Love So Sweet

Danni waited impatiently after practice in the halls outside the locker room several days later. When a door creaked open, she looked up from her tablet where she was entering grades.

She frowned at the two men who emerged from the locker room and stood up from the floor, slipping her tablet into her bag.

"Hello. Can we help you?"

Danni looked between them and shook her head. "Not unless you can make Danny hurry up. I'm starving."

"You know Danny?" He looked her up and down.

"Yes Gabe Landeskog, I know Danny. For years."

He smiled. "You know who I am but who are you?"

"If you're hitting on my girl, Landeskog, I'll take it out on your face tomorrow," Ryan spoke up as he made his way towards the visitors locker room.

"This is your girlfriend?" Gabe asked as the two shook hands.

"My fiancé actually," he grinned.

"And she knows Briere?"

"She does," Danny said as he came out of the locker room. Danni bounded over to hug him. "She used to babysit the boys in Philly before she went to college. We were neighbors."

"Are you ready to go? Ryan didn't feed me breakfast."

"I'm not sure how that's my fault when you're capable of pouring a bowl of cereal yourself," Ryan replied.

"But you love me, Ry. You're supposed to take care of me as the big, strong man in this relationship.”

“If you need a big, strong man,” Gabe started.

“Then you’re bearded teammate there is probably a great option. And his name is Ryan so that’s easy enough to remember,” Danni retorted.

“I see you’re as sassy as ever," Danny chuckled. “Max wants to come with us if that’s okay.”

“Of course. I want to see pictures of Jaxson.” She threw open the visitors door. "Max Talbot, I am hungry and leaving in one minute, with or without your French ass!"

Max came laughing out of the locker room moments after Danni let the door swing closed. “Bien-aimée, you wouldn’t leave me. You love me.”

“No. I have my own frenchie and I don’t need you anymore. Besides, Danny always warned me about you.”

“What do you mean Danny warned you about me?” Max asked suspiciously, eyes narrowed.

“Danny was very specific when I met him. Never date a hockey player. Do not let one ever give you a tour of his place alone. Don’t trust the french ones. And when the Flyers signed you, I got a very long lecture about how I should never look you directly in the eye, because that is how you wheel your way into girls panties.”

Max pouted dramatically. “He said that? About me?”

“Isn't Danny one of the french ones?” Gabe spoke up. “Why did you trust Danny?”

“Because Danny is a dad,” Danni told him. “Dads don’t wheel their way into your panties.”

The guys laughed and Danni hugged Ryan, kissing his cheek. “I’ll see you back at home.”

“Justin wants to come over for dinner.”

“That’s fine. Tell him seven.” She nodded polite goodbyes to the other two Avalanche players before leading Max and Danny through the building. When she saw Benoit, she called out his name and rushed forward to hug him.

“Allô petite bijou,” he laughed when she jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Where is Hoppy?”

“I left him with the hottest swede ever.”

“Lundqvist is here?”

She giggled. “Landeskog.”

He nodded. “Then where are you off to with the enemy?”

“Lunch. But I’m making dinner later if you want to come over.”

“That sounds good. What time?”

“Seven.” She hopped off his back with a smile. “See you later, Benny.”

He nodded at the other two hockey players as they passed and Danny spoke as they walked outside. "I thought Justin was your sidekick."

"He is. Benoit is my big brother. He's great."

"I can't believe you have another frenchie," Max complained with a sly smile.

"Shut up," Danni laughed, shoving at him. "You were never my frenchie anyway. Now get in the car and tell me about Jaxson and MacKinnon."



Danni closed the door to her apartment three hours later and leaned against it with a smile before kicking off her boots, hanging her jacket from a hook and making her way into the living room. Justin and Ryan were sprawled across the couch playing Call of Duty and she leaned over the back to kiss Ryan who looked up at her.

"I thought maybe you decided to move to Colorado," he teased her.

"Never. Colorado doesn't have Justin.”

“Thanks, Danni,” Justin grinned.

Ryan rolled his eyes. “How was lunch?”

“Great. Max showed me at least a hundred photos of Jaxson; he is so cute. And Danny made me tell him every details of your proposal. Oh, and he told me to tell you good job on the ring.”

“So he approves then, even though I’m a hockey player?”

“Yes, even though you’re a hockey player, Danny B approves. Because you’re not the sleazy kind.”

