Hayes (A Carolina Cyclones Story)

20.

Hayes

Maggie looks so pretty today. Her brown hair is pulled up in one of those claw clip things my mom wore in the nineties that seem to be back now. If she's wearing makeup I can't tell and her freckles are out in full force, like a little smattering of stars across her cheeks and the top of her nose that I want to trace lines in between.

"What I saw of the locker room so far looked great!" I tell her, hoping flattery will get me everywhere. Not that it's hard to compliment her since the work she's done so far really does look badass. Way better than the old, outdated design that had been on the wall before.

"It's coming along. This will be the easiest and quickest part of the whole job and I think I might even be able to finish this part early."

"Look at you, the little overachiever." I grin, reaching over to ruffle her hair playfully just as we reach my car. I toss my gym bag in and then retake her hand, leading her towards the parking lot exit in the direction of the deli.

Parking in downtown Charleston can be a nightmare so it's easier for us to just walk than to try and find a spot that probably wouldn't be much closer than this anyways.

"How was the gym? I didn't know you were coming to the arena today."

"It was alright. Wes and Jax were down there and were giving me shit about last night." I say, the corner of my mouth lifting up. Now that Jax isn't hounding me at the moment, it's a little funny.

"Oh yeah? What'd they say?"

"Just the usual razzing that happens when anyone on the team starts seeing someone."
I don't miss the way her eyes widen and her mouth lifts ever so slightly.

"So we're seeing each other?" She asks, her eyes sliding to the right to gauge my reaction.

"Well, yeah. I thought so." I say, stopping short and tugging at our hands so that she turns towards me slightly and I can look at her. "I told you I'm interested in you and I'm kind of a one woman man." I admit. "Is that a problem?"

She releases a breath. "Not at all. I just have been a little confused on exactly where we stood."

I jerk her forward with our joined hand, her chest hitting mine as my chin dips down and I press my lips against hers. Maggie's eyes flutter closed and her lips part, inviting me in and I accept the invitation gratefully, exploring her mouth with my tongue mid afternoon in the middle of the downtown Charleston sidewalk. Kissing Maggie is fucking poetry.

"That's where I stand."

Routines and predictability be damned.

*

It takes a few minutes more of small talk following that kiss to reach the restaurant and a few minutes more still to get our food. By the time we finally take our seats to eat it's nearly three and the breakfast of eggs and bacon I cooked for us this morning is long gone. I practically moan over the first bite of my Reuben while Maggie laughs at me over a bite of her chicken caesar salad.

"So you know a little bit about my family now. Tell me about yours." It's an innocent enough request and yet it stops me in my tracks, my hands pausing with my sandwich half lifted to my mouth. I grunt and clear my throat avoiding eye contact as I try to think of a way to avoid having this particular conversation in the middle of a crowded eatery.

"My, uh...My family isn't something I really wanna discuss right now." I say, figuring that honesty is probably the best policy. "We can talk about it. I'm not trying to keep something from you, it's just..." I dart my eyes around at the full tables and then back to her hoping she'll understand.

She gives me a soft smile and squeezes my hand because of course she does. Every time I start to worry and think she might show some sign of judgment she surprises me. I've gotten used to people disappointing me, hell, to disappointing myself. But Maggie, she makes me want to believe that maybe things could be different.

"So what do the next few days look like for you?" She asks, and I sigh in relief at the change of subjects and her willingness to let the previous topic drop.

"We're off today to rest. Most of us still came to workout though. Tomorrow we have morning practice and film review in the afternoon, that's where we watch videos of our next opponent and talk strategy. Wednesday we're off again to save our legs and then Thursday morning we'll have morning skate then head home to nap before the game that night."

"Geez." She says, stabbing at the lettuce in her salad bowl. "I never knew how much went into preparing for sports. I kinda thought y'all just showed up and played the game then spent the rest of your time 'macking on girls."

There's a teasing glint in her eyes so I just let mine roll."There is indeed a method to our madness."

"The nap thing is a joke though, right?"

I shoot her a questioning glance.

"You have to nap forreal?"

"Yep." I say around a bite of my potato chips. "It's on our schedule and everything."

"Oh to live a life where my job instructs me to nap." She says all wistfully and I can't help but grin. Seems like I get like that a lot around her.

"You got any plans tonight?" I ask before I can overthink and decide that it's too soon.

"Depends, what'd you have in mind?"

"Wes is having a cookout tonight for the team. It was planned a few weeks ago since Layne was gonna be in town and I kind of stole his thunder with my party last night but if you want to go..." I trail off, implying my invitation because I'm still a little nervous about asking straight out. I've been doing a lot of stepping outside of my comfort zone and though it's proven rewarding, it still is a bit uncomfortable for me.

"Is that gonna be okay for me to go?" She asks, setting her fork in her now empty bowl and pushing it away from her a little bit. "I mean last night you kind of went all caveman and dragged me to your room and that's not really an option at your teammates house."

"You loved it." I say playfully. "Will the guys potentially give us a little shit? Yes. I have no doubts about that. But if we're trying this then it's important to me that you're involved in that part of my life. I spend more time with those guys than anyone."

"Alright then." She agrees. "Guess I'm meeting the boys tonight."