Breaking Through These Walls

Chapter 4

Rian's POV

I wake up the next morning feeling drained. That run last night wore me out along with the conversations with Pat. I walked into the kitchen to find Lexi sitting at the island with her head on the counter.

"Morning." I greeted her as I get her cup of coffee and my cup of tea ready. All I got in response was a grunt. She lifts her head up as I set the coffee in front of her.

"Careful it may be hot." She waved off my warning and drank the coffee anyway. After a few minutes she looks at me a little more coherent than she was when I first walked in.

"Why do you let me drink?" Lexi whined. "I have the biggest hangover in the world!" I just laugh at my best friend and teammate.

She made her first Olympic appearance in Vancouver of 2010. We were both still the babies of the team being only 19 at the time. The only difference between us was that I was a returner and that was her first appearance.

"So how did your talk go?"

"You'll never guess who came last night."

"Um...Obama."

"Ha ha ha. No Pat came." Lexi choked on her coffee and her eyes bugged out of her head.

"Wait like Pat Vancouver Pat?"

"What other Pat do you know?"

"Well I wasn't sure if there was a new Pat on the block or something. What did he want? A good fuck?"

"LEXI O'SHANAHAN!"

"What? He is the biggest man whore in Chicago!" She shrugs me off like it was no big deal.

"You still can't say that! And no he was not looking for a fuck. He said he wants to hang out."

"Rule number one: when a guy says they wanna hang out, that usually involves either sex or sexual activities and rule number two: if you are going to hang out with a guy, make sure it's in a public area so said sexual activities don't occur." I looked down at my mug of tea in my hands and shook my head laughing. Just then my phone buzzed with an unknown number texting me.

Unknown:
Hey Rian it's Pat! I just got out of practice. Want to meet me at Panera down the street from the United Center for lunch in 30 minutes? :)

After four years I got the text I was waiting for. However, I was still going in with my guard up, like I always do. It's hard to let people in. I was having a mental war on whether or not I should go out to lunch with Pat. After 2 minutes of staring at the screen I reply:

Me:
Yeah sure.

Let's see where this will take us.

*****

I pulled into the parking lot. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. 'Breath Rian. Everything will be fine. It's just a friendly lunch.' I tell myself. Once I have calmed myself down enough, I shut off my car, grab my wallet and go inside. Pat is already in a booth waiting for me.

"Let's get this over with." I say to myself. I walk over to the table and slide in across from Pat.

"Hey you came!"

"Yeah why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you were going to stand me up..." He trails off while looking down at his hands that were on the table.

"I follow through with what I say Pat. I would never do that." I look him in the eyes with a serious face. My words held a double meaning and he knew that.

"Well. On that note, shall we go order?" Just as he said that my stomach growled loud enough for the both of us to hear. "I'll take that as a yes."