Mike. My mystery man is Mark's friend Mike. Still shocked, trying to process everything, I asked, "You're the friend Mark wanted me to meet? So meeting you wasn't a coincidence?" Suddenly saddened by the fact that meeting him wasn't fate: it was planned. But I thought it was meant to be, we were meant to be. I could feel it. "Carrie, meeting you was by chance. I wasn't supposed to meet you until the meet and greet tonight. But when I met you yesterday, that was just by chance, it was fate. I had no idea you guys were even in Canada yet." "Why didn't you tell me who you were, that you were friends with Mark?" Mark began to explain, "Carrie, I told him it was supposed to be a surprise. I told him to act like a normal fan at the meet and greet so you could be yourself around him. I didn't want you to feel forced to talk to him or like him. And look at how things turned out." Mike and I smiled at each other. Mark left a few minutes later to go back to the bus and Mike and I had a drink and went to eat. "So Mike, how long have you known Mark?" "I've known him about seven years now. He knows a couple people here in town and was visiting once and our mutual friend took us hunting together. We bonded over hunting and hockey and now he's my best friend. Whenever we have a game in Nashville I meet up with Mark and Ivey." "Oh wow that's awesome! That's so nice. Wait so you're the Mike he's always saying the Senators should trade to Nashville? That's so cool. I haven't had much time to see hockey games in the past few years between touring and album business. Whenever I get free time, it's the summer and hockey season is over." We both laugh. "Have you ever gone ice skating?" Mike asked me. "Oh of course I have. I'm not that good but its fun." "I'm not too bad myself," he replies. We keep talking throughout our meal and when we finish, we get to his car and he says he has a surprise for me. "Mike where are we going, its 2am?" "It's a surprise. Have I let you down with my surprises so far?" He asked with his gorgeous smile. "No..You haven't." I said smiling and blushing. "Here, put this on," Mike directly. It's a blindfold. He looks at me and laughs, "Trust me." I do as I'm told and put on the blindfold. We drive for another five minutes or so and he stops the car. He opens his down and walks around to mine and opens mine for me and grabs something out of the back seat. We walk a few steps forward and then stop, him taking off my blindfold. It's an ice skating rink. It looks beautiful with the snowy surrounding. "It's beautiful Mike!" "Just like you Carrie." He says as he looks deep into my eyes. He grabs my hands in his, "Carrie I know we just met but I really like you and I just want you to know you're very special to me! I couldn't stop thinking about since I met you yesterday. The past 36 hours have been some of the best of my life. And I would love to get to know you better." I began to feel a tear roll down my cheek. "What's wrong Carrie? I'm sorry. All of this is too fast; I shouldn't have said all that." And he brushes the tear off my face with his thumb and caresses my cheeks. He accidently brushes my lips with his thumb and I feel that shock of electricity again. Every time we touch, I get this rush. What I feel with him, I have never felt before. I look up into his beautiful blue eyes, "I feel the same exact way. I know its fast but I feel it too." He takes a sigh of relief and we walk to a bench to put on skates he had in the car. He gave me his sister's skates she left in his car and he put on his pair. He helped me walk onto the ice and he began skating around like a pro. He then grabs my hand and we skate around, hand in hand and I begin to wobble and he tries to stabilize me but it doesn't work and I fall, taking him down with me. We fall on the ice and start laughing hysterically. When we finish laughing, there's a silence between us, me having fallen on top of him, we pause and slowly move towards each other. He hesitates and stops, "Carrie I want to take this slow." "I do too, but let's just enjoy this moment." We kiss and it's indescribable. I lay in his arms on the ice looking up at the stars and beautiful night sky. He looks at his watch and realizes its 4am. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry Carrie; I didn't mean to keep you out so late." We get up and get into the car where it's silent on the car ride back. I didn't mind the silence that much because I was thinking about the wonderful night we just shared. Our first date, our first kiss. Maybe he was right to be so confident tonight by calling himself my future husband. That certainly has a beautiful ring to it. By the time we get back to the bus, its 4:30am. He opens my door for me and walks me to the door of the bus. "Again, I'm so sorry to have lost track of time. I'm sure you have plenty to do tomorrow. I have to be up in two hours for practice." "Oh Mike I'm sorry too! You should've said something!" "And ruin a perfect night with you, I would never dream of it!" He leans in, cupping my face with his hands, kissing me good night. "Good night future husband," I said. "Good night Mrs. Fisher," he returns and walks back to his car, waiting till I get inside to pull away. I get inside and lean against the door, "Mrs. Fisher" I think. How I would love that.
