A Winter Classic

7 o’clock crept up faster then she would have ever imagined. It felt like she’d spent all afternoon getting ready for this night and somehow she was still behind. Putting the finishing touches on her makeup Ellie moved into her closet getting out the outfit she’d picked last night when she’d gotten home. After a quick steam she slid into her black peplum skirt, she’d been looking for an excuse to wear it since she’d seen it in a window and impulsively bought it and figured tonight would be it. Tucking a patterned blouse into her skirt she zipped it quickly before sliding into black flats. She figured if she wore flats it would help dress the outfit down since she had no idea where he was taking her.

After a quick shower she’d spent the afternoon with her hair in air rollers, providing the big bouncing loose curls she was looking for tonight. It had all come together pretty much like she’d wanted and she was more than satisfied with the reflection that looked back at her.

“Thank God!” she said to herself straightening the seam of her skirt. Ellie started pulling essentials out of her purse switching them into her clutch when her doorbell went off. Zipping her bag closed she knew she was as prepared as she was going to be. Shuffling to the door she pulled it open with a smile.

“Hi.” She greeted, moving aside so he could come in.

“Wow.”

She felt his eyes slide down her body then back up to her face.

“Is it too much?” she asked a little self-conscious; nose wrinkling at the thought it might be. “You never told me where we’re going, I could change.”

“No.” Phil shook his head. “You look great.”

“Thanks”

Ellie looked at him, could see the red, white and blue pattern from his shirt poking out from under his coat collar and for the first time since they’d met he was not wearing that beanie. She’d wondered a couple times what it looked like under there, figured that hat was more of a security blanket then to actually cover something up and tonight proved that she was right. Small things like this made her feel like he was trying, that he was opening up to her just like she was to him and while she sat there over analyzing things he leaned over and kissed her quickly before he reached for her coat.

“You ready to go?”

She nodded putting her coat on before pressing her lips to his again. When she moved back she made sure to swipe her thumb across his lips removing the gloss she’d left behind.

“Let’s go.”

Grabbing her bag Ellie followed him out the door and into the elevator. She felt the elevator begin to move down when she spoke again.

“So…” she started stretching out the ‘o’.

“So…” he imitated her with a smile.

“Where are we going?”

“To dinner.” He answered obviously. “I thought we covered that yesterday.”

She gave him a little shove with a laugh.

“I know that!” Ellie began. “But where are we going for dinner?”

“Just some place close by.” Phil explained reaching over for her hand. He laced his fingers with hers and pulled her toward him, closing the gap between them. Ellie slid her arm around his waist resting her head against his shoulder as the elevator continued its way down.

“They’ve got a little bit of everything.” He said. “You’ll like it.”

At one point he remembered her telling him she was a big fan of Italian food and this place had some of the best he’d ever had. It was a place that he and the guys frequented and somewhere he usually brought his family when they came in to visit.

“Is it far?”

“Not too far, I figured we’d walk if it’s okay with you.”

Ellie nodded as the elevator doors slid open, Phil took her hand and she followed him out the door and into the crisp air. Autumn was in full bloom and Toronto was a beautiful array for burnt orange and golden leaves. She tried to take in all in because before you could blink the weather would turn again; fall was always short lived here.

“You’ve been here for a couple years now, right?”

They stopped at the light waiting for the crosswalk to change.

“Yeah…” Phil answered looking over his shoulder then crossing with Ellie in tow. “Why?”

“Do you like it here?” she asked the question and when he turned to look at her she explained. “Well you got traded here, it’s not like you had a choice, it’s a valid question.”

It was a valid question, one he’d thought over before signing an eight year extension to stay here.

“If I didn’t signing that extension was a big mistake.” He joked before giving her an actual answer. “But I do.”

“I always wonder when I hear people aren’t from here.” Ellie started. “And while most people volunteer to move you were sort of exported.”

She laughed at her joke even though she knew it was true. As someone who’d almost spent her whole life in one city she didn’t really know what life was like anywhere else. True she’d gone to school in Montreal and she’d loved it but it wasn’t home and there were days where she just wanted to be home.

“I got lucky.” Phil explained as they turned the corner. “I got to come to a place that loves hockey and while they can give me a hard time I can appreciate that this city just wants to win.”

Things could have been much worse. He could still remember the day he’d gotten that call, when his agent had told him he’d be leaving Boston he had held his breath. He could have ended up in a lot of places, places where hockey was a second rate sport if relevant at all but he’d ended up here and while they might butt heads, this city, for the most part had welcomed him and given him every opportunity to succeed. He’d become an all-star, an Olympian and an everyday first line winger. The one thing he was still looking for was the one thing this city wanted almost as much as he did; when he’d signed that deal he’d made the commitment to do everything he could to bring the cup to a place he now considered home.

