A Winter Classic

Ellie moved around the kitchen putting the finishing touches on dinner. The week had really flown by and before she knew it Sunday had crept up on here. After hitting the gym and cleaning up a little she’d spent the afternoon getting ready for dinner. Really she’d tried to keep herself as busy as possible to keep her from getting nervous cause honestly every time she stopped to think about it her stomach began to turn. She’d never been particularly comfortable dating. It wasn’t that she didn’t date, that she didn’t go out but she’d always been so focused during school that when she had gone out it never seemed to go as planned. Her problem was she fell too hard too fast, which had always kept her out of the casual dating scene until today it seemed.

Reaching over she turned her IPod down and switched the playlist to a more date appropriate one. The one she’d spent nearly an hour that morning putting together. Something she could play in the background of the night so if all else failed she’d still had something to sing along to.

Ellie hummed along moving through the kitchen, swaying her hips, and as she replaced the lid on the pot of rice she heard a clear, firm knock on her front door.

Boom in less than a heartbeat the butterflies in her belly went into overdrive.

“Coming!” she called out, rushing over to the door. She took one last look in the mirror next to her door, straightening everything out before she took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Hi.”

Ellie could feel the smile slid across her face as her nerves doubled them mysteriously melted away. He looked nice while she was probably a little overdressed to compensate for the last time they’d met. Her chevron striped maxi dress was accessorized with a solid cardigan pushed up to her elbows, a few pieces of jewellery casually distributed around her body. The dress was cut a little closer to the body, not as loose as most maxis were and the cardigan was unbutton but the fit really emphasized her narrow waist. It was casual plus as she liked to call it.

“Hi.”

Phil stood there for a second and just looked at her, her hair was pulled up and away from her face, bangs cut across her eyes framing them in the exact way she wanted, it drew attention to the deep brown irises that complemented the lighter tones in her chocolate coloured hair.

“You look…” he paused, took a breath and continued. “Umm, you look beautiful.”

She felt her face go up in flames at the compliment. She hadn’t tried nearly as hard as she could have but considering the first time he’d seen her she’d just finished a 12 hour shift, just a bath would have been an upgrade.

“That’s so sweet.” She started. “Please come in.”

Ellie moved out of the way and used that as an excuse to check him out on his way in. He wore dark denim and a black button down casually un-tucked at the waist. The sleeves were pulled down and button at the wrists but the few buttons that were undone at the collar broke up the dark column of fabric stretched across his wide chest. The black beanie he wore covered most of his head but she could see the ends of his blonde hair poking out. If she could change anything she would have unbutton those sleeves and rolled them back but that was probably more about wanting to actually touch him then really improve the look of the shirt. He was casual plus, as if they’d planned it.

Phil turned and looked back at her; he looked down at the flowers in his hands and around at her place. He felt bad that he hadn’t offered to actually take her out somewhere, she’d suggested her place and he’d said yes but now that he was actually here, thinking about it he’d made her do all the work and brought flowers as compensation. Way to impress her Phil.

“I umm…” he began. “These are for you.”

He felt stupid as he handed them over to her. They weren’t even expensive or impressive, the colors had just caught his eye and for some reason he’d thought of her, a girl he didn’t even know. But when she took them he watched her face actually light up, like they were something special.

“How cute are you?” she asked taking a closer look at the colorful daisies in her hands.
They smelled fresh and the pop of color would really brighten up her kitchen during the long fall nights and for some reason she couldn’t explain the fact that they weren’t roses, the go to date purchase; it almost made them feel a little more special. Like he might have actually thought about it instead of just walking into a place and taking their best seller.

“Thank you, they’re beautiful.”

She didn’t know what to expect but this hadn’t been it. It was kind of awkward but cute, a way she imagined she might be describing a lot of their encounters. Ellie moved towards the kitchen and felt him follow. Moving around the counters she put the flowers into a vase and slid it off to the side of her counter where they’d get the most sunlight. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had actually gotten her flowers; she didn’t even think people still did things like that.

“It smells great in here.” He complimented watching her move around the kitchen. His eyes tracked her movement like an opponent on the ice and when she swung back around in his direction he darted his eyes away. The last thing he wanted was for her to catch him staring like an idiot.

