Love Never Felt So Good

“Road trip WOOOO!” Bailey cheered, jumping up and down as she met Sidney in the driveway. Sidney took in the sight of his girlfriend, denim cutoffs, a cutoff graphic tee over a lacey black bra, a big lulu lemon headband across her head and her favorite pair of Ray Ban sunnies. She looked adorable.

They were driving six hours to East Orange, New Jersey for her brother, Travis’ master’s degree ceremony and open house at her childhood home in the Newark suburb. Though Sidney wasn’t looking forward to spending time with Chris Bradford, he did like Bailey’s mom and brother, and was excited to see where Bailey grew up.

Bailey had settled comfortably into the passenger seat of the Range Rover, kicking her sandals off and connecting the output cable to her cell phone, having spent an hour the day before making their perfect playlist.

Sidney felt truly happy since the Penguins had been kicked out of the playoffs as she sang along to her music, bare feet on his dash and looking like a little flower child with her headband, chunky jewelry and wide smile.

He had even stopped at Sonic to grab slushies, blue raspberry for her and watermelon for him. Due to Sidney’s lead foot, they had made it about halfway by lunch and stopped in State College where Bailey bought a Penn State t-shirt and a hat for Sidney.

“I always kind of wish I would have stuck it out in college.” She said wistfully as they held hands from the University store back to the car. “That’s probably the one regret I have.” She finished.

“Have you ever thought about going back to school to finish your degree? Or maybe pick up another?” Sidney asked.

“It would have to be in something else, I guess it wouldn’t really make any sense for me to get my degree in dance now.” She bit her lip. “I don’t know, I would maybe go for business or maybe English lit, that was my favorite subject in school.” She shrugged.

“We could look into it if it’s something you’re really interested in.” He encouraged. “I’d go to orientation with you.” He winked, making her laugh as they arrived at the Range Rover.

“Can I drive?” She asked, buddying up to him, slipping her hands into his front pockets. She could see the hesitation in his eyes. Sidney’s Range Rover had always been his baby, his one car she didn’t have a key to.

“You wanna drive?” He asked, visibly gulping.

“Just a bit.” She held up her thumb and pointer finger a few centimeters apart. “Just for like 50 miles, you can measure.” She offered. Sidney sighed, taking the keys out of his pocket and handing them over. “Thanks baby.” She rocked up to her tiptoes, pecking his lips.

Sidney bit his lip as he watched Bailey move around the driver’s seat, pushing it forward and tilting it so she could comfortably reach the pedals. Sidney wouldn’t say he disapproved of her driving habits, but he definitely didn’t agree with them. Bailey gunned the car to 80 miles an hour on the highway, setting the cruise and tucking her legs under her, sitting criss-cross-applesauce in the driver’s seat as she sang along to the music and weaving through traffic.

“Driver, roll up the partition, please - I don't need you seeing 'Yonce on her knees. Took 45 minutes to get all dressed up - we ain't even gonna make it to this club.

Sidney couldn’t help but watch as she sang along. He knew it was her favorite, Beyoncé, and he strained a bit as he speed picked up even more with a flick of the cruise button.

“Babe, watch your speed.” He acknowledged, checking his phone. They would be arriving in East Orange an hour early if she kept at this pace.

“Yeah, yeah.” She smiled, giving him a dazzling smile as she glanced over at her. It only took another eight miles before there were red and blue lights in the rearview mirror.

“Aw shit.” Bailey pouted as he flashed his siren. She pulled over on the shoulder and Sidney sighed as he reached into the glove box to grab the car registration. Bailey watched the male police officer get out of the squad car behind her and she adjusted her bra and checked her red lipstick in the mirror – causing Sidney’s eyes to widen to the size of dinner plates.

“What are you doing?” He asked in a hushed whisper.

“I got this.” She assured him, “take a deep breath.” She encouraged as she rolled down the driver’s side window.

“Ma’am.” He greeted. “Do you know how fast you were going back here?” He asked.

“Too fast?” She asked with an innocent little smile.

“I had you going in 85 in a 70.” He replied, “can I take a peek at your license and registration?” He asked. Take a peek? A cop had never asked Sidney if they could take a peek at his license.

“Sure thing!” She replied, grabbing her license from her wallet and the registration from Sidney before turning back to the officer who had given the passenger in the Range Rover a once-over.

“Where ya’ headed?” He asked, holding the two items in his hand.

“New Jersey, taking the boyfriend home for a weekend in my hometown.” She bubbled, those dimples coming out in full force.

“You’re from New Jersey, whereabouts, I’m from Kearny.” He smiled, taking off his aviators.

“East Orange!” She said excitedly.

“Well you guys have a bit of a drive left, then. Slow down, okay? We just want to make sure you’re safe.” He smiled, handing her back her documents.

“Will do, thanks so much.” She smiled before he walked back to his cruiser and pulled away from the curb. Bailey looked over at Sidney with a shit-eating grin.

“First, that’s not fair.” He began before reaching for the keys and pulling them out of the ignition. “Second, you lost your driving privileges.” She slumped with a pout, but got out of the car anyway, slapping his butt as they crossed paths in front of the Range Rover.

