Love So Sweet

Midway through the first period, the two girls fell into their seats after taking their time over dinner and drinks. Normally they would have sat with the other wives and girlfriends but on that night, Taylor had gotten them tickets a few rows back from the bench.

As the period ended with the Oilers leading, Taylor looked up at them with a grin. Both girls waved at him and then Jordan when he spotted them too. Benoit smiled at them also and Danni waved at him with a toothy smile. Ryan followed him off the ice with a death glare to the back of his head. Danni rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him, causing Roni to burst out laughing.

"I'm friends with everyone; why is Benny supposed to be different?" Danni whispered to Roni as they waited in line at the bathroom.

Roni shrugged. "Because Benny flirted with you?"

"Yeah, but once he knew I was with Ry he stopped. Mostly. I talked to him and he doesn't mean anything. He's just another big brother I don't need."

"Did you tell that to Ryan?"

"No, but he didn't ask either. He just went silent on me."

"I think Taylor is right; he's jealous, probably more than a little insecure. He's protecting his heart because he's convinced himself that you're going to break it. For Benny."

"That's dumb though. I wouldn't. He should know that."

"Well he is a boy. They're kind of dumb like that."

Danni grunted in response, stewing as they finished in te bathroom. They walked the concourse after and Danni pulled Roni into the team store with her as they passed by. She made a beeline for the player shirts and grabbed a Pouliot one, marching defiantly to the register to pay and immediately pulling it on.

"Girrrrl," Roni hissed as she deposited the tags and the bag into the trash.

"If Ryan Nugent-Hopkins wants to act like a bitch, then I'll show him a bitch."

“I’m thinking we shouldn’t those fireball shots at dinner were not a good idea.”

“I’m thinking they were a really great idea.”

They made it back to their seats before the team took the ice for the second period and halfway through, when Benoit scored to put the Oilers up by two goals, Danni leapt to her feet with the crowd, cheering wildly. She turned and high fived with several of the people behind them and Roni caught Ryan looking up at her, a frown crossing his features. When Danni turned back around, a happy smile spread across her face.

“Oh my God! That goal was AMAZING!” She began to clap again as Benoit and his linemates skated by the bench and as they announced the goal over the PA, she cheered loudly. “Yeah, Benny! Get it!” He looked up and smiled, chuckling as he skated away, causing Danni to yell even louder.

“I am never giving you fireball ever again,” Roni said as she shook her head.

After the game, the two girls waited in the lounge, chatting with some of the other women as they waited for Taylor but it was Benoit that found them first.

“Petit bijou,” he spoke. “What are you wearing?”

Danni laughed as she hugged him. “A t-shirt. Don’t I look fabulous?”

“Yes, you look fabulous.”

“Danni,” Roni said, elbowing her in the side. She nodded in the direction of the door where Justin and Ryan had walked in, followed by Taylor and Jordan. She shrugged and turned back to Benoit.

“Are you guys going anywhere to celebrate the win?” she asked him, ignoring the other men as Roni moved towards them.

“You are up to something,” Benoit answered, his voice dropping as he steered her towards a quieter part of the room.

“I am not.”

“You are and it’s not very nice, to me or to Ryan.”

“Well he wasn’t very nice to me first,” she pouted.

He opened his mouth to ask what happened when Taylor called out her name.

"We're gonna go play mini golf. You in?”

“Yes!” she exclaimed. “You’re coming too, Benny, right?”

“You’re not serious, are you?”

“I don’t kid Benoit Pouliot. Ever. But if you’re scared to get beat by a girl, we’ll all understand.”

“I’m definitely not scared of you.”

“You should be.”

“You’re wearing four inch heels.”

“And I’ll still kick your ass. Just wait and see.” She smirked at him and walked towards Roni, linking her arm with hers and leading the way out of the arena. Benoit smiled and shrugged his shoulders affably as he followed them out.

“Whatever you did to piss off your girlfriend, you should probably try and fix that,” Justin commented as the other four followed. “I was once told that girls like flowers.”

“Shut up,” Ryan barked.

“Whoa! Who pissed on your cornflakes? I thought you were the nice one. And why isn’t Danni wearing your jersey?”

“I’ll see you guys later,” Ryan said, turning to walk towards his truck as they reached the parking lot.

