Chapter 3

“It’s not funny,” I told Reagan laughing even as I said it. I took a sip of my coffee, silently cursing over it still being too hot.

“Ror, it’s hilarious. You have a 20 year old stalking you. He’s not even old enough to drink yet!” I had just told her about my three run-ins with Sidney. I just shook my head at her unsure of how to respond. “Are you doing something to lead the kid on?”

“Of course not! You think I want a kid barely out of his teenage years following me around like a lost puppy?” I tested my coffee again. It didn’t seem as hot, but I figured it was because I’d already burned my tongue. I looked out at the people walking by on the street. How did I always get myself into situations like this one?

“Okay, well, you’re just going to have to tell him to leave you alone next time he comes around, unless of course you feel like robbing the cradle.” I laughed in spite of myself. I quickly changed the subject without wanting to discuss him any further.

When the coffee was done we went our separate ways. The rest of the day went by quickly as I ran errands and cleaned my house. I pushed Sidney out of my head and didn’t allow myself to think about him again. The next two days went by without incident. Tuesday seemed to be heading in the same direction until I got back to the office from lunch. Violet, our secretary, stopped me just after I walked through the door.

“Loralei, someone dropped this envelope off for you while you were gone.” She handed me the envelope and there was nothing written on the outside.

“Do you know who it was?” I asked puzzled by the envelope. She shook her head no.

“He was certainly an attractive man though. Muscular and very attractive.” I thanked her and took the envelope into my office. I sat down at my desk and hesitated before opening it. A muscular and very attractive man? I couldn’t think of who it would be. I opened the envelope and saw a note along with a ticket to the Penguins game that night against the Islanders. I didn’t need to open the note to know who had dropped the ticket off. I finally opened the note to read it.

I thought you might want to see the game tonight. I at least thought I’d extend the invitation. The game starts at 7. I hope you can make it. Maybe you’ll cheer for us since we’re not playing your beloved Devils.

It was signed by Sidney. I couldn’t go to the game. I would just be leading him on. Then again, it wasn’t like I was going to be talking to him. He’d be on the ice and I’d be in the stands. I'd never turned down tickets for a hockey game before. I was still having the internal debate when I continued with my appointments for the day.





During warm-ups Sidney kept looking up into the stands. He had made sure he knew where her tickets were going to be so he could look up and see her. By the time warm-ups were over he still hadn’t seen her. He told himself it didn’t mean anything, it was still early. She probably had to go home after work and change and then get there. He’d see her when he went out for the start of the game.

When he got out for the start he looked up and she still wasn’t there. He still wasn’t discouraged. People were a few minutes late for games all the time. After the third TV timeout with just five minutes left in the period and she still wasn’t there he realized that she just wasn’t coming. Maybe it was time to give up the pursuit. She had said she wasn’t interested and he now believed her. He pushed her out of his mind and concentrated on the game.





I rushed out of work an hour late. An emergency had come in right before we closed. A family cat had been hit by a car and severely injured. We had rushed the cat into surgery and had luckily saved its life, at least for now. I’d have to come back later tonight to check on the cat and make sure it was doing okay after the surgery. I drove home and showered as quickly as I could. I called a cab because there was no way I was driving down to the rink. I’d learned in the past that it was nearly impossible to get in and out of parking for a hockey game quickly. By the time I got to the game the first period was already over.

I watched the Penguins easily dispose of the Islanders 4-1. I wasn’t surprised that Sidney had two assists in the game. I knew I couldn’t get downstairs at all to talk to him but I wanted to thank him for the tickets. I wasn’t trying to see him because I actually wanted to talk to him, it was simply the nice thing to do. At least that was what I told myself. I found out from some of the people I was sitting around where the players drove out and that they often signed autographs for the fans waiting outside. I’d just have to wait and see if I could catch him.