“Thanks.” Ellie said. “Can I get you something to drink?”

They exchanged pleasantries and small talk through drinks and dinner and as they moved onto the couch the conversation continued to flow. She’d never been on a date, if this actually was a date that had gone so smoothly. No awkward pauses, no distracting cellphones, a guy had never really been so focused on her and what she was actually saying. He’d even turned his phone off after it had rung a few times before dinner, it was sad that that was considered unbelievable but it was so nice to not be sitting across from someone who was texting someone else while you were right there.

“So Ellie what do you do when you’re not breaking keys in locks?” Phil joked laughing at his own joke which then made her laugh.

“Well my super human strength is my main priority but when that doesn’t pay the bills I work as a nurse over at Sick Kids.”

“Wow.”

He looked impressed and she didn’t know if she should be insulted by that but she let it slide.

“You guys usually go there once a year.” She stated like he didn’t know that. “The kids always love it; it’s all I ever hear about for days after.”

She could remember the last time the team had visited, one of the little boys she’d been looking after had been so excited he’d been overwhelmed by the whole experience. He’d talked about it for days, weeks, till he’d told her every single detail he could remember, and then he told her all over again.

“And you like it there?”

He didn’t mean to sound insulting he just couldn’t imagine being surrounded by an environment like that every day. The constant loss and suffering, it had to be something you took home with you at night.

“I love it.” She nodded. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

She loved her job, it was challenging and fulfilling and she worked hours that made having a life nearly impossible but it had been the only thing she’d ever wanted to do. Some of the kids she dealt with were so sweet it was impossible not to get attached to them even if emotionally it was the worst thing she could do.

“Those kids are so amazing and they are so positive… it’s changed my life in a way I never would have imagined.”

Ellie ran her hands down her thighs, then back up again, she could really get carried away when she talked about work, she loved it so much and it could be intimidating, her busy schedule had ended her last relationship. It was hard explaining to someone why you worked as much as you did if they didn’t really love what they were doing in their lives.

“I’m sure you get it.” She looked into his face. “With what you do I can’t even imagine the support you get, the opportunities, it must be amazing.”

“It is.” Phil confirmed. It was his dream and he was living it. Sure it came with a list of things he could really do without but what job didn’t?

“So tell me,” Ellie began. “Why hockey?”

“Why not hockey?” he countered. The way he pronounced hockey with an ‘a’ instead of an ‘o’ made her smile. That slight accent of his was always going to be the one thing that marked him as an outsider in Canada but the more he spoke the cuter she thought it actually was.

“Touché.”

There was a lull in the conversation there, the first pause really of the night and he knew it was because of him, he had a way of doing that sometimes when he was just getting to know people. He could be a little short when certain topics came up, it was just his instincts and he really needed to work on that.

“No umm…”

He didn’t mean to sound like an ass; it just didn’t come out quite like he wanted.

“I don’t really know.” He started to explain. “It was just one of those things your parents put you in and it stuck, you know?”

Isn’t that how most people really got into sports, you started young and if you were good enough you moved up the system and if you were lucky enough and you loved it you might actually be able to make a living out of it; one in a million.

“Once it started to get really competitive I was hooked and then I got lucky enough that someone noticed and here I am now.”

“Here you are in the greatest city in the world.” Ellie teased.

A more hockey crazed, media frenzy city just didn’t exist. She’d lived in it almost her whole life, knew what it meant to the city and the people who lived in it. Hockey was God and the Toronto Maple Leafs was religion. She was just about to say something along those lines when she heard keys rattling against her front door. Ellie froze as she watched the front door to her apartment open and a familiar blonde head poked her way in.

“Oh my god Elle, you will not believe what happened to me today…”

Ellie heard her before she saw her face; as usual her best friend Casey was using her “emergency” key to let herself in. She watched Casey’s eyes swing around the room and land on the two of them before she paused halfway in the door.

“Oh.”

Ellie rolled her eyes as Casey stood their totally motionless.

“Phil this is my friend Casey, Casey, Phil.”

