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At lunch on Monday afternoon, Daisy and Delilah drove to a nearby restaurant and they piled into a booth, Daisy sliding in beside Larissa, a girl Delilah had only met once before. She worked as an insurance agent and Daisy had met her when her apartment in Nashville caught fire the year before and Larissa had helped her with her claim.

If there was one thing Delilah had quickly learned while spending time around hockey players though, it was that everyone knew someone who knew someone. It was no surprise when she learned that Larissa was good friends with Lennon Carcillo, who was best friends with Jonathan Toews, whose girlfriend Rose was Daisy's sister.

That was just the way the hockey world seemed to work.

They looked over their menus and after a waitress took their orders, Larissa turned to Delilah. "I talked to Lennon today. Rich called her and said James has a crush."

Delilah blushed. "I'm sure he's exaggerating."

"He totally does have a crush," Daisy told her. "He wanted to know everything Shea knew about you after lunch yesterday. And he wanted to kill Viktor last night."

"Maybe no one should mention then that Viktor friended me on Facebook last night and that we're going to dinner."

"You're going on a date with Vik?"

"It is not a date. Just two people who speak Swedish having a meal together."

"What?!" Daisy and Larissa exclaimed in near unison.

Delilah's cheeks pinked. "I was enjoying using my Swedish again. I'm a little rusty and he asked. Was that bad?"

"Did James ask you out?" Larissa asked.

"No."

"Did he make a move?"

"No."

"Then no," she answered. "If he didn't speak up, then that's his fault."

"He shot daggers at Viktor all night," Daisy interrupted.

"Yes but he didn't say anything to Delilah. How should she know if he doesn't speak up?"

Daisy sighed and frowned. "I don't know the particulars but I do know James has an ex that he broke up with around the time of his trade. He's kept to himself and hasn't really dated. He's going to be heartbroken."

"Should I tell Viktor I can't go out with him?" Delilah asked. "I don't want to cause trouble."

“Go out with Viktor,” Larissa replied matter of factly. “It’s James’ own fault for not going after you when he saw you. He can’t expect you to read his mind.”

“Yeah but...” Delilah trailed off.

“Do you like James?” Daisy asked.

“I think he’s hot as hell,” Delilah admitted. “And I may have given him a look at the show yesterday.”

“If you gave him a look and he still did nothing, then that is his own fault,” Larissa chimed in.

“But I sat with Viktor.”

“He should’ve taken it as a challenge then.”

“Didn’t he?” Daisy piped up. “I mean, he did say whispering was rude when you two were in your little swedish world.”

“Better question,” Larissa started. “Do you like Viktor?”

“Well sure,” Delilah answered. “He was very nice and he’s very good looking.”

“Right, I see that too but do you want to fuck him?”

“Larissa!” Daisy laughed. “Holy shit! You just get right to it, don’t you?” They both looked at Delilah expectantly.

“I’m not that kind of girl,” Delilah said carefully.

“Do you want to fuck James?” Larissa asked.

Delilah sighed, thinking about those grey eyes and that smile. “I told you...I’m not that girl.”

“It’s hypothetical. Would you, under the right circumstances, sleep with James Neal?”

“Yes,” Delilah admitted. “But...”

“Then why the hell did you agree to go out with Viktor?” Larissa interrupted.

“He asked.”

“Point taken.”

“Do I cancel on him?” Delilah asked, looking between the two girls.

“No but you should be upfront with him. If you’re not into him as anything more than a friend, say so and give him the chance to bail,” Daisy advised. “Don’t make it about James.”

“What if you’re wrong? What if James doesn't like me?”

“James is easier to read than anyone I know; he likes you.”



“What are you doing tonight?” James asked Rich after practice. It had been two days since he met Delilah, thirty six hours since seeing her tease her way across a stage and he couldn't stop thinking about the two bow tattoos on her thighs. He needed a distraction and Rich was always good for that.

"Got a date," Rich grinned.

"With who?"

"Lennon's friend Larissa."

"Is she cute?"

"Yeah, she's pretty hot. What about you?"

"I guess I'm gonna grab dinner by myself now."

"I'm sure someone's free. Smitty!" Rich called out.

"What's up?" Craig asked as he looked up.

"You got plans tonight?"

"No."

"You do now. Nealer needs a date to dinner. He's buying."

"Sounds good to me. You picking me up?"

"Yeah, I guess so," James answered.

That evening, James followed Craig's directions and came to a stop just as a second car pulled in behind him.

"Hey, Nealer," Viktor smiled as he stepped out of his sleek sports car.

"Hey; did Smitty invite you to come to dinner? I guess I can buy for you too," he replied easily.

"No, I'm picking up Delilah; we're going to dinner."

James stopped and looked back at his teammate, staring him down. "You have a date with Delilah?" He gritted out.

Viktor walked towards him confidently, a smirk across his face. He read James like an open book, chuckling as he shook his head.

"I do," he grinned wolfishly. "She speaks Swedish. How many girls in Nashville speak Swedish?"

James growled in frustration and followed Viktor who strode past him, knocking on the door.

"Hey, Delilah," he smiled when she swung the door open.

Delilah was startled to find James standing beside Viktor and her eyes swung to his before she returned Viktor's smile and stepped aside. "Hallå, Viktor." She accepted a hug from him. "I assume you're here for Craig," she said to James over his shoulder.

"Yeah; we're grabbing dinner," he answered tightly.

"Hey, Nealer. Hey, Vic," Craig smiled as he came into the room. "Don't keep her out too late," he said to Victor. "She's got an eleven o'clock curfew."

"Will you turn into a pumpkin if I bring you back late?" Victor teased.

"A tomato actually. Bright red. It's really very embarrassing," Delilah deadpanned. She shoved at Craig lightly. "I'll see you later. Don't let James take advantage of you."

"What? That was my whole plan for tonight, Lilah!" She giggled as she followed Victor to his car and James and Craig watched as he held the door, waiting until she was buckled to close the door behind her. He waved at them and they waved back before Craig locked the door.

"You ready?" He asked James.

"Yeah. You wanna drive?"

"Sure. You want me to pick the place too?"

"Yeah, whatever is fine."

Craig nodded and led the way to his truck. At the first stop light, he looked over at James before turning his attention back to the road. "Vic isn't her type."

"Huh?" James asked, snapped from his daze at Craig's voice.

"Victor. He isn't Delilah's type. But she loves the chance to sharpen her Swedish. She hasn't had any reason to use it since she moved here."

"She went out with him though. Dinner is a date."

"Maybe, but trust me, it'd be the only one."

"What's her type?"

"Lilah?" Craig paused thoughtfully. "She has always had a weakness for the wrong type. Bad boys, lost boys, rebels without a cause. Jobless losers, guys that didn't give her the respect she deserved."

"Guess there's a reason she's never met your teammates then."

He chuckled. "She's met a few over the years but it has been awhile since we were in the same city. Anyway, you should ask her out."

"Me? Aren't I exactly the type you just described?"

"I thought so, before I met you. Now I know you though and you're actually not too bad. Besides, I think Delilah would be good for you. She has a way with the lost ones and I get the feeling you're looking to be found."

"You think she'd go out with me?"

"Only way to find out is to ask."