“No way,” Taylor said, grabbing ahold of his arm. “You’re coming too; deal with it. Because while I love your girlfriend, and I can deal with her cock blocking me one night, I am not getting cock blocked a second night. So you either go and get the fuck over yourself or I let her stay with Benny or Ebs tonight, her choice. I’m pretty sure I know who’d she pick just to piss you off more.”

“She was with you?”

“Where exactly did you think she went? She texted Roni at one in the morning. I left as soon as she texted and picked her up. What the fuck is wrong with you anyway?” Taylor pushed as Roni and Danni climbed into Roni’s car. “If you don’t like something that Benny is doing, tell him, like you told me. It’s that easy. Don’t take it out on her. And if you are going to take it out on her, tell her. Ignoring her isn’t how you handle shit.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t? Really? So the crying girl on my couch last night and all the things she said were a figment of my imagination?” Taylor shook his head sadly. “I never thought that the reason I saw Danni cry would ever be because of you. She loves you, probably has since the night she met you. I know you’ve been in love with her that long. Yet here we are, you two not even speaking to one another and her wearing a t-shirt to piss you off. It’s ridiculous.”

He left Ryan to think about what he said as he made his way to his own car. Jordan and Justin climbed in with him and he watched as Benoit got into Roni's car after much urging from the two girls. He slammed the door to his truck and followed the other two vehicles across town, his mind clouded with memories as they pulled into the parking lot of the mini golf course where Danni had taken him the night they met, the same place that had been the sight of countless rematches since.

He trudged along behind the others, the guys leaving suit jackets and ties behind in their vehicles and Danni left her new t-shirt behind in Roni’s car. The two girls talked animatedly to Taylor and Jordan as Taylor and Justin split the cost for everyone. They all grabbed a different brightly colored golf ball and a putter before setting out for one of the courses. It was a quiet night and there were only a few other people out, all on different courses than their large group.

“Ladies first,” Taylor bowed, letting Roni set up to go first. She kissed him, swiping at the lipstick that stained his lips.

"Thank you," she curtsied with a wink.

They were halfway through the game, Ryan leading Taylor and Danni by one, when Danni scored a hole in one. “Yes!” she exclaimed, dropping her putter and doing her victory dance, the one she had done that first night that Ryan fell for hard and fast. She pumped her fist in the air and turned to Benoit, whose side she had stuck by all night, chatting away with him.

“Just try and beat that, frenchie.”

“Maybe I’m letting you underestimate me to lull you into a false sense of security,” Benoit replied.

“Doubtful.”

“Wanna bet on it?”

“No!” Taylor, Jordan, Justin, and Roni shouted in unison.

“No bets,” Roni said.

“Unless they’re with Nuge,” Taylor added.

“Fuck that,” Danni muttered.

Ryan calmly handed his putter to Justin who stood beside him. “This was fun but I’m going home.”

“Bye,” Danni said brightly. The smile on her face was snide as she waved at him dismissively.

“Wow; you do bitch really well,” Justin mused.

“Yeah well, don’t ignore me and treat me like I don’t matter and I won’t ever have to use it on you.”

“Ummm....,” Justin replied, eyes wide and not sure what else to say. Danni moved ahead to the next hole, sitting on the bench to wait. Everyone’s eyes swung to Ryan.

“I’ll see you guys at practice tomorrow. Roni, it was good to see you as always.”

“Don’t go, Ryan,” she said. “Just talk to her.” He shook his head and walked off. Roni sighed and leaned into Taylor. “Make him talk to her.”

“I tried, babe. He didn’t listen to me.”

“Excuse me,” Benoit said, handing his putter to Taylor and following Ryan towards the parking lot. “Wait up,” he said to Ryan as he hurried towards him.

Ryan paused as he opened his truck door. “What do you want?”

“I want to know what happened between you and Danni and why she’s using me to obviously get back at you.”

“This isn’t about you.”

“It isn’t? Because it sure seems that way.”

“Can you just butt out?”

“Can’t do that. Your petit bijou is a good person and you make her very happy but she’s not happy right now and neither are you. I don’t like seeing either of you this way.”

“Why do you that?”

“Do what?”

“Give her a pet name.”

He paused thoughtfully. “You don’t like me, do you?”

“I like you just fine as a teammate.”

“But when it comes to your girlfriend, you’d rather I’d fall off the face of the earth.”

“Yes," Ryan answered through gritted teeth.

