Sun & Moon

The cold no longer bothered Catalina once she was drunk. She finally met Andrew’s girlfriend, Chaunette Boulerice, who was a petite blonde and about the nicest person that Catalina had ever met. She had no idea how two people like the loud mouth and aggressive Andrew had found the sweet-sounding, happy Chaunette. Catalina thought that it could not have been better.

Inside of the home, Catalina found herself wedged between Patrick and Andrew. Austin was sitting across from her next to Jonathan who had his arm around Erin. Austin’s girlfriend was next to him, the group forming a half arch and talking loudly over the clamor of the house.

Catalina leaned back on the couch. She was acutely aware that Patrick’s arm went around the back of the couch. She was careful when she leaned backwards. If he noticed, he made no sign of it, engaged in conversation with Austin. She relax, taking a few gulps of water. She was drinking glasses of water between beers to avoid any possibility of sickness later.

Vibration in her pocket startled her. Catalina took out her phone and looked at the screen to see that Forrest was calling her. She let it go to voicemail and set the phone in her lap before turning back to the conversation. The phone started again and she flipped it over to decline the call, wondering why he had called twice.

“Two calls back to back.” Patrick’s voice was right next to her ear. She looked at him, hair falling and blocking her face from the others in the group. “Someone important?”

“If it was, wouldn’t I have answered?”

He smirked and leaned back. “I bet you answer when you’re alone and it’s three in the morning.”

“Nosey.” She checked her phone. It was past midnight and he didn’t call again. “Like Showtime doesn’t get any late night calls.”

“There is a reason I don’t give out my phone number.”

“Ah, so you’re more of a different girl type thing. Avoid any accidents.” Patrick’s arm slipped lower on the couch lightly tapping Catalina on the back of the head. She ignored the light touch as he seemed to consider her statement. “As long as you’re careful.”

Patrick pursed his lips and knit his brows. “I always use condoms, but thanks for the concern.”

Catalina burst out laughing. She started several people, including Patrick as she leaned forward over her knees, her stomach pulling tight with the laughter. Patrick simple watched her as she tried to catch her breath, wiping underneath her eyes to clear the tears from the outburst. “I meant from a media standpoint,” she gasped, laughter dying out. “I didn’t mean sexually.”

“Wow that’s awkward.” He grimaced. “I don’t think there is a way I can recover from that one.”

“Probably not.”

After another hour, the small foursome decided to go home. Catalina hugged all of her friends, including her new ones. She had exchanged numbers with Chaunette promising they would go get coffee together one morning. Catalina liked her and intended to make more friends in Chicago.

In the cab, Catalina found herself wedged between Erin and Patrick. Erin was talking quietly to Jonathan and Patrick had his head on the window, yawning lightly with his eyes closed. Catalina grinned, raising her hand and moving a single piece of blonde hair that had fallen out of place. She lowered her hand and saw that Patrick was looking right at her.

Catalina grinned and he returned it. “My mom used to brush my hair to fall asleep,” he said, voice raspy. He closed his eyes again. The lights were blurry on the other side of him, the fog on the window distorting their color and shape. “I was a spoiled kid.”

“Are you that tired?”

“Actually? Not really, I’m wide awake. But the window feels really nice and I felt over heated inside.” Patrick shrugged his shoulders. “I think Austin had that heat cranked to almost ninety.”

“I was sweating under my jacket, I know.”

They pulled up to the Trump Hotel. Catalina looked up at the tall building. It was one of the nicest hotels in Chicago and where Patrick stayed during season. Catalina herself had stayed at the hotel when she had originally come to Chicago to talk to the Blackhawks front office and when she had come to look at apartments.

Miami had amazing hotels too, but something about the Chicago location was amazing. Catalina wondered if that’s why Patrick stayed there during season instead of having somewhere permanent to live. In fact, she thought that it was off that he had not committed to living in Chicago full time, despite the fact that his contract stretched for a few more years.

Sticking his hand in his pocket to pull out his keys, Patrick hesitated. Catalina watched him with raised eyebrows as he checked all of his pockets, including those in his jacket before glancing at all three pairs of eyes that were now staring at him. He gave them an awkward smile and Jonathan groaned.

“You forgot your keys again, didn’t you?” Jonathan asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Kaner.”

“Again?” Erin asked, looking around Catalina to a somewhat sheepish Patrick. “How many times do you forget your keys at places?”

“Enough that he has extra clothes at my house,” Jonathan answered.

“Awe, boyfriend stuff,” Catalina teased. “Looks like you’re having a sleepover.”

“Well Erin was going to sleep at the house tonight…” Jonathan trailed off and Erin went red in the face. Catalina raised her eyebrows. “I have plenty of space for-“

“Patrick and I are having a sleep over,” Catalina cut in. Everyone in the car looked equally surprised, including the cab driver for some reason. Catalina gave him a glare in his rearview and he looked away. “He can stay at our house and Erin can go with you, Jonathan.”

Erin opened her mouth. “I mean…”

“Sorry,” Catalina said, leaning forward to address the cab driver. “Lincoln Park, please. Then Harbor Point, sorry for the inconvenience.”

“It’s fine,” the driver said, pulling back onto the road. “It isn’t every day that I get to drive to of the best players in the NHL. Great game against Tampa Bay, the other night.”

“Thanks man,” Jonathan grinned.

Catalina pursed her lips. “You will, of course, not make a scene about players being with girls, correct?” The driver looked at her. Catalina smiled. “I’m in public relations so we automatically think of these things, of course.”

He nodded. “It isn’t any of my business, ma’am.”

Catalina leaned back into the seat. Patrick leaned over and quietly murmured, to her. “Sleep over? Do we get to have pillow fights and share all of our deepest, darkest secrets?”

“No, you get to sleep in my bed and I’ll sleep in Erin’s, surely with the door locked.” He sat back up normally, smirking. Catalina looked at him skeptically. “What?”

“And you said I would never see your bedroom again.”