001

The snow was starting to fall harder and I just wanted to get home, take a hot shower and maybe drink my sorrows away. It was one of those days that you just wanted to disappear. It was an odd Tuesday afternoon, barely anybody on the streets, maybe the early snow scared everyone away. Ah freedom in the city. I wanted badly to roll all my windows down and blast some AC/DC or even Neil Diamond through the empty city, but it was snowing outside, and I wasn't that stupid. I scrolled through my iPod to find the perfect song for such a crappy day and landed upon "You Can Leave Your Hat On" by Joe Cocker. Just as I threw my head back to beam out the opening line my head crashed forward and hit the steering wheel. "Oh what the hell?!" I screamed seeing blood dripping onto my hand from my nose. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw an SUV in the back of my car. I know I don't drive a tank, but it shouldn't be that hard to see a black Jeep sitting at a red light. I was not in the mood to deal with the jackass who was still parked in my trunk. Damnit I love this song. I looked down at my brand new white blazer and really wasn't liking the blood accents I was adding to it. I finally climbed out of my Jeep and noticed the road was very slick. A Range Rover, perfect, should I grab my neck in pain? "Are you okay?" the guy asked jumping out of his tangled mess of a nice SUV. Holy crap, did he really walk that bull-legged, or did he just get jacked up in this fender bender? "Other than looking straight out of the movie American Psycho, I'm good? Are you okay? Leg freeze up? Forgot where the break was?" I snarled covering my nose with my hand. "Let me take a look at that, I've had a few broken noses over my time," he stated trying to pry my hand away from my face. I looked him in the eyes, and I knew those eyes, I just didn't know where from. I finally let my hand go and the look on his face just confirmed that I probably looked like Little Miss Piggy. I didn't realize Mr. Jackass also had a passenger in his car. He walked over and took a look at my nose, I looked at him and nearly lost my balance, "Holy crap, Colby? Is that you?" I shouted as he looked at me trying to figure out who I was. "Avery fucking Winters?!" he shouted holding his arms out for me to give him a hug. I looked at his nice suit and then down at the blood all over me. "Oh, good call," he laughed. "Let's get you taken care of, okay," he stated wrapping his arm around my shoulder walking me over to the sidewalk.

I grabbed all of my stuff out of my Jeep before the tow truck took her away. I walked back up to Colby on the sidewalk and another very nice Ranger Rover pulled up and he opened the back door for me. I climbed in to find myself pinned between Jackass and Colby. "I am so sorry about that, I hit the brakes, we went sliding, then I tried to swerve and we didn't go anywhere," Jackass explained. "You had to of been going fifty miles per hour," I stated very irritated. "I probably was, we're late," he explained hanging his head. "You still playing hockey?" I asked Colby trying to get my mind off the fact that I had a tampon shoved up my nose. I'm shocked nobody in this car has jumped my bones yet, I mean I must look so hot right now. "Ugh yeah, where the hell have you been?" he laughed. "South Africa," I said with a very serious look on my face. "Are you serious?" "Yeah I went down there to surf and get my master's then followed my boyfriend here to Pittsburgh about five months ago, and he left me for some woman in Russia or something, but I fell in love with the city so I stayed," I tried to smile but I could really feel the pain now that the adrenaline was worn off. "Have you seen or talked to Riley?" Colby asked me of his younger brother. I couldn't help but laugh. "Not since Everett. So I see we passed the hospital and my nose is still bleeding, where we heading?" I asked looking around the car. Jackass was still hanging his head. "Mellon Arena, we have a game tonight, and we're already running late, we'll have the team doctor fix ya up, then I'll let ya sneak in somewhere and watch the game if you would like," Colby explained as the Arena came into sight. "Oh Colby why did you tell me you're playing hockey? You don't play in Mellon Arena, c'mon now, you can't fool me, you must do the books, stick boy maybe?" I asked trying to keep a serious look on my face. The other two guys along with Jackass broke out into laughter. "Oh Army, she knows you well eh?" the guy in the passenger seat snickered, he turned around and looked at me, "if we get you all fixed up, I think you need to come out with us tonight, I think there's some untold stories there that need to be led out of the bag." I raised my eyebrows and could see Colby shaking his head. Two years Colby tormented me, I can't wait to bring him down. "Ever play chubby bunny before?" I asked before Colby threw his head into his hands. I couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, you're definitely coming out with us tonight," he smiled and I almost melted then I realized I was in a car with four Penguins. Okay my day was definitely looking up for me, then I looked back at the blood. Jackass.

