If You Could Love

Alex laughed, her head thrown back and her whole body shaking as she fell against Steven who was laughing equally as hard. Across from them, PK joined in the laughter as James glowered at the three of them and John blushed. It was early August in Canada and the group was sitting around a fire pit that Alex had convinced James to buy for his backyard, along with some new chairs for hanging out.

“You seriously told him you get off to John?” Steven finally said between laughs. “That's fucking great!”

“I told him I was sure I could find someone to love in Tampa and you should have seen his face,” Alex replied. “So of course I had to tell him I liked John best when he thought I liked you. And he forbid me from dating John so I just blurted it out, ‘you can't forbid what I think about when I'm alone with my vibrator’. And he believed it!” This set her off in a fresh peal of laughter with Steven.

“I told Subby I was pretty sure you were messing with me you know,” James pointed out.

“Pretty sure, not ‘I'm a hundred percent sure my girlfriend does not get off to the captain of the Islanders’,” Steven laughed. “Plus I could totally see John and Alex together. She'd corrupt him a little, he'd soften her a little; it'd be some magical fairy tale shit.”

“Guess now would be a bad time to mention that it's actually Jamie Benn that does it for me, huh? I mean, he captains my home town team. Plus he has the hair and the equally attractive older brother. Yes please!” Alex said.

“We could make that happen,” Steven spoke up.

“You forget that Jamie was a baby Star when James played in Dallas and I already know him. I just think I should get to know him better now, meet the man he became,” she smirked.

“You're never allowed to speak to Jamie again,” James said.

“You're no fun,” Alex said, sticking her tongue out at him. “For the record though, it's Seguin I secretly think about.”

“I can introduce you to him next weekend!” Steven enthused. “At the charity baseball game.”

“Boys in baseball pants,” Alex swooned, fanning herself.

“Hell no!” James shouted. “No one is introducing her to Segs or Jordie Benn, and I swear to god if one of you sends her any Islanders paraphernalia I will never speak to you again.”

“So that jersey I bought her for Christmas, I should return it?” John asked.

Steven and PK laughed and James glared at him as Alex got up to kiss John’s cheek. “You're the best,” she said before plunking down across his lap and hugging him around the neck.

James was out of his seat as soon as Alex’s started to hug John. “Nope,” he said, scooping Alex up in his arms and sitting down again, an arm around her waist to keep her firmly in place.

She giggled and buried her face in James’s neck. “You're so jealous of John.”

“I am not.”

“You are,” she said looking up at him. “But I love you anyway. And for the record, I've never harbored illicit fantasies about any of your friends, teammates, or other hockey players.”

“Thank god. I mean....that is good to know.”

“You know that she's got you wrapped around her finger and she knows it,” Steven spoke up.

“I know,” James smiled. “And I'm good with it.”

“Like you wouldn't be,” PK said, tossing the wadded up label of his beer bottle at Steven.

“I never said I wouldn't. I'm aware how hard it is to find a partner to share in this crazy life with.”

“And to know who you can trust and who's looking for a meal ticket,” John added.

“That's why I'm here; to keep the bunnies away,” Alex said. “And find you girlfriends. I just need a week in Tampa, Steven, and I promise I can find the right girl.”

“Done. Let's look at the schedule and pick a week.”

“You're not spending a week with Steven,” James said to her.

“Why not? It's not like I'm going to sleep with him. He's not my type.”

“What is your type?” PK asked.

“John,” she answered quickly.

James growled lowly and she laughed as she hugged him around his neck. “God it is fun to push your buttons.”

“You are asking for it,” he said close to her ear.

“I know,” she smirked, kissing his cheek. “It's fun.”

“It will be for me later at least.”

She blushed at the implications and the lust in his eyes.

“Looks like he's got you pretty smitten too,” Steven teased.

“Yep, and it only took seven years to figure out,” Alex smiled.

“So did you guys sell your place in Nashville?” John asked.

“No, PK is going to rent it next season.”

“The place I had this season is too small when my family comes to visit and I haven't found anything I like yet,” PK added.

“You find a place in Vegas yet?” Steven asked.

“We found a condo we like that we’re gonna rent,” James replied.

“And For Goodness Cakes?” John asked curiously.

“I made Kathryn a partner and she's going to run the shop in Nashville, promote Chrissy to full time, and hire a couple new people. I'm going to go back to help and handle the business side when James is gone on road trips.”

“And she's gonna find a small place to open up in Vegas too,” James added.

“Maybe; if I can get a loan,” Alex told him.

“I can give you a loan.”

“You're my boyfriend, not my sugar daddy.”

John reached for a cupcake Alex had put out earlier and took a large bite. “I'll invest.”

“You would?” She said with surprise.

John nodded. “Yeah; you're a talented baker and you should be able to share that. Plus my accountant says I should invest my money so why not with someone I know?”

“That's so sweet of you, John. Thank you,” she said untangling herself from James to hug him.

“You’ll take John’s money but not mine?” James whined.

“Yeah, because have you seen his handsome face?” She retorted, sitting back across James’s lap.

He groaned and Steven and PK laughed. “I'll invest too, Alex,” PK said.

“Me three,” Steven added.

“Thank you guys.” She got up to hug each of them, kissing their cheeks. As she sat down with James again, Steven spoke.

“Well we just appreciate you keeping James in line."

“And giving him shit everyday,” PK said.

“And liking me better,” John spoke up.

Alex laughed. “Y'all are too much.”

“We get why you don't want to take James’s money but there's no reason not to take ours,” Steven replied. “You're following him to a new city, a new time zone...you deserve a little bit of familiarity for yourself so if we can help you bring For Goodness Cakes to Vegas we will. Plus then we get free treats when we come to town.”

“You guys get free treats for life regardless.”

“Good to know,” Steven nodded. “Good. To. Know.”