Make You Feel My Love

Tessa laughed when Delilah came down the stairs with Ava just before they were set to leave for the arena that night. Delilah had insisted on changing Ava after Tessa had fed her and she was happy to let her, buying her a few extra minutes to get ready.

"What? You don't like her outfit?" Delilah asked innocently.

"I love it; Paul might not agree."

"Good thing he won't know until after the game then."

"Where did you get this?"

"I bought the jersey at the team store; I made James ask one of the equipment guys to stitch the name and number last week."

"It's adorable. And now I know exactly what I'm going to buy your kids when you and James start having them as payback."

Delilah laughed. "I think you've got a few more years before you'll need to worry about that; he'll have to propose first. But you could get dog sized Sharks jerseys for Snoop and Nixon."

"I am so doing that for Christmas."

At the game, Tessa and Delilah sat with some of the other wives, who were welcoming to Delilah despite her Predators jersey. They left Tessa's past with James simple: they were neighbors in Pittsburgh, he and Paul were good friends so he was her good friend too. He was Ava's godfather, and Tessa was waiting expectantly for him to propose to Delilah.

The girls teased each other good naturedly and when James scored in the second period, Delilah stood to clap and she dragged Tessa up with her. The other wives booed them and they were all laughing when they sat down.

After the game, they all made their way downstairs to wait in the family lounge. Ava was up and babbling in Delilah's arms as they chatted, waiting for the guys to appear.

Paul had finished his media obligations, showered and dressed after the game before heading to the visitors locker room to find James. The Predators didn't play again until Saturday so James was staying with Paul and Tessa until his team left San Jose for LA on Friday afternoon.

James came out of the locker room in high spirits, laughing with his teammates. When he saw Paul, he said goodbye to his teammates to join him.

"Do you always have to show off when you see my wife?" Paul joked as they hugged.

James chuckled as they started off. "How do you know I wasn't showing off for my girl?"

"I'm pretty sure you were showing off for all the girls."

"Can't help it girls love me," he shrugged with his trademark grin. "How is California treating you? I see you've let your hair go."

"Tessie likes it."

"She can't keep her fingers out of your hair, can she?"

"She's always touching it,” he lied smoothly.

"Yeah, that sounds like the Tess I remember. She likes to pull it, doesn't she?” James winked with a knowing smile. Paul shoved him forward and frowned at James’ back as he laughed, switching to a smile when they reached the family lounge. James followed Paul as he made his way through the room to where he had spotted Tessa. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Ava in Tessa's arms.

"What have you done to our poor innocent child?" Paul asked as he took the baby girl into his arms. "Why would you let Nealer do something so cruel to a baby?"

"Me?" James spoke up. "Why is it automatically my fault?"

"Because Tessa blindly believes in you."

"While that is true, it's not my fault. You should blame your American counterpart Delilah Gallo."

Paul clutched his heart. "After I let you in my home, Delilah?" His eyes sparkled with mischief.

"She's a Martin; Martin girls love James Neal," Delilah replied matter of factly with the same mischievous twinkle. "And I happen to know that your wife owns a lovely, autographed jersey of her own."

"And I'm lucky she didn't wear it tonight."

"Tessa," Sarah spoke up, "you wear someone other than Paul's jersey?"

She blushed and Paul put his arm around her, squeezing her affectionately. "James Neal is the neediest next door neighbor you could ever imagine. Of course he gave her his jersey to wear when I broke my leg a couple years ago. She picked the one out in Nashville though because she and James like to harass me and call me old."

"Stop trying to gain sympathy from Sarah," Tessa laughed. "You are old."

"Yeah, Paulie," James piped up. "Ancient even."

"Remind me again why I'm letting you stay at my house," Paul said with a roll of his eyes.

"Because your wife loves me," he smirked in return.

Delilah took Ava from Paul with a smile. "I love you, Paul, so it's all even." She turned to Sarah with a smile. "James is lucky to have friends like Paul and Tessa, and I'm lucky they like me more than him."

Paul laughed when James frowned, pouting at Delilah's words. "One day, Nealer, I'm gonna use this girlfriend of yours against you and you'll regret every time you've given me a hard time, I hope you know that."

"Yeah, I know," James sighed before smiling. "But you'll probably be too crippled to really make good use of the opportunity so I'm not worried."

They all laughed and said goodbye to the others before heading out. The girls left James and Paul at his car and walked out to Tessa's vehicle to make the drive to their house. Tessa and Delilah chatted and laughed on the drive and by the time they pulled into the driveway, Ava was asleep in her car seat in the back seat.

Tessa carried Ava inside and upstairs to her room, changing her and putting her down in her crib. She grabbed the baby monitor before exiting the room and heading down to the kitchen. James was sitting on the kitchen counter with an open beer and Delilah was in front of the stove. Paul was rooting through the fridge and turned when Tessa came into the room.

"Hey, are you hungry?" He asked. "Delilah is gonna make chicken parm."

"It's after eleven at night."

He shrugged. "James and I are hungry. And I already told her I'd help."

"Well in that case," she smiled, hopping up beside James on the counter and taking his beer, "I am famished."