She watched Casey’s face, knew the moment she actually registered what was going on and nearly flew off the couch towards her before she had a chance to say anything else.

“Case, what are you doing here?”

Ellie grabbed her elbow guiding her around the corner and into the kitchen.

“Is that who I think it is?”

Casey ignored her question, waving the bottle of white wine she’d had tucked under her elbow when she’d come in.

“Casey he can hear you, you know?”

Her best friend had always had volume control problems at this best of time, but times like this when she was excited about anything her voice was damn near shrill. Ellie watched her lean in towards her like she was going to whisper now.

“Sorry but seriously, is that really…”

“Yes Casey that’s him.”

She felt stupid talking about him like he wasn’t some normal person sitting in her living room but Casey had been a Maple Leafs fan her whole life and not the casual take it or leave it kind, the watch every game, analyze it to death then do it all over again tomorrow kind of fan.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Where did you meet him? What is going on in this world? Who are you?”

The speed round of questions nearly made her head spin. Ellie reached over grabbed Casey’s shoulders and gave her a little shake.

“Case I’m kinda in the middle of something…” she started indicating the room they’d just come from. “Maybe we can talk about this tomorrow… around noon… for lunch… far, far away from here…”

She could see the gears turning in Casey head.

“Okay but I want it all Elle, every last detail so I can relive it for the rest of my life.”

“I promise you’ll get every last detail till I’m blue in the face.”

Casey examined her through narrowed eyes for a minute before she broke out in a smile again. She reached out straightened Ellie’s cardigan pushing it a little further apart to expose more of her chest.

“What are you doing?” Ellie asked swatting her hands away and pulling her sweater closed again.

“I’m just trying to help you out.”

When Casey reached over again Ellie dodged out of the way, swatting her hands away a second time.

“Okay it’s time for you to go.”

She pushed her back the way they came and almost made it to the door before Casey stopped and they nearly knocked into each other.

“It was nice to meet you Phil Kessel of the Toronto Maple Leafs.”

“Umm you too Casey.”

Casey stared at him for a few more seconds before she felt a push from behind again. Ellie managed to get her friend through the door and was just about to shut it when Casey’s head popped back in.

“Wait!” she started. “Does he know you’re a Canadiens fan?”

In that moment she would have pushed her off the balcony if it would have gotten her out of here faster.

“Goodbye Casey.”

She pushed her friend out the remaining way then firmly shut the door behind her, sliding the chain in place just to be sure. Ellie paused for a second, closed her eyes, took a deep breath then finally turned around again.

“Well that was embarrassing.” She started, taking her seat back on the couch. “Sorry about that, Casey can be a lot.”

“It’s okay.”

He said that but she couldn’t imagine that wasn’t uncomfortable and she was completely mortified. Ellie busied her hands, straightening out the hem of her dress when she felt him reach over; he took her hand in his giving her a little pull so she’d look up at him.

“Really, don’t worry about it okay?”

It wasn’t her fault, it honestly wasn’t even that bad but he didn’t want her to be embarrassed over something she’d had no control over.

“Thanks.”

He squeezed her hand and then let go but just when she thought he’d move back over he slid his palm down her leg, resting it against her knee.

“So a Canadiens fan huh?” he teased giving her knee a squeeze. “That’s a brave choice around these parts.”

“I’m a brave girl.” She laughed tucking her legs under her. Ellie turned her body and scooted a little closer to him using her hands to tuck the excess fabric of her dress under her legs.

“I went to university in Montreal.” Ellie explained. “My roommate was a huge, huge fan and I tagged along a few times and then before you know it...”

She’d been a diehard Canadiens fan ever since.

“So I guess asking you to come to a game when we get back would be weird right?”

“Oh I don’t know.” She started coyly. “Maybe if the guy asking me was cute enough I might go even though they are my mortal enemy.”

She reached down and squeezed his hand then made sure that when she let go she put it right back where it had been.

“You’re opening the season in Montreal.”

It was more of a statement then a question; she knew that’s where they were starting because she’d already made plans with Casey to be watching that game right here. Ellie vs. Casey, Montreal vs. Toronto. Her Price jersey was clean and ready to start a new season.