“Am I the sleazy kind?” Justin asked.

“Yes; but I like you anyway,” Danni replied, ruffling his hair. “Wanna help me make dinner later?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Uh, because he might burn down our kitchen?” Ryan piped up.

“He won’t burn down the kitchen if I’m supervising.”

“You would think so but then you’d be wrong.”

Danni bopped him in the back of the head. “Be nice or I'll let Justin spit in your food."

Later that night, Danni let Justin help her cook as promised and Jessie and Ryan volunteered to do the dishes after while Jordan picked out a movie from Danni's collection. Roni sat in Taylor's lap at one end of the couch and Jordan took the spot beside them after he passed the movie off to Benoit to get started. Justin stretched out on the floor, leaning back against the couch.

When Jessie joined them, she sat down beside Justin, curling against his side with a smile. Benoit loaded the disc into the DVD player, picking up the remote as he took the open end of the couch. Ryan brought popcorn from the kitchen with him, setting down a couple bowls before settling into their oversized chair, pulling Danni down into his lap.

As the movie started, Danni looked over at her friends with a smile. Roni was whispering to Taylor, Justin and Jessie were kissing, and Jordan and Benoit threw popcorn at them. She snuggled into Ryan who kissed her cheek. She turned and kissed his in return.

"I love our life," she whispered to him. "Our friends, Edmonton, but mostly you."

"I love you too, Danni."

"I know," she smirked. "But seriously, this makes me happy. I want to just relax and hang out with our friends. I want to grow old with you."

"Have kids with me?"

"Yeah," she smiled softly. "One day."

Ryan wrapped her tightly in his arms. "I want all of that too."

"Hey!" Jordan shouted loudly. "No whispering," he said before throwing a handful of popcorn at them. Danni laughed as Ryan grabbed a handful of his own and chucked it in Jordan's direction.

"You need a girlfriend," Ryan told him.

"Tell Danni to find me one," he retorted.

"Danni, please find Ebs a girlfriend."

She laughed. "I'm still trying to set Benny up with Cary. What makes you think I have time for Jordan Eberle?"

"Who is Cary?" Benoit spoke up.

"The French substitute teacher I told you about months ago. I've been trying to get her to come to a game or meet us out somewhere but she's been busy. Which sucks because I just know you'd fall in love with her."

He smiled. "I'm sure I would too."

"Anyway, I love you guys," Danni said, sitting up. "That's what I was telling Ry. I love our Edmonton family. This makes me really happy."

"We're all really happy too," Ryan promised. "Especially Jordan since you cook and he doesn't have anyone."

"Hey!" Jordan exclaimed, throwing more popcorn at Ryan.

"Before next season we'll find you a girl, Ebs. Because family takes care of family," Danni told him.

"That's right," Roni spoke up. "And you third wheeling on mine and Taylor's dates is really getting on my nerves."

Everyone laughed and Jordan turned to throw popcorn at Roni. She laughed, catching some in her mouth. "You do kill the spiders though," she continued thoughtfully, "so maybe you do serve a purpose."

"Put that on his resume for potential girlfriends," Jessie added. "Killing spiders is pretty high on the list of things most girls need their boyfriends to do."

"Can we watch the movie now?" Jordan asked, ready to get the attention off of him. "If not, can we at least talk about Benoit who I'd like to remind you is also single."

"He doesn't need our help," Roni replied. "Have you looked at him?"

The girls giggled and the boys rolled their eyes. "Merci, mesdames," Benoit smiled. It caused a fresh round of giggles from the girls.

"What have I told you about getting wooed by the frenchie?" Ryan teased Danni, pulling her back to him.

"Not to?" She smirked. She kissed him, licking his bottom lip before giving it a tug. "Don't worry, Nugie. You're the only one wooing me out of my panties," she whispered in his ear. His face flushed as Danni settled in his lap with a smile.

"Mini golf tomorrow," Ryan said to her quietly halfway through the movie.

"Okay?" She answered with a curious expression.

"If I win, I get to woo you out of your panties at a place of my choosing."

Her eyes widened and her mouth formed a surprised O before falling into a smile. "When I win, I pick the lockerroom."

A scandalized expression crossed Ryan's features. "Think of the bucket list, Ry," she teased him.

He held his hand out to her with a grin. "You're on."

FIN