly how this has gone and that you haven't rushed anything. There aren't many guys left like you and I’m glad I found you. Most guys would’ve jumped me as soon as we had gotten back from my parents given what I started with you.”

“I wanted to,” Ryan admitted.

“I wanted you to,” Danni answered with a shy grin. “So why don’t you now?” She kissed him again, tracing his bottom lip with her tongue. It was all he needed to push him over the edge with her.

Wrapping his arms around her tightly, he flipped them so she was pinned under him on the couch. "I've wanted to do this since you slid into my booth.



A week later, Danni and Ryan were settled in for the summer at Ryan's parents house. It was weird at first, being in the same town as his ex but they had so far managed to avoid her. Ryan had heard from friends that she wasn’t in town so it made their time more relaxing. They spent days out on a boat and nights out hanging out with his friends.

A month into the visit, they headed out with his friends for a night out at a club. Danni had gone off earlier in the day with some of his buddies girlfriends and they promised to meet them later. The guys got there and made straight for the bar to get beers. Ryan followed as they made their way to a table upstairs that overlooked the dance floor.

“Dude!” Bryan said. “There are some seriously hot pieces of ass in here tonight!”

Alex laughed. “I’m sure they would love to hear you calling them pieces of ass too.”

“Just because I’m the only single one.... Not all of us meet a girl in a restaurant and dine and dash and fall madly in love.” Ryan blushed and the guys laughed at his expense. Their laughter faded and their eyes cut behind Ryan. He turned and his smile faded.

“Hey Ryan.”

“Hey Bre,” he answered stiffly.

“You look good.”

“Uh...thank you?”

She smiled and stepped forward towards him. “Buy me a drink?” Ryan looked to his friends but they all looked away quickly.

A voice in his head warned him not to do it but he heard the words come out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Yeah, sure,” Ryan answered. Bre followed him as he moved through the club towards the bar. As they walked, Ryan glanced around for Danni and the other girls but didn’t see them anywhere still. He got the bartenders attention and turned to Bre, who ordered some complicated sounding mixed drink with a smile. Ryan ordered another beer for himself and as they waited, Bre wedged herself in tightly against Ryan.

“I heard your surgery went well,” Bre began.

“Yeah, it went fine.”

“Are you able to work out yet?”

“Light workouts; gotta work back up the mobility.”

Bre nodded. “It’s really great to see you,” she said, squeezing his arm.

The bartender returned with their drinks and Ryan paid before turning to walk back to his friends, Bre falling into step beside him. Ryan’s steps faltered as they neared the table, a small cluster of girls gathered around the table with his friends. He’d recognize the body poured into the short, yellow dress with the racerback cut out anywhere.

Ryan had a feeling that this was going to go one of two ways: bad or really bad.

Ryan watched as Alex’s girlfriend, Sandy, nudged Danni and she turned. Ryan’s mouth went dry at the way the dress hugged every inch of Danni’s body and the v-neck displayed just a hint of cleavage. Danni tossed her hair over her shoulder and walked towards Ryan with a smile. Bre took a step towards Ryan and reached for him but he shied away from her touch.

“Hi,” Danni purred at Ryan, stepping close to him.

Ryan’s mouth had suddenly gone dry. “H-h-hey,” he stuttered out, swallowing hard and wetting his lips.

Bre gave Danni the once over and pushed in between them. “Hi, I’m Bre, Ryan’s girlfriend.”

Ryan watched as Danni gave Bre the same look, sizing her up. “Oh?” Danni asked innocently. “Ryan’s friends didn’t mention a girlfriend named Bre.” She looked over Bre at Ryan and winked at him. Bre scoffed loudly. “Do you want to dance?” Danni asked him. Ryan nodded wordlessly and Danni smiled, grabbing his hand in hers.

“Actually,” Bre interrupted, grabbing Ryan’s other hand. “We were just heading back to join our friends. But I’m sure if you head out to the dance floor you can find someone else to dance with.” She tugged his arm and Dann didn’t miss the slight wince on Ryan’s face when she did so.

Danni smiled sweetly and took a step towards Bre, removing her hand from Ryan. “That’s the shoulder he had surgery on so why don’t you try not re-injuring the Oilers prized forward?”

“Stalker much?” Bre replied snidely.

“Danni is my girlfriend,” Ryan said, wrapping an arm around her waist. Danni leaned into him and pressed into him, kissing his mouth, tracing his bottom lip with her tongue. Ryan held her tighter and when they broke apart, Bre stalked away.

“So... that’s your ex, huh?” Danni asked.

Ryan blushed. “Yeah, that’s her. Sorry; she asked me to buy her a drink and I didn’t know how to say no.”

Danni shrugged. “You know I trust you, right? You can buy anyone you want a drink as long as I’m the only girl reaping the benefits.”

“I love you.”

“Ditto, Nugie.”



At the beginning of August, Ryan and Danni headed to visit Justin at his home, and the three spent a few days in Oklahoma City before Ryan and Danni headed back to Edmonton. They settled in at Danni’s place as the start of the school year neared. Ryan helped Danni set up her classroom and they settled into their own routine with each other. A few days before Justin returned to Edmonton, a package arrived at Danni’s home for Ryan. She tossed the padded envelope to him as she came home for the day.

“What’s this?” Ryan asked as he turned it over in his hands.

“A package.”

“I see that. But why did you give it to me?”

“Because it’s addressed to you.”

Ryan flipped it over and groaned, seeing the Philadelphia return address. He opened it cautiously and held it up, letting the bright orange t-shirt fall into his lap.

“He autographed it,” Ryan groaned.

“Let me see!” Danni demanded, snatching the shirt away from him. She started laughing as she read it. “To my biggest fan,” she giggled.

“It’s not funny.”

“It is so funny. I can’t wait for you to wear this now.”

“I’m not wearing this.”

“Yes you are. A bet’s a bet.”

“Can’t we make a new bet?”

“Are you asking for a rematch?”

“Yes.”

“Your terms?”

“If I win, I don’t have to wear this shirt.”

“When I win, again, you wear it for a month, for every game, under your jersey.”

“Deal.”

Danni smiled. “I am so going to enjoy beating you.”