I couldn't hold the tears back as the team doctor pulled my nose out then pushed it back in. "Very broken, let's get you all cleaned up then we will bandage that up," he said in a very, very think Canadian accent. Oh how I miss my Canadian boys. People were coming at me from all different directions, asking if I was okay, if they could get me anything. Jackass must be someone really important if there's this many people sucking up to me. I could smell the rink from where I was and it brought me back to Everett, oh how I missed hockey. I hadn't been around the game in four years, well let's face it, there isn't a whole lot of ice in South Africa. "Miss Winters, if you follow me this way, you can shower, we'll give you some clothes and we can try and clean your clothes," a woman greeted me dragging me through some swinging doors. She handed me some very large track pants and a very cute pink Penguins t-shirt. I smiled and she showed me where the shower was. Riley's ultimate dream, me in the shower in the locker room. I felt like a rag doll after I got out of the shower, the team doctor came back over and cleaned the inside of my nose and then bandaged me up. Damn, I liked the tampon look. I looked in the mirror and couldn't believe my eyes were already black and blue. I was swept into an elevator, and was taken to the top floor, well not really floor this was an arena after all. I stepped outside and saw I was standing in front of the suites. I followed my new personal assistant and she knocked on a door to one of the suites and I noticed the sign next to the door said 'Owner's Box'. What the hell? Who was this guy? Holy crap, that's Mario Lemeuix. "Miss Winters, hi, how are you feeling? Sidney informed me that he collided into the back of your car, I am deeply sorry for that, and I know he is as well." Sidney? Sidney? Why did I know this guy. Stop starring, close your mouth. You look like an idiot. "Oh, I'm feeling pretty drugged up," I laughed shaking his hand then hung my head just like Jackass did in the car. Stupid. "Well whatever it is that you need, Sidney, I'm sure will take care of it for you. That was his first accident and he seemed very shaken up when he arrived tonight." He made his way to the front of the box and invited me. I sat down next to him and watched the team warm up. "Colby any good?" I asked.

At the end of two periods the Penguins were beating the Rangers three to one. Jackass had a goal and an assist, pretty impressive puck handling skills he had, nothing like the guys back in Everett. There was a knock on the door and my assistant was back. It really is bad that I don't know her name. "Miss Winters, we weren't able to salvage your blazer, our apologies," she stated handing me my shirt and pants. "No need to apologize," I smiled taking my clothes from her. I noticed the 'Owner's Box' had it's own bathroom so I snuck into it and changed back into my pants, I liked the Penguins shirt, so I kept that on. Wow these pants really bring out the colors around my eyes. "How do you know Army?" Mario asked as I took my seat again. "His younger brother, Riley played Junior near the town I grew up in and we became very close and through him I met Colby," I explained. "Oh that's right, he played for Kevin Constantine right?" "Yes he did," I said in a way showing Mario that I didn't like the man and he only laughed. "So what's the name of the guy that hit me?" I asked still trying to figure out how I knew him. "Sidney, Sidney Crosby," he replied. Sidney Crosby. Nope, no bells be ringing. I stayed silent and we watched the rest of the game that way.

