Chapter 43

I know, I know, the little bit about Ryan Whitney isn't so true, but I couldn't help it. Since in this story I refused to trade him at trade deadline, and I wanted to keep things as real as possible as far as the team was concerned, I had to get him to Anaheim somehow.










I got off the plane and made my way to passenger pick up. As soon as I walked outside I heard a car horn start blaring. I turned and saw Grace’s grinning face looking out at me. She bolted out of the car and threw her arms around me in a hug as she squealed in delight. After the greeting we got into the car and headed for her new apartment.

After the Stanley Cup had come to Cole Harbour it had been time to start packing up. Classes at Duquesne were starting just two weeks after and Sidney had Olympic camp the same week. We decided that I would stay with Grace during that time. When he was done he’d meet me in Pittsburgh and we’d move into the new house.

Grace, who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, had gotten a job there and decided to stay. Of course, Jordan had factored into that decision. They were still going strong. Kelly was also still in the city working. Lisa was just half an hour away. Hailey was the only one who had left the Pittsburgh area. Ryan had signed with the Anaheim Ducks in the off season and he’d asked Hailey to go with him. She’d agreed and was across the country from us.

“Nice place,” I told Grace when we walked into her apartment.

“Thanks! Your room’s back here.”

She helped me unpack some stuff as we talked and caught up. I was tired from traveling so we decided just to stay in and order food that night. Lisa and Kelly also came over and we laughed and watched movies all night until I was too tired to stay awake any longer. Even though we’d only been apart for just over a week since they’d left Cole Harbour, it was good to see them.

“So when am I going to see this new house of yours?” Grace asked the next morning. I shrugged.

“I don’t have a key,” I told her sadly. I was dying to see it again.

“Yes you do. Sidney sent one with the stuff he shipped,” she told me. I smiled and rubbed my hands together greedily.

“Let’s go whenever you’re ready.”

She let out a yell of excitement and rushed to get dressed. Not really feeling up to dressing I put on a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt and simply wrapped a scarf around my head. We got into Grace’s car a little while later and I gave her the directions. I smiled as we pulled into the driveway.

“Wow,” she said looking at it. I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face at her simple comment. It was only the second time I was seeing it myself.

“I know, right?” We stood in the driveway just looking at the exterior for a minute. I was actually going to be living here.

“Are you the new neighbors?” a woman’s voice called out, interrupting my thoughts. We both turned to see a woman who looked to be in her 40’s despite obvious desperate attempts to remain young looking.

“I am. This is just a friend. I’ll be living here with my boyfriend,” I told the woman who was now standing in front of us in my driveway.

“Oh, how nice. I’m Patty,” she introduced herself.

“I’m Tanner, and this is Grace. It’s nice to meet you,” I returned.

“Have we met before? I feel like I recognize you,” the woman questioned.

I looked over to Grace wondering how exactly I should approach that question. She might have seen the news segment with Sidney and recognized me from there, but if that wasn’t it, I didn’t want to blow mine and Sidney’s cover too soon.

“We haven’t met, no,” I responded. She continued to stare at me. I struggled to think of something else to say, but Patty’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“I saw you on the news a couple months ago! You’re Sidney Crosby’s girlfriend!” I just smiled and nodded. “Wait, you said you were moving in here with your boyfriend. Sidney Crosby is going to be my neighbor?”

“Yeah, he’ll be back here in just over a week,” I told her.

“I just can’t believe it. My beautiful daughter Tamara has such a crush on him. She’s in school at Pitt. She won’t believe it when I tell her! You two will have to come over for dinner when he gets to town and meet her!” Patty exclaimed. I saw Grace cover her mouth, trying to conceal the snort of laughter. I bit back a laugh as well.

“We will do that. It was really nice meeting you, Patty, but I should get inside and start figuring out what we’re going to do with the place.”

“Of course! See you soon!” Grace and I watched as Patty made her way back to her own house before walking into mine.

“My beautiful daughter has such a crush on him!” Grace imitated in a nasally pitch once the door was shut.

“Do you think she’ll mention me when she tells her daughter?” I asked.

“Not a chance. That woman is obviously a trophy wife who’s going to try to pawn off her daughter as the second generation trophy.”

“Oh, God, Grace, how I missed you,” I said with a laugh.

