027

"Click, click, click." You have got to be shitting me. "Click, click, click." I lowered my head onto the steering wheel. I knew my baby was getting old, but of all days to die on me, why did she chose today? I pulled my phone out and called Max. "Max, my car died, my dad should be touching down at the airport right now, so I have to take Sid's car. Can you please pick him up today?" I tried not to sound like I was begging, but that's how it came out. "What do I get out of this?" "Maybe the next time you are over at the house I will accidentally walk out in just underwear again," I was trying to be sly, but I was running out of time. "Just panties, no bra." "Max!" "He can walk, it's what ten miles?" "Fine, we will work details out later, but I have to go, thanks Max!" I hung up the phone and ran back inside the house. "Crosby! My car died, I have to take your car, Max is picking you up. Love you! See you after the game!" I quickly exchanged our keys and was out the door before he could even reply.

Oh he looks pissed off, well that is how he looks all the time though. "Hi Dad," I smiled jumping out of the car to help him with his luggage. "Hi sweetie, I see you got a new car, it's about time," he laughed throwing his suitcases into the back. "Actually, this is Sidney's. My car died, that's why I'm late." He smiled and then pulled me into a hug. We got back into the car, and I began the drive to the brewery. "You know Avery, your mother and I are very happy to see you with Sidney. After Riley and Scott, we were starting to lose hope, but Sidney, he's very good for you. How are things between you two?" Losing hope? "It's hard dad, it is. He has all of this pressure on him to bring the cup to Pittsburgh, it's like if the Penguins don't win the cup it's all his fault, he wasn't good enough. It's not fair, but he is taking everything so well. We have our moments, he can blow up on me after he loses a game, or I blow up on him after a bad day at the brewery, but when we go to bed at the end of the day, it's just him and I, no work. It's hard, but it's so worth it," I smiled as we pulled up in front of the brewery.

Complete silence. I hate silence. I sat down in my chair behind my desk in my newly built office. "Well?" I looked at my dad for a sign of any kind of emotion, I needed something. Blink, just blink! "It's coming along nicely Avery, I am really liking the direction you are taking everything. Are you on schedule? Behind?" He said nicely, score! "We are actually ahead of schedule by two weeks, so we are sitting nice right now, still on track for a June 15th opening." I looked out my window and the sun was started to peak through the clouds, just a friendly reminder that Spring was right around the corner. "That's excellent Avery. I'm very proud of you. I've given you so little guidance in this, and James said you are taking every little detail personally, that's why I wanted to keep this in the family business. I knew it was in your blood, I just hope you're not regretting skipping out on school." School? What? We're talking beer here. "That was the big thing Sidney and I talked about, I can always go back to school later in life. This brewery has been my life though, you had my first birthday inside the bar," I laughed thinking back to all the memories I had in that bar. My dad smiled at me, "what are our plans for tonight?" "We're going to the game, Mario insisted you came, he said you can rest later," I laughed.

"Beep," I pulled my phone out to see I had a new text message from Max. 'Forget the panties, completely nude for at least ten seconds, and if he repeats any more lines from Friends, I get to take a picture.' I began to laugh and my dad raised an eyebrow at me. "What's so funny?" "I made Max take Sidney to the rink, and it sounds like Sidney is annoying Max," I continued to laugh. I pulled into the player parking lot and I could tell my dad was very excited. Luckily he left the suspenders at home this time. "Hi Mario," I smiled as we walked into the suite. The hostess handed me a beer, "can I get one more for my dad. Thanks." "Jack, how the hell are you?" Mario asked extended his hand for my dad to shake. I allowed them to catch up and took my seat, I looked around the arena and it sent chills up my spine to think about all the great players who have skated on this ice over the past forty years. The wins, the loses, the Stanley Cups. My moment was interrupted when my dad nudged me. I looked up at him and he was drinking his beer. "What?" I asked with a slight chuckle. "Are you going to marry him?" he asked pointing to Sidney who was skating around. "If he lets me," I whispered with a large smile on my face.

The game was a complete blowout with the Penguins shutting those Flyer fans up with a score of seven to one. The cross state rivals always drew in rowdy crowds, and tonight was no different. I dragged my dad downstairs to the locker room and we patiently waited for Sidney. Max was one of the first guys to leave and when he saw me he grabbed my arm and dragged me to the side. I began to laugh when he starred into my eyes. "No Avery, it's not funny. You owe me so much. I love Sid and I love you, you know that. I go home at night wishing I had what you guys had, but right now I need a few days away from you guys. He still talks like you guys just met, I couldn't get him to shut up," he was trying to be so serious but began to laugh. "No really, he loves you, we all know that, but he was singing in my car, SINGING!! CELINE DION! Can you do me a favor and go home and have sex with him, maybe get some rap music stuck in his head." I couldn't control my laughter, I had been playing Celine Dion the night before around the house. "What's so funny?" Sidney asked as he walked up to us with my dad close behind. "Dude, you knows whats wrong!" Max shouted and I kept laughing. Sidney was so confused. "I am French-Canadian and very proud of it, but for you to come into my car and completely murder Celine Dion's music. It's just wrong, that could jeopardize our friendship, keep that in the back of your mind," Max explained before pulling Sidney into a hug.

The music filled the bedroom and I danced around for a bit changing into my pajamas. "Baby take off your coat, real slow. Take off your shoes, I'll take off your shoes. Baby take of your dress, yes, yes, yes. You can leave your hat on," I sang the lyrics and then began to laugh. "Did you know this was the song I was listening to when you hit me?" I asked Sidney grinding my butt along his thigh. He smiled and grabbed his furry gongshow hat and put it on me. "You can leave your hat on," he lip synched along with the song. "Why is your dad staying at a hotel?" he asked me as he backed me up to the bed all while I was still dancing. "He said we're young and in love and it's our house, he didn't want to intrude. I told him he wouldn't be, but he still went to a hotel. I think he just likes to get the chocolates on his pillows," I laughed wrapping my arms around his neck. "I want to take your dad to lunch tomorrow." "You know I have meetings all day tomorrow," I said with a frown. "I said I wanted to take your dad to lunch, just the two of us. Is that okay with you? I'll take him off of your hands for a few hours." My heart began to beat very fast. Why did the thought of the two of them together make me nervous? Whatever, calm down. "Oh, okay, yeah that's fine. I'm sure he will enjoy that." Sidney gave me a kiss before we climbed into bed. A few minutes later, Joe Cocker's voice was still filling our bedroom. "Will you . . . ?" we both asked at the same time before starting to laugh. Sidney rolled over on top of me, putting all of his weight on me. "Sid, I can't breath. Sid!" I pushed my hands against his chest and he finally got up. "Oh sorry, just climbing out of bed because someone forgot to turn the music off."