Counting Down The Days (Counting on Hockey #3)

Prologue: The Draft

*Hey, so this is not how the real NHL draft happen each year, it is just interpretation of it. So, enjoy it*

Noah, the Boston Bruins defense man, my best friend, sits on one side of me. Cole, an NHL Draft pick, my boyfriend of 4 years, sits on the other. Around the table, sits other wild card picks from both Canada and the U.S. They sit with their parents. Cole is the only one with just his friends.

We listen carefully to the first round picks. One by one, picks are chosen onto teams. Noah greets a boy at our table chosen for the Boston Bruins, and another kid from our table is chosen by the Anaheim Ducks.

We listen closely to the Minnesota Wild Head Coach Bruce Boudreau stand at the podium. "In the first round pick, the Minnesota Wild select, Cole Anderson, University of Maine".

I sit there in disbelief as Noah and Cole jump up. The realization finally comes and I jump up. I try not to jump to high because, well, my skirt is very short. I plant a quick kiss on Cole's lips as he gives me a hug. Noah and Cole hug. The stop, and Cole adjusts his suit and walks up to the stage. Noah gives me a hug, and we once again sit at the table.

Boudreau shakes Cole's hand and hands him his new forest green jersey that says Anderson with the number 17 on the back, to represent the draft year. Noah and I watch in disbelief as he takes his picture as a member of the Minnesota Wild with the managers and coaches. I quickly find my phone in my purse and take a quick picture while they pose.

Cole's face is lit up like a Christmas tree as he walks off the stage with his new head coach. His smile goes from ear to ear, and his eyes are brighter than I have ever seen them. The crowd in the stands cheer for him as he heads off to wherever he needs to. Noah and I will see him after the round ends within the next hour or so. Minnesota had pick number 11, and have 21 more picks to go, plus trades.

Coming up on the two and a half hours later, round one of the 2017 NHL Draft in Chicago ends. Noah, I, and the rest of the guests at our table are dismissed from the auditorium. We are sent into a larger room where we are left to meet our players once again.

Cole is one of the last ones to enter the room, and he searches for Noah, because I'm probably too short for him to see me looking for him. Cole finally spots us and he rushes through the crowd to us. He swoops me up into his arms and spins me around. I almost lose one of my sandals, but he sets me down just in time for my foot to catch it.

Noah and Cole hug one of their, what they call, man hugs. A few people come up to us while we talk to congratulate Cole on making it in the first round, and to meet Noah. A boy our aged named Vladimir, from Russia as guessed, came to meet Noah, as he was drafted into the Boston Bruins.

"This is amazing", I say to him. "I can't believe it. Your dream", he nods cheerfully.

"We did it, Bud", Noah rests his hand on Cole's shoulder. "We achieved the one dream we've had since we met. Both in the NHL". Noah takes Cole in a huge bear hug. 

"Okay, break it up, lovebirds", we hear from behind us. I look over Cole's shoulder.

"Jonathan", I walk over to him for a hug.

"The one and only", he hugs me back. I haven't seen Jonathan Toews in a few months, when he had his last game in Boston against the Bruins. "How's it going short stack?"

"Oh, not bad. Just celebrating the fact that my boyfriend just got drafted, first round I might add, into the NHL", I practically scream in enjoyment.

Jonathan turns back to Cole and Noah. "Did I rub off on you guys?" he smirks.

"Not at all", Noah reacts. "I mean, I do have talent after all".

"Harsh. Damn son", Jonathan holds his hand to his heart, mocking as if he was actually hurt by the comment.

"Ah, you know he's right", Patrick Kane comes up from behind Jonathan and pats him on the shoulder. "Hey Anderson, congrats".

"Thanks Kane. Congrats on the Cup, by the way. You guys really did great", Cole replies.

"Thanks", Jonathan and Patrick reply at the same time. Four cups in seven years isn't too bad.

All of us talk for a few minutes, and most of the room clears out. It's close to 1 AM, so we call it a night. Since we are back in Chicago, Jonathan had let us stay in the spare room at his house. Noah has to stay with his team in a hotel. Cole and I head back with Jonathan to his house.

Jonathan says goodnight to us and heads off to his side of the house. The other end of the house has the two guest rooms. We chose the one with the bigger bed and get ready to go to sleep.

I lay down on one side of the bed, Cole lays on the other. I wait for sleep after we kiss goodnight, but soon I feel Cole's hands moving up my arm. He rolls over, facing me. His face is just inches from my neck and face. I move my head to look over at him. He has an playful smile on his face.

"Do you know how much I want to kiss ever inch of your body and show you how much I love you?"

I giggle. "You can do that when we get home tomorrow. We have two days there and then you have to be in Minnesota on Wednesday. There is another person in this house, we are not doing it here. However, you can kiss me. If you want".

He's mine. He always will be. My NHL player of the Minnesota Wild. I can't ask for more.