“I can just image your face when they told you you’d be playing in this zoo.” Ellie laughed hooking her bag higher up her arm.

“You know I didn’t really know what to think.” He continued. “I’d played here, I’d seen how this city felt about this team but moving to a new city, to a new country, it was a lot to take in.”

Ellie gave his hand a squeeze. She would hate that part of his job, where the trade deadline loomed, how your entire life could change without your consent. It all seemed really scary to her.

“And now?”

“I love it here now.” He could see the restaurant up ahead, crossed the street towards it. “I wouldn’t have signed that contract if I felt otherwise.”

He wasn’t full of himself but he knew he’d be able to sign elsewhere if he’d really wanted to leave but the relationships he’d built here and the life he’d started had made the decision easy. They had a good chance of winning; he truly believed this team was moving in the right direction so he didn’t even hesitate to sign back up.

“And now you met me.” Ellie teased. “This city just keeps on giving huh?"

She bumped her shoulder against his following him the last couple strides to the restaurant.

“Who knew I’d be so lucky.” Phil joked pulling open the restaurant door. He watched Ellie laugh, the smile cracking her face as he approached the hostess stand giving her all the information on his reservation. When the waiter approached, menus in hand, Ellie followed him through a maze of tables till he finally settled on a small booth in a secluded corner. She slipped out of her coat and hung it next to the booth as the waiter, who’d introduced himself as Marc, placed their menus down and went off with their drink orders.

“This place is really nice.” Ellie commented, glad she’d overdressed rather than under dressed. She looked around the dimly lit restaurant, everything smelled fantastic. “I bet you bring all the girls here.”

“All the time” he confirmed looking up from the menu with a smile. “Actually the last women I brought here was my mom, last year before the playoffs.”

He did date, he wasn’t a shut in but people assumed that he spent a lot more time out then he actually did. Most days were spent recovering from games or traveling but if he was being honest he’d always been more of a homebody.

“So tell me about them.”

“Who?”

“Your family.” She explained. “You don’t talk about them much.”

“I don’t really see them that much.” He started. “Not as much as I’d like anyways.”

They were all busy with their lives and jobs and stretched out all over the place so connecting wasn’t easy. His siblings were as busy pursuing hockey as he was and his parents did their best to see them all as often as their time would allow.

“That must be hard.”

He shrugged his shoulder dismissively but she knew it was true.

“They come by as much as they can and trust me I get my fill in the off season.”

Ellie laughed as the waiter came back with their drinks and disappeared a few minutes later with their orders. She looked over at him; at how nice he looked and smiled before he spoke again.

“What about you?” Phil asked turning her question around. “Where’s your family?”

“It’s just me and my brother Nick now.” She explained. “He’s out west in BC with a wife and a kid.”

And it hadn’t been easy. She’d only been 18 when Nick had moved out west for a job, they’d kept in touch and always managed a visit here and there but their relationship wasn’t what it once was.

“What about your parents?”

“My dad took off after I was born and my mom died a few years ago.”

She was just beginning at Sick Kids when her mom had died; a massive heart attack had taken her quickly and unexpectedly.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks.” Ellie smiled. “It was hard and I miss her so much sometimes but I know she’s got her eye on me.”

“Someone should.”

Ellie laughed about to reply when the food arrived. A piping hot plate of pasta was put in front of her with a warning before the waiter disappeared again. After the first fork full she nearly melted into her seat.

“This is amazing.” She exclaimed taking a second bite. “You need to try this.”

She leaned over, fork in the air as she offered him a bite. In all honesty he’d had it before, and it was good but rather then tell her that he leaned over and took the bite she offered. She looked at him expectantly waiting for confirmation.

“Good choice.” He confirmed pushing his plate towards her.

Ellie took a bite of his then decided he might have ordered even better than she did.

“Well at least now I know you don’t have a food sharing issue.” Ellie started.

“A what?”

“The last guy I dated would never, ever let me have a bite of anything he ever ordered.” She explained. “The first time I tried he nearly flipped his lid.”

She was never the kind of person to just reach over onto someone else’s plate but after weeks of dating, and weeks of having him do that to her she’d thought it was fine, she was wrong.

“When pretty girls are involved I can be a good sharer.”

“Oh I bet.”

She winked over at him taking another bite of her food. They finished dinner in comfortable conversation, nothing too heavy and had moved onto the dessert menu before conversation really picked up again.

Phil watched Ellie debate for nearly five minutes over the dessert menu. The light from the fireplace lit her features in the most amazing way. She was beautiful, the moment he saw her he knew that but the more he knew about her, the more she revealed the more he like her.

“If I order this completely decedent cake will you split it with me?”