Even though I was laughing and joking about it now, I filed it away as something to watch out for. I mean, really, how necessary was it to mention that your daughter was beautiful when telling me that she had a crush on my boyfriend? I suddenly wished I’d put on something a little nicer and one of my wigs before I’d come here. Great, Patty had made me self-conscious. Just what I needed.

I gave Grace the tour of the house. She was in awe over it and joked that she could move in and we’d never see her. It wasn’t that big, but it made me laugh. Once the tour was over we started going room to room and deciding on possible color palettes and types of furniture.

Sidney had told me to go ahead and start doing whatever I wanted with the house before he got there, but I didn’t want to do that to him. Instead Grace and I took the notes we’d taken and started going to furniture and home goods stores to look around. Ideas were really shaping in my head and I was anxious for Sidney to get here so we could start making the house ours.

Meanwhile I talked to Sid numerous times a day. I knew he was worried about not being around me and that was why he called so often, but I assured him that everything was fine. I directed most conversations towards the house to keep him from worrying as much as possible. He seemed to agree with my ideas which made me happy, but I still didn’t want to do anything until he could see what I meant.

Less than two weeks later I was sitting in a private room with Mario at the airport waiting for Sidney’s arrival. We were staying with the Lemieux’s until the house was finished and we could officially move in. I was anxious to see Sid again and when the door opened and his smiling face walked in I jumped out of my seat and ran into his arms.

“Hey, baby,” he greeted me as I hugged him.

“I missed you,” I mumbled into his neck. He pulled away from me and kissed me.

“I missed you too.”

He greeted Mario and we were escorted to the car to head back to the Lemieux’s. Once there we hung out with the kids who were very excited to see Sidney again. I didn’t mind at all and actually enjoyed Sid’s interaction with them. It made me realize what a great father he’d be someday. After having dinner and hanging out some more we both went up to bed.

“It’s so good to see you again,” Sidney whispered as I cuddled up to him in bed.

“I know what you mean,” I responded.

We laid there in silence for a while, just enjoying being with each other again. My mind started to wander, and what Taylor had said to me earlier in the summer creeped back in. I’d avoided talking to Sidney at all about it, but it needed to be discussed and now seemed as good a time as any.

“You know I love you, right?” I asked nervously.

“What’s going on?” he asked, sensing that something wasn’t right. I turned my eyes up to his and sighed before pulling away and sitting up.

“Taylor said something this summer that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about,” I started. He sat up and gave me a look that told me to go ahead. I took a deep breath before continuing. “She told me she couldn’t wait until she could call me her sister.” I paused and waited for Sidney’s response. He simply lifted an eyebrow.

“And?” he prompted. I looked at him incredulously. Seriously? That was his response?

“You don’t think we should talk about that?” I asked.

“Talk about what? The fact that my sister likes you?” he returned. Had he missed the calling me her sister part?

“No, the part where she said ‘sister,’” I explained. His expression didn’t change.

“And?” he asked again. I got frustrated.

“I can’t marry you!” I blurted out, then wanted to smack myself. Really, Tanner? His eyes opened wide in surprise and he looked taken aback.

“I’m sorry, when did I propose?” He shifted uncomfortably in the bed.

“Well, you didn’t, but Taylor-“

“Taylor was probably just telling you that she liked you and hoped that someday you’d be the one I’d marry. I had nothing to do with that.” I felt my face turn red in embarrassment and then Sidney started to laugh at me.

“Why are you laughing?” I questioned him, mortified by bringing up marriage at all to him.

“Because you’re so goddamn adorable when you get embarrassed and your face turns the color of a tomato.” I narrowed my eyes at him and slapped him lightly on the arm before leaning back against the bed and crossing my arms over my chest.

“You’re a jerk,” I mumbled. He composed himself before speaking again.

“Tanner, I love you. My friends and my family love you. Despite all that we are only 22. I’m not ready to get married and based on your outburst, neither are you. Right now I’m just enjoying having you as my girlfriend. Let’s just worry about getting you healthy, graduated, and started in your dream career before we even worry about marriage,” he suggested. I smiled despite my embarrassment and rested my head on his shoulder.

“That sounds good to me.” He lifted my head up so that I was looking at him.

“I do want it to be you, you know,” he told me. I smiled up at him.

“You better,” I replied. He smiled back and kissed me before we settled back down into bed.