“I’m sorry if I’ve given you the wrong idea about my intentions towards Danni. I didn’t know she was yours when I introduced myself to her but once I did, it was obvious she didn't see anyone but you. You guys are a close group and I’m just trying to find my place in it. I admit it was fun seeing what I could say that would make her blush and that was wrong of me and I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would upset you. I won’t talk to her if that’s what you want.”

Ryan sighed. “That’s not what I want.”

“What do you want?”

“My girlfriend not to be pissed off at me.”

Benoit chuckled. “I suggest you grovel then. Come on, let’s finish this game.”

Ryan nodded and followed Benoit back to join the others. “If I win,” he started as he lined up his ball, “you have to burn that t-shirt,” he said to Danni.

“I paid thirty bucks for that shirt. I’m gonna sleep it in every night just to get my money’s worth. But when I win, you can wear it under your jersey for a month.”

“You’re on.”

“What just happened?” Benoit asked Roni.

“The game just got a hundred percent more competitive.”

Danni stood, moving to stand at the edge of the end of the hole. She crossed her arms over her chest. “When I win, you owe me and Benoit an apology.”

“I’m sorry I was an asshole to you last night,” Ryan started, meeting her eyes. “I’m sorry that I didn’t just talk to you and I’m sorry I took my insecurities out on you. You’re out of my league, Danni. You’ve been out of my league since the night I met you. I’m always afraid I’m going to lose you.”

“Ryan,” she said softly, the scowl on her face replaced with a smile. “God you’re an idiot, you know that right?”

He blushed. “Yeah, I know.”

She walked down the short length of the green and stood in front of him. “I’m not going anywhere, not even for the frenchie. Because no one else could ever be you and you’re the only guy I want.”

“I love you,” he whispered as she slipped her arms around his neck.

“I love you too," she whispered back, leaning into him. He held her tightly and she sighed into his kiss.

“I forfeit,” Ryan said, looking over his shoulder at Taylor.

“Me too,” Danni grinned as Ryan held her.

“Great, then you two can go home and leave the rest of us to finish this game,” Taylor replied.

“What is happening?” Justin asked, looking between Ryan and Danni.

“Unlike you who can’t get his shit together to fix things with his girlfriend, Ryan just fixed things with his girlfriend,” Roni told him. “You might take advice from him on your situation tomorrow.”

“We’re going home,” Ryan announced, causing Danni to blush. “See you guys later.”

He kept an arm around Danni as he led her to his truck. He held her door open and waited until she had buckled before closing the door. He walked around and climbed in the drivers side, buckling and then starting the vehicle. Before he pulled out, he turned to her.

"I am sorry, Danni. I should've talked to you last night. I should've went after you when I heard you leave. I was wrong."

"Taylor and Roni think you're jealous of Benny. Are you?"

"Yeah, I am. He's older than me, good looking, French; he even gave you a nickname.

"But he's not you. Don't ever forget that, Nugie. When women fawn over you and touch you and flirt with you, I hate it, I really do, but then I take a deep breath and remind myself that I have you, not them."

"You get jealous?"

"Of course! I think you're the hottest guy on the planet, Ryan. If I didn't get jealous then that would probably mean we had run it's course and I don't think we've run our course."

"I don't think so either. It's just, I've never been bothered by the way the other guys interact with you, or the way you are with them. Not until now at least."

"You know the other guys though; you've been teammates awhile. Benoit is new to the team and you don't know him yet."

"He makes you blush."

"Yes he does; he is very charming."

"I'm not."

"Don't sell yourself short. You are charming in your own way and that way is the one I love. If you are upset about the way I interacted with Benoit though, then I won't interact with him."

"I want you to get along with my teammates and I want them to like you. I just have to get used to it."

"Benoit is like a big brother. A handsome big brother, but a big brother nonetheless. I'm pretty sure everything he says is just to see if he can get a rise out of me or not."

"I know. Next time I'm bothered by it, I'll talk to you."

"That's all I want. If either of us have a problem, let's talk about it. That way we don't get here. Deal?"

"Deal."

"I'm sorry I was a bitch tonight. I just wanted you to feel as crappy as I did."

"Let's call it even on how we acted."

She laughed. "Agreed." She unbuckled and slid over to sit beside him, resting one hand on his thigh and the other on his chest and kissing him.

"This, me and you, this is what I want," Danni told him. "Nothing else."