You Never Know

19. Girl time

A few days later Max and I are at the airport waiting for Cara's plane to land. I keep jumping up and down at the gate trying to see her.
"Calm down, Mon belle. She will be here shorty," Max says with a chuckle as he takes my hand. I look at him and smile but continue to look for her. Just then I hear my name being screamed across the terminal. I turn and see Cara and break free from Max's grasp.

"Ah! I can't believe your here!" I squeal as I embrace my best friend.
"I know!" She exclaims," I can't believe it either!" 
"Eh hem," I hear from behind me.

Cara steps back and seemingly goes into shock.
I laugh and step back into Max's arms and say, "Cara this is Max. Max meet Cara."
"So your the one that taught our best player everything she knows," Max says as he extends his hand to her. Cara is so star struck that she can only stare.
"Um, Cara?" I ask.
She snaps out of it and says, "yes that's me it's nice to meet you Max," and shakes his hand in return
.
We walk to baggage claim and retrieve Cara's stuff.
"Geez Cara are you moving in?" I playfully question as we put the last of her three bags in Max's SUV.
"You know I come prepared," she retorts.
"Yeah for the end of the world," I chirp back with a playful shove.
"It's a good thing I brought my car instead of yours huh Nic," Max says with a cheeky grin.
"You stay out of it superstar," Cara shoots back.
"Yes mam," Max gives a little salute which cracks me up. 'This is going to be fun,' I think as Max pulls out into traffic. 

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Max left shortly after we got back to my apartment with a lame excuse about having plans with Geno, but I know he was trying to give us some girl time.
"So how long have you and the sexy superstar been going at it?" Cara asks with an playful smirk.
"A few weeks now," I answer sitting next to her on the couch.
"Am I going to meet anyone else?"
"Of course, there's a morning skate tomorrow I want to take you too. The guys are really excited to meet you," I state as 'Miracle' starts to play.
"They know about me?"
"Duh! Your the one who taught me everything; and I give credit where it's due,"
"awe! Thanks Hun!"
"Now shut it the movies on," I snipe at her. 

She hits me with a pillow which leads to a full on pillow fight. We're laughing at each other when Cara suddenly stops, staring at the door. 

"I always new girls really did have pillow fights at sleepovers," Jordan says from the doorway with a cheeky grin.
"Shut it Gronk," I say and throw my pillow at him.
"Why, Nicole, I would love to join you two," he says back and whacks me over the head.
"Owe! You shit!" 

He just laughs at me and turns to Cara, "Jordan Staal, you must be Cara."

I get up and point at the others that entered behind Jordan, "this is Sidney, Geno, Kris, and Flower," I say as Max comes in last, "and you are in big trouble," I say to him. He widens his eyes trying to look innocent.
"What did I do?"
"You let him," I say pointing at Jordan, "have my apartment key."
"So your going to punish me later?" He asks wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Oh you'll get what's coming to you, but I promise you won't like it," I say giving him a serious look. 
"Your in big trouble," Marc chirps.
"Awe come on babe don't be like that," he says wrapping his strong arms around my waist.
"Nope, no fun for you," I say, shrugging him off and sit next to Kris on the couch. Max looks at me for a minute before picking me up.
"Put me down!" I exclaim
. "Not until you take it back," he states and starts to tickle me.
"Ok ok! I take it back!" I squeal. He smirks and sits down on the couch with me in his lap.
"You two are sickening," Cara calls over to us. I make a face at her and the guys crack up. 

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Several hours, movies, and drinks later the guys decide it's time to leave.
"Why don't you just stay here?" Cara asks.
"If it's cool with Nic," Sidney says looking at me.
"Fine with me, but I only have one guest room and Cara is in it," I say looking at the group.
"We could...."
"Don't even think about it Gronk," Max says from behind me.
"It was just a suggestion," he mumbles. 

Max wraps his arms around me and says," you guys figure it out, if not you can walk back to my place and crash there. But I'm taking my lady to bed."
I smirk at them and let Max pull me down the hall.
"Don't even think about it Jordan!" I yell before we disappear into my room, but not before I hear him groan. I smile in victory and crawl in next to Max.