Just Say Yes

by Samantha Lind

  “While we wait for the food, I’m going to go shower,” I yawn and stand to stretch. “I feel gross after flying, and from all the salt water this week.”

  “Okay, want me to join you?” Scott asks, bouncing his eyebrows at me.

  “Nice try, Romeo. But you have to stay out here and listen for the food. I’m hungry, so no way do I want to miss it being delivered.”

  “Fine.” He pretends to pouts.

  “Maybe next time.” I wink at him and walk toward the master bedroom where he already deposited our suitcases and I pull out clean clothes to change into.

  “I’m holding you to that!” he calls after me as he turns on some sports channel.

  I could have stayed in Scott’s incredible shower forever, but I’m starving and don’t want to risk the food being cold. I pull on a tank and yoga capris, forgoing a bra and undies. We’re in for the night, and it isn’t like Scott will let the clothes stay on me once we climb into bed anyway.

  I head out into the living room just as Scott is closing the door, bags of food in his hands. He promised me the Chinese takeout place here would be just as good as my favorite place back home. I sure hope he’s right, but at this point, I’m so hungry I could eat just about anything.

  Luckily, Scott is right, the food is so good. Once we finish eating, we curl up together on the couch and find a show to watch. It’s only about nine, but I could seriously go to bed already. I’m about to doze off when my cell starts to ring. Scott hands it to me from the end table, and I see Kinley’s face on my screen.

  “Hey, Kin!”

  “Hey! How was the cruise? Your pictures all look so amazing!”

  “It was amazing! We had so much fun!”

  “Looks like it! What was your favorite part?”

  “Oh man, so many parts! On the ship, probably the fact we had a private lounge and pool area because of the type of suite we were booked in. It had a private bar, so we didn’t have to go far when we wanted a drink. As for ports, I think our favorite was the private island they took us to. We had our own cabana and the water was gorgeous. The pictures I posted with the clear water are from that island. I could seriously go back to just that island and spend a week on it. Unfortunately, you can only go to it if you are on one of their cruises!”

  “Dang, girl! Sounds like you guys had a great time!”

  “We did! We already want to go on another cruise, and have started looking at options.”

  “Please take me with you!” Kinley pleads to me.

  I laugh at her antics. “That would be so much fun! Maybe we can get a group of people to all go.”

  “I would love that!” she exclaims.

  We finish our chat, and I promise her that we’re still on for a girls’ night once I’m back in Alaska in a few days. Tomorrow, Scott is taking me down to the rink and show me around, and then to the team’s offices to introduce me to his coaches and the other staff. He also wants to take care of getting me access to the suite for wives and girlfriends, for when I’ll be in town for games. Apparently, the owner has a box set aside for the WAGs, and kids of the players to use. Fans can get a little out of control, and they want the families of their players to be as safe as possible while still enjoying the games. I have to admit I’m a bit excited to see what I’ve waited eight years to be a part of.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Scott

  Having Becca in Indy with me just feels so right. Showing her where I work, playing the game I love so much is such a surreal moment. I can’t even articulate just how much it means to me to share this part of my life with her. After waking her with incredible morning sex, and then feeding her breakfast, we make our way to the team front offices so I can introduce her to everyone, and get her a badge for the WAGs suite. I plan to show her around the arena, and, if I’m lucky, get her out on the ice.

  Walking into the offices, we’re greeted by Laura Erickson, daughter of the team owner and the office manager of the Indianapolis Eagles.

  “Scott, nice to see you. What brings you in today?”

  “I just happened to be in town for a few days, showing my girlfriend Becca around. I was hoping to introduce her, and then take her down to the ice, if possible. Can I also sign whatever is needed so she can have access to the WAGs suite when she’s in town for games?”

  “Nice to meet you, Becca! I’ll have an access card ready for her by the time you are done showing her around. I just need a form filled out and signed by both of you. Coach, Daniel, and my dad are all here if you want to head back.”

  “Thanks, Laura.” I hand the form to Becca to fill out with her information, and then sign where needed, as the player requesting the access.

