Only

For the rest of that week, James felt a little bit like he was floating. Dinner with Delilah had gone good, really good even, and the night had ended with her giving him her number. They had stuck with safe topics over dinner, mostly their work and how they had gotten to the places they were now. James avoided talk about past relationships and unknown to him, Delilah avoided talk of their families.

They sat beside each other on the couch and about halfway through the movie, he had reached his arm around her and pulled her into his side. She had stiffened and James had immediatly regretted the move but then she relaxed against him and they stayed that way until the end of the movie.

At the front door, Delilah had hugged him and kissed his cheek. He turned his face to kiss her but she was quicker and his lips landed on her cheek. In the end though, he didn't really care as long as she smiled at him.

While they were gone to Winnipeg and Chicago, James texted with her a few times, Delilah's banter witty and sharp, which left James feeling calm before each game. And it gave him another chance to get to know her.

On that Sunday morning, there was no practice but James got up and worked out in the gym Rich kept at home anyways. After a shower, he decided nine wasn't that early to call someone so he dialed Delilah.

His call went unanswered and into her voicemail so he left her a short message, to see if she wanted to meet up for breakfast. Ending the call, he sat on the couch to wait for her reply.

He expected to hear from her fairly quickly and found himself anxious as the minutes ticked by. More than once he picked up his phone to make sure the volume was up and that he hadn't inadvertently missed her call.

At ten thirty, as Rich made omelettes, his stomach rumbled and he gave in and ate with him. By eleven he was convinced that he had said something wrong the last time they talked so he read back through their last exchange of texts to find where he had messed up.

At eleven thirty Rich took his phone from him and told him to relax.

Just before one, his phone rang and James shot off the couch to wrestle it away from Rich.

"Hello?" He answered breathlessly.

"James? Are you okay?" Tessa's voice came over the line.

James pulled the phone away and checked the display. Yep, there was Tessa's name and the picture of the two of them he had long ago assigned to her details. If he had looked first he was sure he wouldn't feel as disappointed as he did in that moment.

"Hey, Tess. No, I'm fine. I had to wrestle my phone away from Rich."

"Tell him I said hey."

"Tess says hey," he spoke to Rich.

"Hey, Tessa!" Rich called out loudly.

She giggled in his ear. "I hope you've planned on at least one meal I can share with Rich."

"I didn't but he did. You're still coming on Thursday?"

"Yep. I'll go to Paul's game Wednesday against the Flyers and then Nick's girlfriend Emily and I are gonna head out after and drive halfway and finish the drive Thursday. I'll drop Emily at the hotel and then I'll meet you at Rich's to nap before the game that night."

"Mmm, I've missed naptime with you. When are you flying home?"

"Monday morning."

"So I get you all to myself on Sunday?"

"I picture you with the one cocked eyebrow and that smirk right now. Am I right?"

"You're right. But I'm right too, yeah?"

She laughed, a little throaty giggle that James knew meant she was turned on. It was a huge boost to his ego to know he could still have that effect on her.

"You'll have my company all day but not the parts of me I'm sure you'd like."

"Yeah, yeah. That's all for Paul now," he teased. "But you're thinking about me at least."

"Well I have seen you naked. It's a hard thing to forget."

"Damn right it is. Wanna rethink your life choices and stay here with me?"

"You just want someone to live with you to cook and clean and take care of you when you move out on your own."

"I wouldn't object to that."

"Of course you wouldn't. You're still moving tomorrow?"

"Yep; got all my furniture deliveries lined up for after practice including an incredible bed that feels like heaven."

"I can't wait to try it."

"Good. Now that you're thinking about my bed, go ahead and take yourself to Paulie’s.”

“You have no idea what being pregnant has done for Paul’s sex life.”

James chuckled. “Yeah I do. Didn’t you notice Paul had a few new tricks here lately? Who do you think gave him those ideas?”

“Remind me to thank you for that when I get to Nashville.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“I’ll see you Thursday.”

“Bye, James.”

“Bye, Tess.”

He hung up his phone with a smile and slid the phone onto the coffee table and sat back on the couch with a satisfied smile, his eyes closed.

“So that seemed really....personal,” Rich’s voice broke into his thoughts.

James eyes snapped open. Shit, he thought to himself. He had gotten distracted talking to Tessa and forgot Rich was sitting on the other end of the couch. “We spent a lot of time together, being neighbors and all.”

“Yeah? Is that what we’re going with? You talk dirty to your best friends girl for fun?”

“It’s complicated?” James tried. Rich cocked his head to the side and gave him a look.

“Really? Wanna try again? I saw that picture that popped up and your hand was on her tit and she was sucking your face off."

James sighed. “Fine, I’ll tell you.” Rich sat up eagerly. “But this doesn’t go anywhere else. It's not the whole worlds business.”

“Consider my lips sealed.”

“Tessa is my ex girlfriend.”

“She went out with you before Paul? Did she leave you for him? Dude, that’s harsh.”

“She didn’t leave me for him. Well, I mean, yeah, she kind of did, but it’s not what you’re thinking. We both dated her.”

“Both? So she was like cheating on one of you?”

“No; Paul and I knew we were both going out with her. It was a conscious decision. I was in a poly relationship, Cluner. Tessa was my girlfriend and she was Paul’s girlfriend. We each had a relationship with her.”

Rich stared at him. “That’s not what I thought you were going to say," he said after a moments pause.

“No one does but that’s the truth. For a year and half, I shared my life with Tess and Paul. Paul got to tell people she was his girlfriend and I didn’t. We kept us a secret so people wouldn't judge her. And then eventually we told the team and then I got traded. We drifted apart before that though. She’s where she’s supposed to be, I’m where I’m supposed to be and that’s it. We’re friends.”

“I’m kind of speechless right now but I might have questions later.”

“I kind of thought you might,” James replied. His phone rang again and he reached for it. “Hello?”

“Hey, James, it’s Delilah. I’m sorry I missed your call before. My Sunday started early this week. You've probably already ate but maybe we can get dinner later?”

“You have classes on Sunday?”

“No, the studio is closed on Sundays.” In her car on the opposite side of town, Delilah chewed her bottom lip nervously before letting out a breath and forging ahead. “I was at church. I volunteered in the nursery this week so I had to be here early and after I got pulled aside by a couple of the older ladies who granddaughters dance at my studio and wanted to talk to me about heading up the Christmas play.”

“Oh, church, that’s nice,” James said. He shot a helpless look at Rich.

“Yeah....so I guess maybe I’ll talk to you later?”

“No, wait. What time do you want to get dinner?”

“You still want to get dinner.”

“Yeah. Did I miss something? Was I supposed to be turned off somewhere?”

“No. It’s just, some guys hear church and check out.”

“I don’t go to church but that doesn't mean I don’t believe in something. I’d like to hear more about what it means to you. ”

“Oh, well, sure. I’d like to tell you about that.”

“Good. So six? Do you want to go out somewhere?”

“Do you want to come over to my place? I can kick Craig out and cook.”

“Yeah, I'm cool with that.”

“Cool,” She repeated. “I’ll see you later then, James.”