All My Love

Chapter Eighteen

Tori smoothed her hair down for the millionth time and turned to face her sister who was sprawled out on her bed. "You're positive I look okay?" Tori asked and Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Do you know how many times I've said yes? The answer is a trillion times. After every time you change the answer is yes you look good. Tori you're beautiful you look good in anything," Elizabeth lectured smiling at her sister who really did look great. Getting up off the bed Elizabeth did exactly what her sister needed, she gave Tori a hug knowing that she just needed comfort. Tonight would be the first time Tori saw Dougie in over a week. He had texted her a few days ago and then called asking if she would go to the game against the Habs and then on a date after. Tori being the tried and true fan she was couldn't resist Bruins and Habs tickets even if she was nervous about the date after. "Habs game Tork, he's not going to break up with you after a Habs game," Elizabeth whispered in her ear before leaving to take the dogs on a walk. Now alone in the apartment Tori stared at the clock watching the seconds tick by and feeling her anxiety increase. When the clock read five o'clock Tori's heart sped up, he said he would pick her up around five which for Dougie always meant five on the dot. After five minutes of heart pounding nervous breathing there was a knock on the door. Tori took a deep breath to calm herself and opened the door to see Dougie standing with a nervous smile on his face and daisies in his hand. "You look amazing," Dougie complimented his eyes never leaving her face. Tori blushed and thanked him. After a few more moments of awkward silence while Dougie gave Tori the flowers they finally reached the car where the music broke the silence. "I love this song," Tori said smiling as she heard the beginning music of Say You Like Me start to play. "We the Kings are a great band," Dougie agreed turning the radio up so they could sing along. Sitting in the car next to Dougie Tori felt herself relaxing, she was feeling silly for ever being worried about their date in the first place. "So I have this whole big dinner planned because I wanted to make the whole thing special but just singing - horribly I might add - with you in the car is special enough for me because Tori, I love you," Dougie said his cheeks turning red as he shyly looked at her as they walked into the building. Tori stopped walking, stunned and then began to laugh uncontrollably. Dougie was not. Flaming red, he thought she was laughing at him. Calming herself down Tori wrapped her arms around his torso and looked up at Dougie. "Well guess what, I don't need a whole big dinner because it just so happens I love you too," she smiled up at him. Relief coursed through Dougie's body as he brought his face to hers kissing her with more love and emotion than before. "No need to suck face you two, it's only about two hours you'll be apart," Jarome teased walking by them and entering the locker room at the end of the hall. They ignored him but pulled apart nonetheless. "So why the laughter?" Dougie asked keeping his arms around her. "I thought you were going to break up with me and then I felt stupid for not telling you I loved you sooner, as in the day it was brought to my attention," she said with a shrug and it was Dougie's turn to laugh. "Nope not breaking up with you," he said pecking her lips. The two stalled for a few minutes longer just enjoying the new information that they were loved. "So since you love me I think you should score me a goal tonight, after all this is the Habs. I hate the Habs," Tori reasoned trying to look thoughtful and keep the smile off her face. "Oh should I?" Dougie sassed earning him a light smack on the bicep. "Yes. Now good luck, have fun. I'm going to go meet the girls in the box," Tori said standing on her tip toes to give him a good luck kiss before heading to the wives and girlfriends box.

"Jackie please tell me you're close?" Elizabeth pleaded when she answered the phone after the first ring. "I'm outside," Jackie assured her best friend and heard the audible sigh through the line. "I'll be out in the minute," Elizabeth said before hanging up the phone. Slipping her heels back on Elizabeth straightened her skirt and peeked her head out the bathroom to make sure the coast was clear. Elizabeth tried to act calm as she walked out of the restaurant but she ended up all but sprinting out of the place. She saw Jackie's black Jeep Cherokee and ran to it jumping into the passenger. "You savior!" Elizabeth cried embracing her best friend. "Yeah I know I'm amazing and if you check the back seat I have everything you need to go watch the game with me. You also have to tell me everything that lead up to this," Jackie said merging back into traffic and heading to the their favorite sports bar. "A couple girls from the team called to see if I wanted to go to dinner and then out to watch the game with a few drinks," Elizabeth started grabbing the bag Jackie had packed for her. "So I show up at the address and it's a nicer restaurant that I thought - You even brought me a sports bra!" Elizabeth trailed off exclaiming happily. "But yeah so I get there and they had set me up on a blind date! With a guy who didn't even know there was a hockey game on tonight! So I ordered water, ran to the bathroom, called you and here we are now," Elizabeth said struggling to put on the jeans that Jackie had brought for her. Jackie just laughed and shook her head, of course they picked a shmuck to try to set Elizabeth up with. "I want to thank you again for being the best best friend, not only for saving me tonight but for the interview," Elizabeth said quietly glancing at Jackie. "It was no problem honey, Ben couldn't stop going on about you and how much you love him," Jackie said with a laugh and a smile. They got quiet for a moment. "Have you told them yet?" Jackie asked meaning her siblings. Elizabeth shook her head and once again there was silence as they drove. "Alright you ready for a Bruins v. Habs game?" Jackie asked chaning the subject and parking as close as possible, which was still far away. "As always!" Elizabeth said getting out of the car and walking with her best friend to watch their favorite team play their least favorite team. Walking down the street the girls laughed over how stupid their college hockey girls were and made predictions about their boys would play tonight. Walking into Hurricane O'Reilly's the girls saw how packed the bar was but they were able to make their way over to order two beers from the bartender. "Looks like we'll be watching the game on our feet," Jackie said even though she knew that Elizabeth didn't care at all. During the game the girls cheered at all the appropriate times and cursed the Habs at every other time. Jackie pretended not to notice and didn't say anything but she saw when Elizabeth texted Tuukka after he made a great save so that when the game was over even though they lost he would have some positive encouragement. Jackie had to pretend to be surprised when he called her when it was all said and done to see if she wanted to get drinks or something. "Jacs do you mind dropping me off at The End of the World?" Elizabeth asked hanging up the phone and looking at her best friend. "You're going out for drinks having drinks with me?" Jackie asked linking arms with Elizabeth as they walked back to the car. Elizabeth said nothing; she didn't know how to respond. She knew it was crazy especially since she didn't drink but for some reason she just couldn't say no to him. The car ride was short and silent, Jackie didn't want to set Elizabeth off before she went out with Tuukka and Elizabeth just didn't know what to say. Getting out of the car Elizabeth waved goodbye to Jackie and entered the run down looking bar where Tuukka had taken her on a date. She spotted him already at the bar with three drinks, his beer, her beer and water. "You know, you know me better than most people. Soon enough you'll even surpass Jacs and Tork," Elizabeth teased coming up behind him and earning a smile from the defeated goaltender. "Nice to see you too," Tuukka said pulling out the stool next to him for her to hop onto. "So hot stuff how excited are you for your Olympic debut?" Elizabeth asked getting comfortable. Tuukka laughed and told her how he couldn't wait to play for his home country.