The description alone had her sitting in a pool of drool but if the dessert portion was half as big as their dinner portion she’d die before she even made it through half. He leaned in reading the description she pointed out before nodding in agreement.

“You sure that’s the one?”

“Yes!” Ellie laughed pushing the menu towards him. “Don’t let me look at that again.”

He took the menu from her, spinning it in his hands as they watched each other.

“I really like you Ellie.” Phil confessed. He was never the kind to just blurt things out but he wanted to tell her, wanted to let her know that he was taking this seriously. That seeing her wasn’t just something he’d forget about easily.

Ellie looked up smiling so hard her cheeks hurt.

“I really like you too.”

They sat there looking at each other for a minute before the waiter came back again, taking their order and menu, returning a few minutes later with their dessert. Phil pushed the plate towards her, daring her to take the first bite. He watched as she used the fork to slice the cake and then brought it to her lips, she’d barely put her fork down before she closed her eyes and swallowed.

“Oh…my…god!” she pronounced each word slowly savoring the cake as it went down. This had definitely been one of the best meals she’d ever had in her life.

“It can’t be that good.”

Ellie watched him reach for a fork and just as he was about to break into the cake she pulled it away from him and closer to her.

“No, I just can’t share this.”

“Ellie…” he said her name slowly with a smile. “You said you were a good sharer.”

“Well that was before I met this cake.” She took another bite, shielding it from his reach. “I might like this cake more then I like you.”

“Well that didn’t take long.”

“No not really.” She teased pushing the plate across the table to him. He took a bite, nodding in approval before moving the plate to the middle of the table.

“Tell me that’s not the best cake you’ve ever had?”

“You know it just might be.” He confirmed, taking a second bite as he watched her take her third. In the end they had split the cake 30/70 and when the last bite was gone he watched Ellie sit back in the booth.

“God!” She rubbed her belly for emphasis. “You are going to have to carry me out of here tonight.”

He laughed and asked the waiter for their bill before turning to look at her.

“Well I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“I really did.” Ellie started. “Thank you for dinner.”

“You’re welcome.”

The waiter came back with their bill and he took it before she had a chance to move. He pulled out his credit card, handed it to the waiter and waited while he punched in several things on the debit machine.

“I’m sorry but I just need to tell you that I’m a big fan dude.”

The waiter handed him the debit machine and he took it, typed in his pin quickly then handed it back to him.

“Thanks.”

“Hopefully we can have another big season, make it to the playoffs again, that was amazing.”

“Well that’s definitely the plan.”

Ellie had to use every ounce of inner strength to not laugh at loud. He was trying to be nice, she knew, but she had never seen anyone so uncomfortable in her life. He’d been calm, relaxed and charming the whole night but the minute their waiter had acknowledged actually knowing who he was she’d seen his shoulder tense up. He was the kind of guy that wanted to fly under the radar but in this city, after signing that contract it was never going to happen.

“Well congratulations on the new contract man and good luck on the season.”

“Thanks.”

Their waiter paused for a minute, like he just remembered she was there too and wished them both a goodnight before slipping away.

“Does that happen often?” Ellie asked watching his fingers drum on the table.

“Almost every time I leave the house here.”

“Really?”

It never occurred to her how often that this might happened or really how many complete strangers might approach him on a night out. He nodded in confirmation before he spoke again.

“Some of the guys love it.” He started thinking about some of his teammate, the younger ones especially who welcomed all the attention they could get. “It never really appealed to me.”

It was really the only part of his job he’d change, well that and the media. At least with fans he could understand when they approached, it didn’t make him any less uncomfortable but he understood. This city was crazy for hockey and specifically for this team but he just wanted to do his job and live his life.

“Not even in the beginning?”

Maybe he’d sewn his wild oats and gotten over it, it had to get old after a while.

“Not really.” He started. “Having people snoop in on me and have their say in my personal life never appealed to me.”

At work he dealt with it as often as he wanted, there he had a little more control but when he was out he was public property and even the mundane things he did somehow ended up on twitter.

“Don’t get me wrong, there are guys who get it a lot worse but I’m just not interested in the glory that comes with it all.”

Or some of the people who followed it.

“Well that’s fair.” Ellie started. “You’re a very interesting man Phil Kessel.”

He barked out a laugh looking over at her.

“I don’t know if that’s a compliment.”

“I’m still here aren’t I?”

She was and he was thankful for that.

“Well then how about we move on?” he asked. “You ready to go?”

“I am.” Ellie stood up pulling her coat on, she slid the big buttons into place before reaching for her purse and then his hand. Sliding her fingers between his she pulled him towards the exit.

“Maybe we can sneak you into a movie without anyone noticing hotshot.” She teased with a laugh before they hit the crisp autumn air and began the journey down the street.