  I lead Becca down the hall to the offices, placing my hand on her lower back as I escort her. The first door we come to is Coach’s office. He’s talking with both Daniel Johnston, the General Manager, and David Erickson, the team owner. I rap my knuckles on the open door, alerting them to our presence. They’re all a little shocked to see me as I usually don’t come back to town until required.

  “Scott, what brings you to town?” Coach Martin asks as he reaches out to shake my hand.

  “We just got back from a cruise, and I wanted to show Becca around Indy for a few days before we fly back to Anchorage. This is Rebecca Phillips, my girlfriend. Becca, this is my coach, Jacob Martin, the owner of the team, David Erickson, and this is Daniel Johnston, the GM.”

  “It’s very nice to meet all of you,” Becca replies, shaking hands with each of them.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Becca,” they all reply in unison.

  “I was hoping to take Becca down to the arena for a tour. Any chance we can take a spin out on the ice?”

  “You’re welcome to take her on a tour, but the ice is still melted out. It won’t be in for a few more weeks,” Coach replies.

  We chat for a few more minutes and then stop by to see if Laura has the access card ready before we head down for the tour.

  We approach Laura’s desk as she finishes a phone call. “I just need to take your picture, Becca, and your pass will be ready to print. So, if you don’t mind standing over here against the wall, I can take it quickly and get you guys on your way.”

  “Not a problem.” Becca hands me her purse and steps over where Laura needs her to stand and gets her picture taken. The badge prints out quickly and is all set for Becca to use when she’s in town.

  “Do you want to show Becca where to go for the suite? Or, I can walk you guys over and show you where to come in and out of the building, when you’re not with Scott,” Laura offers.

  “That would be great, if you don’t mind and have the time. I’m not sure what entrance is best for her to use,” I respond.

  “Not a problem at all.”

  We chat with Laura as she shows us to the entrance for the suites, verifies that Becca’s pass is working and opens the suite door. All the suites are equipped with locks similar to hotels, except you just have to tap the pass on it and the door unlocks. After a few more minutes talking about the amenities of the suite, Laura heads back to her office as I take Becca down to the locker room and back halls of the arena.

  I show her the back rooms used for medical purposes, the locker room, and the tunnel we use to access what would be the ice. With no ice in, they don’t have the hockey boards in, so it doesn’t have the same feel as it would if it was set up for a game.

  Over the next few days, we bum around Indy, eat at my favorite restaurants, and go on a few hikes. I got used to not being recognized while we were on our cruise, but here, I’m noticed almost as much as when I’m back in Anchorage. Being out and about can get a little stressful, but Becca handles it like a pro all in stride. I watch her, and how she reacts to the attention. I notice how soft the look in her eyes gets when a young kid comes up to me, but when it’s an obvious puck bunny, she becomes a bit standoffish and rigid. I don’t blame her one bit; I do my best to discourage them from touching me. I flat out refused
to sign one chick’s bra. I have never been one to sign clothing items – or body parts – like that, and I’m not about to start, especially with my girlfriend standing right next to me. I have boundaries, and I’m not afraid to make them known.

  We make it back to Anchorage, and only have a little more than a week before I must report back. I intend to spend every possible minute with Becca until then. I know it’s going to suck ass when I have to leave, and she won’t be with me. We’ll be apart for less than a month before she makes her first trip for our home opener weekend. She’ll get to see the banners hung recognizing our championship from last season, as well as the presentation of our rings and all the other celebrations they’ll put on. I’m stoked she will be there to share that experience with me.

  We’ve been back for two days, and Becca has to return to work tonight, so she’s taking a nap. I’m going to her condo to pick up the last load of her stuff so that it can be cleaned and she can hand over the keys. Ben is going to meet me over there to help me load everything, so I send him a quick text.

  Scott: Hey man, I’m heading over to the condo if you’re ready.

  Ben: Yep, I will meet you over there in 10.