“Just thought I would mention, my Dad said he fixed up the den for you to sleep in.” She spoke up, putting her feet up on the dash again and taking a slip of her slushie.

“How long do we have to stay here again?” He sighed. One thing Chris Bradford apparently had trouble understanding was that they were two grown, consenting adults. Besides, it wasn’t like Sidney was going to try to put the moves on Bailey under Chris’ roof.

‘Two nights.” She laced her hand with his across the center console.

“And why didn’t we get a hotel again?” He asked.

“Because there aren’t hotels we can stay in within 20 minutes of my house that we aren’t at risk of being stabbed in.” She replied.

“Right, well, I guess that’s reason enough.” Sidney accepted defeat.

“It’ll be okay, babe.” She squeezed his hand in reassurance.

“I don’t like being told that I can’t spend time with my own girlfriend.”

- - -

“Be nice.” She warned as she hugged her father tightly.

“I’m always nice.” He insisted, earning her a very pointed look. They had arrived at Bailey’s childhood home the night before, but Bailey immediately took him around town, out to dinner and they made it back to the house in time to crash in their separate rooms.

At Travis’ commencement ceremony that morning, they say on opposite sides of Bailey and her mother. Bailey snapped a ton of photos, having her mother take a cute photo of she and Sidney as well, but now that they were heading back to Bailey’s house for the graduation party, there was going to be less separating her boyfriend and father.

“Be nicer.” She insisted, reaching behind him to where there were several tubs filled with ice and drinks, grabbing Sidney a pale ale and turning to find her boyfriend talking to some of Travis’ friends. “For you.” She smiled, “Mom is going to need a hand putting out the catered dishes in like ten minutes if you want to flex those muscles.” She added, making him laugh.

Sidney was having a surprisingly good time with Travis’ friends. It was in some ways weird to think that they were his same age, but had taken completely different paths in life. At 26, two of them were married with children, had their masters degrees, and were working regular 9-5 jobs every day. One of them worked for the New York Mets, while the others were in a similar business and finance field as Travis.

Sidney’s stomach was growling, they had a quick breakfast before leaving of the ceremony that morning and he was about due for a giant lunch. Bailey mentioned they had the lunch catered that day, but Bailey’s mother had made all the desserts that were going to be put out.

He handed his beer off to Bailey after a few minutes, making his way inside to find Donna arranging big party trays full of hot food.

“Donna, can I help?” He asked, giving her a bit of a start. She turned to see Bailey’s boyfriend give her a bashful smile.

“Sure thing, babe, why don’t you start taking these out.” She pointed to two platters of pulled pork, “and then come back for the buns. I can grab the veggies and chips.” She insisted. Sidney was happy to help, grabbing the two platters and even snagging a bag of buns from the counter top, bringing them outside to the tables under the tent.

Chris Bradford watched as Donna directed Sidney, telling him where to set each thing. He seemed to comply quite easily, taking the direction and then asking what else he could do to help.

“He’s a good guy.” Chris looked to see his son Travis beside him. “Mom and I like him, my friends like him.” He added.

“Have you seen the moustache he grows?” Chris asked, eyeing his son.

“Have you seen the moustache you grow?” Travis rebuked. “He’s an adult, with a real job and manners. That’s light years ahead any other guy she’s ever dated.” He pointed out.

“What are you getting at here?” Chris asked, taking another drink of his pop.

“That you need to give him a fair shot. Something tells me he’s going to be around for a while.” Travis finished, clapping his father on the back. Chris sighed, setting his drink down to help finish arranging the food on the tables.

“Why don’t you give me a hand with that drink tray?” Chris asked Sidney, motioning to the tub on the ground that must have weighed at least fifty pounds. They could move it to the other side of the buffet line so people wouldn’t have to step over it. They each grasped sides of the tub, picking it up and marching it across the grass to the preferred location before setting it down carefully. “So, ah, what are your plans for the summer now that hockey is over?” He asked, keeping his snarky comments about losing to the Blue Jackets of all teams in the playoffs.

“Probably hanging out for a bit, we’re going to Vegas for the awards next week, she has work trip to LA after that. She has a lot more work in the summer, so we’ll still be in Pittsburgh a fair bit, but I’d like to go up to Nova Scotia a few times for fishing and golfing before it gets too hot.” He explained, picking up his beer again, having a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that so far, they were having a perfectly civil conversation.

“What kind of fishing ya do?” Chris asked, making Sidney’s spine shrink about an inch.

Bailey glanced over at the buffet table Sidney had just set up with Travis, watching as he interacted with her father. She took a nervous sip of her drink. Turning back to face a friend of hers from high school, she took another nervous drink as she watched her high school sweetheart walk into the backyard. Brian Davies was Bailey’s first love, and possibly the only boy that Chris Bradford ever approved of.

He had been the captain of their school’s state championship basketball team and she had always been captain of the dance team. They were the picture perfect couple until they went to different schools for college.