I waited outside with a couple dozen fans. I felt a little awkward and out of place standing there alone with nothing in my hands to be signed. I noticed a group of girls who were trying way too hard to look good for the guys. I don't know how they weren't cold in their mini skirts and tank tops. I just rolled my eyes at them and waited. Cars started driving out. They stopped and fans ran up to the windows with things to sign and cameras for pictures.

Eventually I saw what I thought was Sidney’s car come out. I knew it was him as soon as almost every fan ran over to it immediately. The group of girls rushed over as well. I made my way over and saw him smiling and talking to the fans. How he did it, I would never know. I knew I would never be able to handle it.

I stood in the background letting the fans get their autographs. When the crowd started to clear out a bit I pushed forward. I possessively positioned myself between Sidney and the group of girls giggling and waiting to talk to him. I scolded myself for doing so, and I couldn’t figure out why I thought it mattered. When I finally got close enough I bent down to look into the car window at him from the curb I was standing on. When he looked up and saw me he smiled.

“Loralei, you came,” he said to me, sounding more than a little surprised. I smiled back at him.

“I came. Thanks for the tickets.” I could see the girls glaring at me from the side, the giggles subsiding.

“Did you drive here?” he asked. I shook my head.

“I took a cab. I didn't want to deal with getting in and out of the parking lot,” I explained. He motioned to the passenger side of the car.

“Get in,” he said. I smiled and walked over to the side of the car. I couldn’t help but give the girls a little smirk before I got in.

“Bitch,” I heard one of them say as I opened the door. I laughed internally. I heard Sidney apologize to the remaining fans saying that he had to get going but he’d sign again next time. Then he drove off out of the parking lot and headed home.

“I didn’t think you were going to come. I saw that you weren’t there in the first and thought you decided not to.” So he’d been looking for me? Maybe this whole thing was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come. And I certainly shouldn’t have gone down to wait for him. Now he probably thought I really was interested. Nice predicament you’ve gotten yourself into, Loralei, I told myself.

“Well, I almost didn’t make it. We had a cat that was hit by a car come in right before we closed up the office. I had to perform emergency surgery and it took a while to do so. Luckily we saved the cat’s life, at least for now anyway.” Instead of looking over at him I looked the other way out the window and watched the cars we were passing on the highway.

“Well, I’m glad you made it. What made you go outside and wait for me?” I’m not really sure, I thought to myself.

“I just wanted to thank you for the ticket. I wasn’t sure how else to go about it.” Oh great, that sounded like a line. He was about to give me his phone number or something now, I know it. Surprisingly he didn’t respond right away and we rode in silence for a few minutes. Maybe I was worried for no reason and he was just being friendly. I’d told him I wasn’t interested and he had obviously gotten the point.

“I go on the road on Thursday for a week. How about dinner tomorrow night before I go?” he asked. Okay, I was wrong and he hadn’t gotten the point. I sighed and chose my words carefully.

“Look, I’m really not trying to be a bitch or anything, but I’ve told you I’m not interested. I just don’t have time to date right now and I’m not looking for someone to date either.” That wasn’t completely true. It would be really nice to have someone in my life, but I thought that it would sound nicer if he thought I was rejecting all men instead of just him.

“A friendly dinner then, unless you’re opposed to having friends?” I thought for a moment. Was I really going to be able to just be friends with him? He seemed really interested in me and I was nervous that his feelings weren’t going to go away. Then again, maybe after he got to know me he’d decide I just wasn’t the one for him. I could always stop it if it got out of control. What would it hurt to just be friends?

“A friendly dinner sounds great.” I really hoped I wasn’t going to regret this decision later on. He pulled into my driveway then. I looked over at him and smiled. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Not a problem. I’ll pick you up at 7:30? You’ll be out of work by then, right?” he asked.

“I should be barring unforeseen circumstances. Don’t make it a fancy dinner. I don’t want to feel like I was tricked into going on a date.” Without waiting for a response I got out of the car and went inside. I was pretty sure I heard him laughing as I shut the door.