I waited in the hallway outside of the locker room for Colby, somebody had to take me home. "Holy crap," I could hear him yell from the swinging doors. "You look like Riley after I schooled him on the pond," Colby laughed finally pulling me into that hug. Why did he bring that up? I don't want to think about Riley. The broken nose is enough, thanks. I shot him a look and he mouthed 'sorry' to me. "Avery, this is Max, Max this is Avery." he introduced us and I took his hand in mine. He lifted it to his mouth and kissed me ever so softly on my fingers. Wow, he's making me feel really hot right now, but I'm obviously not, was he drugged up too? "I like the Penguins shirt on ya, looks good," Colby smiled just as I saw Jackass walk out from the locker room. "Can I trust you sitting in the back of the car with him alone? You're not going to beat the shit out of him are you?" Colby asked me as we climbed into Max's BMW. "Are you having flash backs again Colby? I didn't think I caused any brain damage?" Jackass began to laugh again. That laugh is kind of addicting, he needs to stop. "Where are you kidnapping me to?" I asked looking out the window. "My house," Colby smiled turning around in his seat. "A lot of the guys are going out to the bars tonight, but we take care of Sid here, and well he's only twenty," Colby whispered his age to me as if he didn't want Jackass to now I knew how old he was. It wasn't a long drive before we pulled up in front of a very swanky apartment building. Once inside Colby's apartment Sidney (I feel bad for referring to him as Jackass now) lightened up and wasn't that quiet anymore. We swapped our insurance info and he guaranteed me that he would take care of everything, including any future doctor's visits for that nasty nose of mine. I couldn't believe he called my cute button nose nasty.

This unfortunate event turned into a thing of beauty as the evil duo of Colby and I were now reunited. I was only planning on having a beer or two, but I should have known better. He hated Red Hook's Long Hammer IPA but he always had some stocked for me, seems like that tradition stuck around, or he found another easy blond that like IPA's too. "So Sidney Crosby huh? Why does your name sound so familiar to me?" I asked looking him square in the eye sitting across from me. Colby and Max looked at me stunned and then began to laugh. "What? I've been in South Africa for a four years, are you the next Wayne Gretzky or something?" Colby and Max's laugh got even louder. Colby got up from next to me and began digging through a kitchen drawer he returned with a magazine from 2005. I flipped through the pages and came upon a page where there was Sidney's smug, my word, look at those teeth, squeezed right between Mario's and Wayne's. I couldn't hide my laughter either, "keep clippings of your boyfriend huh?" I asked Colby as I scanned through the article. "This is pretty impressive, I knew there was something special about you when I watched you play tonight," I smiled but couldn't hold it very long as the pain shot into my eyes, a quick swig of my beer and the pain was gone. I could see Sidney blushing, trying to hide behind his beer. "I should really get home, I need to be up in a few hours to call into work before anyone gets there," I smiled setting my empty beer bottle on the table in front of me. "Yeah I better get goin too, I can drive you home," Max stated standing up. Sidney looked at us with a look of desperation on his face. "C'mon Kid, I will take you home too," Max laughed as Sidney got up from the chair he was sitting in. We made our way to the door and I could hear Max not so silently whisper to Colby, "Why's he in such a weird mood? He's usually cracking jokes and crap, what's up with that?" "Broken noses turn him on?" Colby asked looking over at Sidney. I shot a look at Colby and he pulled me into another hug. "Call me would ya," I smiled before walking out.

