Lost & Found-3

Chapter 3:

At first I sat there staring at him while he wiped his visor and shot some Gatorade in his mouth.
Then the announcer's voice boomed over us.
"Penalty Penguins, number 87 Sidney Crosby. Two minutes for roughing."
"What did you say?" Sarah said behind me.
"That's him." I lifted my finger and pointed at him right as he turned to look at me.Those familiar eyes met mine and a smile formed on his face. I felt my face get warm and the back of my neck tingled. That was new.

We sat there and just looked at each other for a long moment before Sarah was in my ear again.
"Say something" she hissed.
"I don't know what to say."
"You!" I yelled.
His smile didn't move as he nodded.
"Yeah have fun trying to get his attention, he never talks to anyone!" Some girl behind me snapped. I rolled my eyes and threw her a glare that received silence in return.
When I brought my attention back to him, he held up his hand like a phone to his ear, telling me to call him. That I could do, I did have his number. Now I just had the name and big ego to go along with it.
The stupid man in the suit broke up yet another moment during the night and he stepped onto the ice, only to turn around and look at me again before skating away.
"Did he just wink at you?"
I nodded slowly. Apparently he had the ability to make me forget how to speak the English language.

The rest of the game my eyes followed him and only him. I even watched him sit the bench. The bar owners voice echoed through my head... "Whatever you want, on the house". I bet this hockey star thing had something to do with it.

They won the game and of course before he skated off, he stopped at center ice and looked at me with a grin.
Oh, he was so dead.

*

My heels clicked through the lobby around 12, after going to 2 different clubs scoping out guys and laughing at their failed pick up attempts. I leaned against the back of the elevator laughing quietly thinking about the night’s events. We kept making bets on which ones were going to win over different girls, which ones would ask to buy us a drink, and which ones weren't really into girls. Let's just say we owed each other a lot.

15 minutes later I was curled beneath the sheets in the complete darkness. I looked out the large window to see the arena glowing across the way. I looked at the number illuminated on my phone. I sighed, put it down, closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep.

I found myself dreaming of a pair of caramel eyes and a crooked grin.

*

After I had showered and ate breakfast I found myself pacing in front of my bed looking at my phone sitting on the beds edge. I stopped, picked it up and dialed. I walked over to the window and looked at the arena while it rang.
"Hello?"
"Hi." I said simply.
"Amanda?"
"Yup." My mouth popped on the 'p'.
Before I could respond he started talking.
"Oh good, I was hoping you would call soon. Are you busy tonight?"
"Yes, actually. I have dinner plans with another person."
There was a pause.
"Well I think you should move that to tomorrow night."
"Why?"
"I’ve already made reservations."
I rolled my eyes. Great, he was stubborn too.

After arguing with him for a few minutes because I couldn't just cancel on Braydon, I gave up.

"Fine. But if I lose a friend because of you, you are dead."
He laughed. "I'll be in the lobby at 6."
And the line went dead.

I called Braydon right away.
"I'm so sorry but I have to postpone our dinner tonight."
"Why? Is there something wrong?"
"No no. It's a long story, I can tell you tomorrow. Can we do breakfast?"
"Sure."
"What time is good for you?"
"I have an early class, but how about I pick you up after around 10:30?"
"That's perfect! I'm so sorry about tonight."
"It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow morning Mand."
"Okay. Bye Braydon."
I hung up with a smile, he was so sweet.
Sidney on the other hand... Well that was to be determined.

*

I walked pointlessly around the city for a while to kill time. I found a cute coffee shop and decided to pop in for lunch. After I had a killer salad I called Sarah and told her what had just happened. Of course the first thing she asked was what I was going to wear.

"I was thinking a short 3/4 sleeve scoop neck dress, that is black until under the bust and a taupe color the rest of the way. And probably black tights and peep toe pumps the same taupe color as the dress."
"Sounds good. Accessories?"
Damn. This girl really loved fashion.
"Black patent clutch. Some bangles. And a cropped black wool coat."
"Perfect."
I laughed and told her I'd call her with all the details after.
"I'll be waiting. Have fun! See if you can score Jordan’s autograph or number for me!"


I pulled on my dress for the 40th time and smoothed it over looking at my blurred reflection in the elevator doors. I flixed my pin straight hair a bit and smoothed my side bangs, then checked to make sure I had everything in my clutch as the doors opened. I took a deep breath and walked to the open lobby.

There was hardly anyone in there and the minute I walked in he stood up from a chair.

"Hello." I said simply.
He smiled, "Come on."
He escorted me to his silver Range Rover and opened the door for me. As he walked around the front of the car I sighed and my stomach did a back flip.
"So where are we going?"
"Surprise."
"I hate surprises.""I bet you do."
"Speaking of surprises, Mr. Hockey Phenom. That was quite a show you put on last night."
He shrugged. "It was okay."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"My job is irrelevant."
"Yes, and I'm really a man." I said sarcastically.
He laughed. My stomach turned.
"I'm serious. How could you not tell someone that?"
"It's easier. And you said you didn't like stories."
The words I was about to say were silenced. He was right.
"But it doesn't matter. You know about me now, so I need to know about you."
"Not fair. I only know like 3 things about you."
"We will have to change that then."

He pulled into a parking space at a small restaurant, shut off the car and opened my door for me. He held out his arm for me and with a blush and those stomach acrobatics, I linked my arm with his.

Funny how he could be annoy me one minute, and the next he could give me butterflies and make me giggle.

Interesting.