Netting Crow (Blackhawks Fan-Fiction)

Chapter 22

The first few days that Corey was gone we talked regularly via text, but once Thursday hit, he was so busy with all his AllStar Game obligations that I hardly heard from him.  I tried not to let it bother me because I knew this was his first experience at the AllStar game, and I wanted him to enjoy it.

I watched the team selection on Friday and sent him a congratulatory text about being selected by Jonathan Toews, but I didn't hear anything back.  My dad and I spent Saturday enjoying SoxFest by getting autographs and meeting players.  That night was the skills competition for the AllStar game, I knew that it wasn't a really big deal, but I wanted to watch it anyway just to see Corey.

After the competition, I decided to send him a text with a picture from my day at SoxFest.  "Hey!  I hope you are having fun at the AllStar game.  I had a great time at SoxFest today.  I met my most favorite athlete in the world, and we really hit it off.  I may be moving to Missouri to take up cattle ranching. ;)"  I attached the picture that I took with Joe Crede, former third baseman of the Chicago White Sox.  Joe Crede was probably the only person in the world that could compete with my love of Corey Crawford.  I hit send...after I did, I wasn't sure if I did it as a joke or to see if I could get a reaction from him.

I didn't hear back from him that evening.  I figured that he would be out with his friends and family that were able to go to Columbus with him.

Sunday morning my dad and I headed to the last day of SoxFest.  I enjoyed the time with my dad and tried not to think about how I hadn't heard from Corey since Thursday morning when he told me he would be busy and not to worry.  Not worry, sure...easier said than done.

When we finally got back to the car and I had an opportunity to check my phone, I found I had 17 missed calls from Corey and almost as many text messages.

"Who is Joe Crede?"

"Why is his arm around you?"

"Hello?"

"What's in Missouri?"

"Seriously, Danelle! "

"I will find you in Missouri.  I hope you know that!"

The messages were all similar.  I realized that I did send that message to get a reaction from him and to make him a little jealous and concerned about losing me.  He deserved to feel the way that I felt about him.  I smiled to myself as I tried to decide the best way to approach it.

"You don't know who Joe Crede is?!  That's sad.  He is my all-time favorite third baseman.  I was so pumped to get to meet him yesterday.  He is super nice and I have had a crush on him since he first joined the White Sox.  He owns a cattle ranch in Missouri.  I totally could be a cattle rancher.  Don't you think?!"

I hit send just as my dad breaks into my thoughts.

"This weekend was awesome!  Thanks so much for hanging with your old man."  My dad said as we headed home.

"It was awesome!  I can't believe we got to meet all the '05 guys.  Pictures, autographs...I don't know where I am going to display all this stuff."

"I know you will frame that photo of you and Joe Crede, plus you'll frame the autographed picture he gave you too."

"Oh yea, no doubt about it."

"The only person I think you want to meet more is Corey Crawford."  He states.

I laugh.  "Yea, wouldn't it be awesome to meet Crow?"  I want to tell my dad about actually meeting, dating and falling in love with Corey, but something holds me back.  It's still so early in our relationship.  It hasn't even been a month.  I feel terrible enough involving Nathan and having him become attached to Corey; I can't do that to my dad, so I just sit quietly.