| Matthew |
"Can you maybe not lift your leg like that?"
Sam has been bugging me about it for the past 20 minutes while we've sat on the couch together. We got the day off together, with no workouts, training, or games for the next 48 hours, so we were absolutely taking advantage of it. The Steelers were playing the. Cowboys right now, and Taelor was supposed to bring us food later, so we've just been vegging out all day.
It's only October, which means that despite being back in Calgary for almost 2 months now, we've only played our first few games. 2 wins, 5 losses, not including the pre-season exhibition, which wasn't much better.
This is my fifth season with the Flames, and there's still little to show for it. No, I'm not expecting to win the cup in my first couple of years, even if it would be nice, but our game should be better than this. Our team hasn't moved around too much in the past couple of years, and with the additions made this season, we should have a better record to show for it.
So should we be relaxing so much these next two days? Probably not, but will that stop us? Absolutely not.
It's good that I'm with Sam, neither of us want to talk about the past month more than we have to, enjoying that we can have a life away from the ice. It's easier for Sam than it is for me, he can come home to his girlfriend and fully separate from the game to spend time with her. I can't. That's probably why I'm over here so often. Taelor is the best, even though I know she probably doesn't want me around as much as I am, she's always still happy to see me. And feed me. Probably.
"Chucky, c'mon man" Sam groans again as he pushes my leg out of his way. The Cowboys are kicking some Steeler ass, which Sam hates. Neither of us are willing to move out of the way, so anytime we move even a little we're in the way, see me trying to move my leg but accidentally blocking Sam's view. "Don't be a pain or I'll kick you out" he groans, but I know he's joking from the fact he can't hide his smile. "You can't kick me out, Taelor hasn't come back with food yet." But soon, hopefully. "When is she supposed to be here?"
"I don't know" Sam shrugs, not quite convincing enough.
"Where did she go?" I poke him too, just for good measure. But I know something is up when he doesn't even look over at me, just keeps looking at the TV. "I don't know, she said she was hanging out with her friends, I think, or something." Ding ding ding. Almost like he can sense that I've caught him, he finally looks over to me, "knock it off Matt, get that stupid smile off your face." He lets out a long, very dramatic groan, before looking back to the TV. Neither of us have to say anything, we both know he caught himself up in that one. 'Friends' my ass. Naturally, I want to see how this will play out, so I don't hesitate to involve myself.
Matty: hey, just wanted
to let you know
I'm gonna leave
pretty soon so you
don't have to grab
any food for me.
Taelor: dammit Tkachuk,
guess that means more
food for me.
Well, this really couldn't have worked out any better for me.
"T said she's on her way home" Sam barely looks up from his phone, but doesn't mention anything about me telling her that I'm leaving so I'm in the clear. Everything really is coming together perfectly for me right now. I'll let him think that we're just hanging out with his dog Ollie watching football, nothing more.
Not even 10 minutes later the front keypad starts beeping, Ollie quickly using me as a catapult to run to the front door. I can hear Taelor talking to Ollie, before she yells out a quick 'Babe I'm home'. Sam yells that we're in the living room before turning the volume of the game down a little.
"Funny Matt, I thought you were going home?" Taelor glares me down as she comes around the couch, crossing her arms over her chest and jutting out her hip, she's really putting on the whole show. "Hi T, really excited to see you too." I smile up at her, which only makes her narrow her eyes more. Sam quickly pulls her into him, giving her a quick kiss before she turns her attention back to Ollie, who for whatever reason has started barking at the door again. "Ollie, knock it off," Sam finally yells at her before getting up with Taelor to get her.
"What did you bring for dinner?" I yell, but never get a response. I give it a few more minutes before turning around, but they're both still standing by the front door. "Is everything okay?" I finally ask, which quickly gets Sam's attention again.
"Hey, look, Taelor brought chinese, and it's so nice out why don't we go eat outside?" What the hell? He quickly holds up two huge paper bags, before nodding his head towards the kitchen and patio doors. "But we're watching the game?" I point out the obvious, but Sam changes to a glare before nodding to the kitchen again. I make sure to huff as loud as I can before getting up and following him to the kitchen. "We can watch the game out there y'know, and it's so nice out we should probably move off the couch at some point." Why is he being so weird? I turn around to try to look at the front door, key word being try, but Sam has himself perfectly positioned to block my view.
There's more than enough food, even considering me and Sam. "So um, who was at the door?" I smirk over to Sam as he quickly looks up, almost dropping a take-out container in the process. Bingo. His eyes have somehow managed to go wider than normal as he shakes his head back and forth. "What? No one, what?" Sam could never be an actor. All I do is raise my eyebrow before Sam lets out a deflated breath. "Chuck please, not today, you need to leave it alone."
"Is it who I think it is?" I wouldn't say I'm smirking now so much as I am full-face shit-grinning. Sam's reaction says more than enough, and I don't give much thought to his pleading look before I take off around the corner into the hallway, nearly sliding into the wall as I take off towards the entryway.
"What the -" the sentence dies as soon as Taelor sees me basically crash into the opening in front of her. "Matty I -" I don't even give her a second thought or care about what she's saying as soon as I look over her shoulder.
There she is.
Just like the day I first met her, Reese Warren is undeniably beautiful. Today she looks especially exhausted, but God is she ever beautiful. Her hair is thrown up in a mess on top of her head, with a pair of baggy sweatpants and a Banff crewneck making her look like she's ready to curl up on the couch - which she probably is. Seeing her standing beside Taelor is almost comical, as Taelor has her hair and makeup done up and dressed like she could be going out, but even still, Reese looks better.
I knew it. Knew Taelor was hanging out with her today, and that if I played my cards right I could get her here too.
I haven't seen her in almost a year, which absolutely was not what I wanted it. But here she is, in front of me right now. And what am I doing? Absolutely nothing. I probably shouldn't keep staring at her. She looks a little concerned, not scared, maybe shocked more than anything. Deer-in-headlights kind of look. Neither of us say anything but keep looking at each other, which I'm not sure if Taelor is uncomfortable or trying not to laugh, but she's doing some weird shuffle beside me.
"Hey," Reese finally smiles up at me, but it's shakey and looks a little uncomfortable. She also looks like she could cry, which I hope to God she doesn't. But before I can think any more, my mouth is moving before I can even stop it, "hey." Her smile cracks a little more, and I can feel my own splitting my face as I keep looking over her face. I can't believe she actually came over, granted she didn't know I would be here, but here we are. Maybe things can turn around for me already this year.