  I jump in my truck and head over to meet Ben. It takes us about an hour to load everything and get it unloaded into my garage. Thankfully, I have a very large garage, so none of it will be in the way.

  “Want to come in for a beer?”

  “Sure, Ashley doesn’t get done with work for another couple of hours, so I’m free until then.”

  We head inside, and I grab two beers from the fridge, handing one to Ben.

  “How was the cruise?” Ben asks, taking a drink of his beer.

  “Amazing. We had a great time. We’re ready to go back as soon as possible. We’re already looking at some options. Becca mentioned possibly trying to get a group of people to go together. Maybe you and Ashley can come?”

  “I’m sure she would love that. Keep me in the loop, and we’ll look into it more for sure.”

  “She seems like a nice girl,” I comment, taking a swig of my beer. I got to know her a little bit over the Fourth of July holiday. “How did the two of you meet?”

  “She’s perfect.” He almost fucking swoons; damn puppy love. I wonder if I was that way over Becca when we were younger, or hell, for all I know, I’m that way now. “We met when she brought the kids she nannies for to a Touch a Truck event I was assigned to work with my patrol car. The little boy she watches – Will – loves police cars. He didn’t want to move on from checking out my car. I scored her number and called her the next day, convinced her to go out with me, and the rest is history. I’m going to propose to her soon…shit, don’t tell anyone I told you that. No one knows yet.”

  “Your secret is safe with me. Congrats, by the way, man, that’s awesome.” My mind wanders as I ponder asking Becca to marry me. I know that it will happen; I just have to wait for the perfect moment. I don’t want to rush her, but I also don’t want to wait forever either.

  Ben and I continue to BS while we finish our beers. Becca finds us in the living room when she wakes up from her nap.

  “Hey bro, how are you today?” she asks as he stands to wrap her in a hug. Even though they’re five years apart in age, they are actually pretty close.

  “Good, just BS’ing with Scott. We got the rest of your stuff hauled out of your condo and unloaded here. I’m just waiting for Ashley to get off work.”

  “Thank you for helping, I really appreciate it.” She sits down next to me and yawns.

  “Still tired, baby?” I ask, pulling her into my side.

  “I guess, but I needed to get up so I can eat and get ready for work. Tonight is going to be a bitch having to readjust to working all night, especially after being off for the past couple of weeks.”

  I wish I could convince Becca to quit her job. These long nights are going to run her ragged before she knows it. I also might be a little selfish in my wants, but it would allow her to come with me to Indy for the season.

  Becca heads to take a shower and gets ready for work while Ben and I continue to chat. We move to the kitchen so that I can work on getting dinner made before Becca leaves for work.

  A few minutes later, Ben gets a text from Ashley that she’s off work, so we say our goodbyes as I head out to start up the grill.

  Once Becca is gone for the night, I kick back and pull out my calendar. We already have Becca’s travel plans figure out through the end of the year set. She’s set to come down to Indy about once a month, for a week or so each time. Unfortunately, once the season starts, I don’t usually have the time to head home due to our playing schedule. Even when we’re in Indy for a stretch, we still have practice almost every day. Ever since Ben mentioned about proposing, I can’t get the thought out of my mind. As soon as he said it, I could picture not only asking Becca to marry me, but I can picture her looking beautiful, as she walks toward me in a white dress. Now I just need to pick the perfect time to propose. I know asking her before I leave in a couple of weeks will be rushing it, but in December, she’ll fly down to spend the holidays with me. Maybe New Year’s Eve will be the perfect time to ask her. With a date in place, the planning can begin.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Becca

  Scott has been back in Indy for a week now and it fucking sucks. We text and FaceTime every day, but sometimes it’s only for a few minutes due to the time difference and our schedules. He started his week with captains and player meetings, and now camp is starting, so they’ll be on the ice and working with the trainers. There’s only three weeks until I fly down for the team’s home opening weekend of games, so I’m trying to stay positive. I imagine leaving after that visit is going to suck, and how it all plays out will most likely be the deciding factor in my decision to quit my job and move to Indy with him. In the meantime, I’m doing my best to stay busy. Kinley and I have gone on a couple of hikes, and we spend most of our off evenings together hanging out here at the house.