“We are.” He confirmed. “Montreal, Phillie then home for the opener.”

The home opener meant that the subway would be pandemonium all day long, she would have to remember that when she was trying to get around that day.

“I could get you some tickets, they might not be great but I’d like to see you again.”

“Yeah?”

Ellie couldn’t stop the silly smile from spreading across her face and when she thought about it she felt that familiar flush of embarrassment as it filled her cheeks.

“You know I’ll have to bring Casey right?” she started. “Is that a risk your willing to take.”

She could see him mulling it over which made her laugh.

“I’d risk it to see you again, if you want.”

“I’d like that.” She confirmed. “But don’t ask me to wear enemy colors, don’t you dare.”

She’d teased him a lot tonight, had been comfortable enough to just be herself and she didn’t know if it was because they were sitting in her house or if she was just that comfortable with someone she’d only just met but she wasn’t going fight it.

“I’ll get you in the blue and white before the end of the year, I guarantee it.”

Phil leaned in so she did the same, matching his posture.

“That’s some pretty big talk Kessel.”

“And I always deliver.”

After a few seconds she couldn’t hold it back anymore, she leaned right into his chest and laughed; could feel her forehead bounce against his shoulder as he laughed too. What a bizarre argument she thought, an argument she never could have imagined having; it was so completely, ludicrously funny.

Ellie reached over using his knee to push herself back into a seating position before she looked over at the clock below her TV. It was almost midnight and when his eyes followed hers he looked almost as surprised as she did by the time.

“I should probably get going.”

Phil said the words but made no effort in actually moving, he just sat still and felt the heat of her hand seep into his leg; was just enjoying the closeness of her body. Honestly he wasn’t really ready to go, he was so comfortable here with her and he still had so many questions he wanted to ask but he didn’t want to come on too strong, not right away. He had plenty of time to learn about her, to see if this could actually go anywhere; it wouldn’t all come together in a night.

“I guess you’ve got work to do tomorrow.”

“Don’t you?” Ellie shook her head.

“I work a week by week rotation; on three weeks off for a week.” She explained. “I made sure that I’d be off for the beginning of the season.”

“So you’ll have plenty of time to watch our games.”

“Maybe I’ll squeeze you in.” Ellie teased getting up from the couch and leading him over to the door. She pulled it open moving out of the way so he could move through.

As he moved into the hall he paused just a few inches away from her, chest to chest and just when she thought he was going to lean in and kiss her he moved back. There had actually been a few times throughout the night she thought he might do it but every time he’d backed away. She was so busy buried in her thought she didn’t hear a word he said till he leaned into her line of vision.

“Sorry what did you say?”

“Your number?” Phil started. “You never gave it to me.”

She reached over and took the phone out of his hand, quickly typing in her number before handing it back to him so he could slide it back into his pocket. Tonight had gone well, really well if anyone asked her and he’d asked for her number, told her he’d wanted to see her again but had pretty much turned down every opportunity to kiss her. Maybe he was shy or old fashioned? There were a million reasons why he didn’t do it that didn’t involve him not liking her.

She looked up at him and realized it had probably been a few minutes since she’d said anything so as usual she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Good luck in Montreal.” Ellie teased, a wide easy smile split right across her face.

She watched him pause at his door and when he turned to look at her she could almost see the competitiveness creep into his features.

“I’ll be sure to call and gloat after we win.”

“Oh I’ll be waiting for that call.”

And she would be, she’d be looking forward to it regardless of the outcome. Ellie slid behind the door while they just looked at each other for a second longer. When he couldn’t hold it back anymore he smiled over at her, hands sliding into his pockets.

“I’ll call you.” He repeated. She nodded in acknowledgment the butterflies fluttering in her stomach again.

“Be careful out there.”

“I will.”

He smiled at her again and she nearly melted into the door. If she didn’t move soon she’d sit there staring at him for days like some love struck teenager.

“Goodnight Ellie.”

“Goodnight.”

She pushed her door closed and leaned against it, smiling to herself until she heard the click of his door across the hall.

Boy was she in trouble now.