Sidney’s eyes snapped away from his conversation with Chris to Bailey as a tall, brunette man wrapped her up in a hug big enough to sweep her off of her feet and twirl her in a circle.

“I would get over there and introduce yourself… quick.” Chris gave him a leg up. Sidney took another swig of his beer before crossing the yard. Something about the way Bailey smiled at this guy made Sidney a little uneasy.

“Bails, can I make you a plate?” He asked, putting a hand on the small of her back and looking down at her, flexing in the slightest.

“Oh, yeah, will you make me one?” She asked, looking up at him with her big, dark eyes. She didn’t motion to introduce him to the man standing in front of her, so he decided to do it himself.

“Hi, I’m Sidney.” He stuck a paw out.

“Brian.” The man replied. The asshole even had dimples like Bailey.

“How do you know Travis?” Sidney asked, keeping a hand at the small of Bailey’s back.

“I – ah, Bailey and I dated for a while in high school, that’s really how I got to know Trav.” He said, mildly uncomfortable, piecing together the fact that perhaps the stocky man beside his ex-girlfriend was more than a friend.

“Babe?” Bailey looked back at Sidney, giving him some sort of look he couldn’t decipher.

“Right, plate, be right back.” Sidney frowned, turning back and crossing the yard to the buffet table again.

“She’s being kind of weird.” He mumbled to Chris as he made a plate for Bailey.

“Brian makes Bailey kind of weird.” Chris replied, watching as Sidney assembled lunch for his daughter, knowing all of her preferences as he made an open face sandwich with mild barbecue and picked only melon pieces out of the fruit salad.

“What’s their story?” Sidney asked, knowing he was treading thin ice with Chris.

“They dated for almost three years in high school, I think the only reason they really broke up was because they went to different universities.” Chris explained, “he and Travis are good friends.” He finished. Sidney at least glad that he could trust his gut when he had an uneasy feeling about him.

Chris Bradford watched as the power forward marched right back across the lawn, handing Bailey her plate and standing closely to his girlfriend.

“So what do you do, Brian?” Sidney asked, slipping an arm around Bailey’s waist.

“I work at East Orange High School, I teach physical education and I coach basketball.” He smiled, “how about you, Sidney, what do you do?” He asked, even thought they were both painfully aware he knew exactly who Sidney Crosby was.

“I play hockey in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins.” Sidney was never a boastful man, but he felt the overwhelming urge to put this guy in his place.

“That’s great, was never much of a hockey fan.” Brian lifted his beer to Sidney before taking a drink.

“Bails, James text me to let me know he went to our house to grab a few things for Belle, in case you get a notification from the security company.” Sidney said, looking to Bailey. He had no problem with letting this Brian character that he and Bailey lived together.

“So how long have you two been together?” Brian asked, motioning between the couple across from him.

“Coming up on a year in August.” Sidney replied, “best year of my life.” He smiled down at Bailey, sliding a hand into the back pocket of her fitted jeans. Bailey fought the urge to roll her eyes at her boyfriend who was acting absolutely ridiculous.

“I’m sure it has been.” She patted his cheek like a little boy. “I’m going to see if my Mom needs a hand in the house, care to join me?” She asked, giving him a look that clearly said he had no choice. Sidney knew he had been a little obnoxious, but he ahd taken Chris’ warning to heart.

Once they entered the house, instead of cutting to the kitchen, she turned down the hall to the den where he had been sleeping at night.

“What’s going on with you?” She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What? You didn’t like the lunch?” He tried to play innocent.

“The best year of my life.” She mocked him. “Are you jealous of my ex-boyfriend?” She asked.

“I just don’t like the way he looks at you like you’re still up for grabs.” Sidney shrugged, crossing his arms across his chest as well, “I don’t see any problem with letting him know you’re mine.” He justified.

“Trust me, I’m sure he got that message loud and clear.” She frowned, “I haven’t seen some of these people in like eight years, can you please not be jealous Sidney for an afternoon?” She asked, “it’s embarrassing.” She said quietly.

Sidney shrugged, feeling perfectly ashamed, but by no means regretful of his actions.

“Fine, I won’t bother you or your friends.” He countered, opening the bedroom door for her. She gave him a tired look.

“If we were in Nova Scotia right now you’d want to be reuniting with your old friends and hearing about their lives and seeing what’s new with them.” She tried to explain what she was feeling. “I know it’s not especially fun for you to have you entertain yourself sometimes, but…” She trailed with a shrug.

“I see where you’re coming from, but I would at least introduce you to my friends - and if they were around - my exes. I’d be excited to introduce you because you’re what’s new and exciting with me.” He countered.

“But you couldn’t wait for me to introduce you, you came running over to get right into our conversation. It would have been nice to at least get a word in edgewise before you interjected yourself.” She gestured with her hands.

“I’m sorry I embarrass you.” He said quietly, telling her exactly what she wanted to hear. “You won’t hear a peep from me.” Bailey didn’t know what to say to him, so she made her way back out to the yard. Sidney could be jealous if he wanted, but she wasn’t going to let it keep her from having a good time.