  I just finished up a string of three night shifts this morning, took a nap and now I’m up for the day. I quickly text Scott.

  Becca: Hey babe, I’m up for the day whenever you’re done and available to FaceTime. Love you, and I hope that practice went well today.

  It’s only noon here, so it’s 4 o’clock in Indy. I don’t expect to hear from Scott for a few hours, so I get up and moving, to get my day – or, afternoon – started. I’m off for the next three nights, so I have lots of free time on my hands. I need to get my laundry done before it’s time to head over to my parents’ house for dinner. I haven’t seen them much lately, as Scott and I spent every possible moment together before he had to leave. As I’m stripping the bed to change the sheets, I hear my phone alerting me to a FaceTime call.

  “Hey, babe! How was practice today?” I ask him as I plop down on the bed and get comfortable. Damn, he’s looking hot. I can tell he’s lying on his side on his bed with his iPad propped up on the nightstand so we can see each other.

  “God, it’s good to see you, babe. I’ve missed you so fucking much. Practice was okay; the first day back on the ice is always rough. Everyone has to get the blood flowing and readjusted to being back in their skates for hours at a time. But that’s why we have a few weeks to get back in game shape, and the coaches have time to make their final rosters.”

  “I miss you too. I’m counting down the days until I fly down next month. I’m glad to hear practice went okay.”

  “What have you been doing today?”

  “Honestly, I’ve just been lounging around. I did some laundry and was stripping the bed when you called. I’ll head over to Mom and Dad’s for dinner later. What are you doing tonight?”

  “Not moving if I can help it,” Scott chuckles. “I’m going to be feeling it tomorrow, babe. I’ll probably sit in the tub with Epsom salts after I get dinner. I might end up going out to eat with Murph, Brian, and a few of the other guys. I told them I would text them after I got to talk t
o you.”

  “Tell them “hi” for me.”

  Scott laughs. “Will do, babe. Oh, by the way, it was announced today that Florida Georgia Line will be playing here at the arena on New Year’s Eve. Do you want to go to the concert? I can get suite passes if you want to go.”

  “Yes! Like you even have to ask?! You know they’re one of my favorite bands.”

  “Calm down, calm down. I’ll put in my request tomorrow morning for a couple of the team’s suite passes. I might even be able to score meet and greet passes if I’m lucky.”

  “Oh my God, that would be amazing!”

  Scott and I continue our FaceTime call for another half hour or so, catching up on everything that has happened in the past week. We end our call so he can grab dinner with some of the guys, and make a promise to do another FaceTime date once he’s home, before he went to bed.

  I finish what I’m doing at my house and text to make sure my mom’s home. She is, so I head over early to help her and get some extra time with her. My mom is one of my best friends, and I feel like I haven’t seen her much since we spent the Fourth of July together.

  After arriving at my parents’ house, Mom and I sit down to catch up on life. I think she can tell something is on my mind, and she’s right. The decision to leave my job and move has been weighing on me heavily, and this past week has brought it to the forefront even more. The thought of living like this for months is not looking all that appealing. But I also struggle with the fact that I love my job, and all my family is here in Anchorage, and if I were to move, Scott would be gone a lot. The only people I know down there are his friends, who are his teammates, and who will also be gone when he is.

  “Becca, what’s really bothering you? I can tell something is,” my mom pries. Damn her, and her motherly intuition.

  I sigh, trying to figure out how to even articulate what I’m feeling and thinking. “I hate being away from Scott. This past week has sucked so much. Between the time difference and my work schedule, we’ve been limited to a few text messages, short phone calls, and a daily FaceTime call. Today, after he was done with practice, he FaceTimed me. We were finally able to talk for more than a couple of minutes, and it was amazing. I’ve been thinking hard the past couple of days, trying to decide if I’m doing the right thing by staying here and not moving with him.”