Business Affairs // Tyler Seguin

Chapter 18

The team makes their final lap around the ice as I tighten my blanket around my shoulders.  My coughing hasn't stopped since the beginning of practice.  I'm praying that this random cold will go away quickly without any struggles. I shouldn't be at practice but I promised Jim I would take care of everything in his office since he's away for multiple business meetings.  I finished arranging a press meeting after practice today with Lindy and decided to wait for Jamie.  

Jamie is the first sweaty head I spot when I look up at the team piling off the ice.  He skates over to me and runs his hands through his hair with a tired smile.  

"How's your cough?"  he plops down next to me and his warmth, no matter how sweaty, is beyond comforting.  

"Not any better.  I wasn't even feeling bad at the game last night, that's what confuses me."  my stuffy nose effects my voice, making it deeper.  I've probably driven myself to sickness from all the overthinking and stressed thoughts I've been producing.  If I was still living with my mom she would have forced me to stay home and eat soup all week long.  Just the thought of my mom, Jim's sister, makes me miss her terribly.  I make a mental note to call her later on, after practice.  

The sound of blades scraping against the ice brings me away from my thoughts and draws my attention to Tyler covering Jamie's lower half in shaven ice.  Looking at him makes my heart jump up to my throat and my whole body to erupt in flames.  He's sweaty from the rigorous drills and his gloves are off, giving me a peak of the tattoos that I love so much.  My hands tighten their grip on my blanket, itching to reach out and push a few tendrils of hair off his forehead.  Tyler looks over at me and his brow furrows immediately.  

"What happened?"  he sounds worried and I realize that I haven't seen him like this before.  There is so many things I haven't witnessed, multiple sides of Tyler that haven't been shown to me.  Not yet.  His large veins throb as he rests a hand on the wall where I sit on the bench.  

"It's just a little cold. It probably came on overnight,"  I send a weak smile to Jamie who throws his arm around my shoulders.  It's hard to miss the immediate tensing of Tyler's jaw when Jamie pulls me into his side.  Tyler stares at me for a few moments, narrowing his eyes like he's asking a question silently.  Seeming uncomfortable with the silence, Jamie stands and gives me another encouraging smile before he walks out of the bench and down the hall to the locker room.  Tyler takes his spot when he's out of sight and sits next to me.  I don't say anything, mostly because I can't focus when he's around and I have no idea how to decipher his mood right now.  He smells slightly of sweat but mostly just like Tyler.  He has his own smell and I notice it whenever he's close enough.  Bending down, he begins to untie his skates.  He finishes in record time and straightens back up, looking at me.  He opens his mouth, prepared to say something when a woman's voice calls his name.  Tyler and I look around simultaneously and the sight behind me is not a pretty one.  And to think I almost forgot about the blonde who had lunch with Tyler the other day.   She approaches in no time, walking quickly through the rink and stopping when she stands in front of Tyler.  

"I thought you were leaving today?"  his rough voice sounds confused and frustratingly arousing as he turns to look up at her.  Finally getting a good look at her, I can tell that she's in her early twenties with her manicured nails and perfectly curled, dirty blonde hair.  

"We are, Cass is waiting in the car.  I was hoping to say a quick goodbye to Jamie,"  Oh, so she knows Jamie, too?  I'm beginning to think she's partied with the whole team.  The name Cass jogs my memory from the night Tyler was on the phone.  It's obvious that they are close and familiar with each other but the exact relationship is what confuses me.  I originally thought she was Tyler's girlfriend but as more time goes on the more I doubt that.