Max pulled up in front of my perfect little house just outside of the city and I jumped out thanking him for the ride home. "Now that I know where you live, can I show up with a candle lit dinner sometime?" Max winked at me. Yeah hi, broken nose here. Just as I was about to say something really cute, Sidney climbed out of the car and walked up to me. "I am so sorry, I really am. If there's anything please call me," he stated sliding a piece of paper into my hands. I looked down and it was his number. I wonder how much I could get on eBay for this number? "Will do," I smiled as he climbed back into Max's car. "Thanks for the ride, see you around," I shouted before turning around to walk up to my porch. Where the hell are my keys? I dumped the contents of my purse on my porch and searched through everything. Oh crap. I never took them off my car keys, I was so hyped up on adrenaline I didn't even think about it. Where's the spare? Don't I keep a spare under a rock or something? Nothing. I was locked out of my house. I looked down at my empty purse and lying next to my cell phone was Sidney's cell phone number. Please don't think I'm crazy psycho for calling you five minutes after you left. "So funny story, my house key is with my car keys, and I have no spare," I laughed after he answered the phone. "We'll be right there." I could hear him trying not to laugh. Oh my life, what a circus. Considering it was already three in the morning, I called work to let them know I was in an accident, all was well except for my nose, and that I wouldn't be in. Max pulled up and rolled down his window, "how much?" he shouted as I approached him. "I see what this is about, you like the beat down woman look, I look like a hockey player with breasts." I laughed and they laughed with me. He needs to stop laughing, it's getting addicting. "So Sid lives like ten minutes away in Sewickly and I live about twenty minutes away downtown, where would you like to stay?" Max asked me and I just stared out of the window. "Wherever the pain killers are," I cringed as my buzz was wearing off and my nose was really hurting. "My house it is," Max smiled and I quickly dozed off in the back seat.

I woke up the next morning in excruciating pain and in a strange bed. I looked around then remember I stayed at my new friend Max's apartment last night. I was shocked to see I was wearing my Penguins shirt with just my chonies on. He took my pants off? I was always one of the guys though, so I didn't let it get to me too much. I crawled out of bed and walked into his bathroom. I flipped the light on and had to cover my mouth from screaming. I'd forgotten about my nose for a millisecond that morning. I walked back into the bedroom and pulled my pants on. I walked outside and Max was cooking breakfast in his kitchen. A man that could cook, where have you been my whole life? "Morning sunshine? You sleep good last night?" he asked flipping the omelet he was making. "I did, thank you so much for letting me stay the night, that was very kind of you, and to think we only met last night." Why are you making it sound like you slept with him idiot? "A friend of Army's is a friend of mine, plus you are amazing, I've never met a girl that can just kick it like you did last night," he smiled pouring me some orange juice. I took the glass and sipped on it. "We should probably change your bandage here soon. You should change it and clean the cut every day," he explained before placing an omelet in front of me. "Any plans for today?" he asked me just as he phone rang. He flipped it open and read an obvious text message. A huge smile came over his face and he tried to hold his laughter in. "Anyways, any plans?" he asked again. "No, I called into work, I need to figure out my car situation, probably going to get a rental car," I explained before digging into my omelet. "Sounds like a plan, when do you want to leave?" he asked. I couldn't help but laugh. Why do I feel like Colby is up to something. "I really want to shower and get some clean clothes," I smiled as he nodded.

Max pulled into the body shop where I saw my car, it was worse that I had previously thought, there was so way they could fix that thing. "Holy crap," Max shouted as Sidney's Range Rover came into sight. It wasn't nearly as bad as my baby girl. I walked into the office and told them which one was mine and that I needed my keys. I got my house key and didn't even ask about my Jeep, I knew there was no use, she was a goner. I climbed back into Max's car and asked where to next. "You can just take me home. Thanks for driving me around Max, I appreciate it," I smiled. "Colby is having a few people over tonight, I'm sure he will call you, but you really should come, you will fit right in," he smiled as I climbed out of his car. Hey hottie, want to come in a take a shower? "Okay, sounds good," I smiled before turning around and walked into my house. Well that was an interesting twenty-four hours. I am so happy Colby is back in my life, he's the best. I climbed into the shower and allowed the hot water to run down my back longer than usual, my whole body felt sore and the hot water felt perfect. It was what I needed. I got out of the shower and heard my phone beeping, one new text message from Colby. "Dinner tonight, my place, 8PM, look sharp." He hasn't changed one bit.