Love On the Brain (Corey Crawford)

47| Secrets Out

Corey

Jess goes down to Springfield today to patch things over with her mom and I let her go by herself so she can have mother daughter time she obviously needs. I know she would have rather had me there but she needed to do this for herself. So I stay back and hit the ice with some of the guys for a little on ice training for the first time for the upcoming season. Jonny and Patrick and a few of the other guys all file onto the ice and stretch out. This is the first time we've been together since locker clean out last year so it was nice to finally be here with my guys.

"Hey Jon. How are things with Jess going" I wonder.

"They're really good. I already feel a hundred times better" he admits.

"I wouldn't know because she refused to tell me anything. At least I know that she won't go around telling people anything she shouldn't" I shrug.

"I never thought she would. She seems like the type of girl who values her job and doing it well" he admits.

"She does. Won't even tell me what you guys are working on" I mumble and he laughs.

"It's nothing... serious" he says with a wink and I just shake my head.

"You're a mess" I accuse as he smiles pretty proud of himself.

"Yeah, but I'm working on it" he admits.

We all hit the ice and start up the mini practice. We get some things done and mess around a lot since we haven't hung out in a while. But it felt great to be back on the ice and with my guys. The summers used to suck for me because that's when my mind would slip, hence why Jess showed up at the beginning of last season after the last off-season, and when I'm back on the ice I feel perfectly fine. But luckily for me I just had the best summer of my life and now I'm ready to get the season started.

After practice we all shower and change and decide to go out to lunch. A lot of the guys' significant others join us as we share a few pizzas.

"Where's Jess at" Lindsey asks and I see Patrick look at me.

"Wait, like your life coach Jess? I thought you guys were done with that and she left" Patrick admits.

"She actually ended up staying and we've been together ever since. I've been living at her place with her and our dog" I explain and the table falls silent. Everyone's eyes fall on me as their focus shifts to me.

"So you guys ended up getting together after all that anyway" Patrick questions and I nod my head.

"For the most part, yes. It's a little bit more complicated than that, but we're very much together" I explain.

"When the hell did this happen" he asks.

"A little bit before the end of last season. Literally all of that was happening in the middle of the playoff series" I insist.

"Wow... how did I miss that" he asks.

"Well for one, we didn't tell anyone" I insist.

"Lindsey knew" he accuses.

"Lindsey was one of the first people who knew. Jessica called Jonny and made sure he was still up for a life coach if she was to stay and Lindsey found out then" I defend.

"So where is she" Lindsey asks again.

"She's with her mom down in Springfield" I explain and she pouts. "What? I'm not good enough for you" I tease.

"I was gonna ask her if I wanted to go shopping with me" she says and my eyes grow big.

"Maybe when she gets back" I say and everyone laughs at me. There was no way I was going to be caught shopping... no way.

We all eat up and make Kane and Toews pay since they make the big bucks before we head our separate ways. I get up to the apartment and the first thing I do I is let Freddie out so he doesn't use the bathroom in the apartment. So I grab his leash and take him to the dog park and let him run free. We play fetch and he gets in a good workout. Eventually he gets tired so I figure I should get him home before he tries to nap at the park again and I have to carry him home.

Once we were inside I plop down on the couch and let out a long sigh. After a while I decide to grab my phone and call Jess to see how she's doing. She picks up quickly and I could hear her mom talking to her on the other line.

"Hey baby" she finally says and I smile.

"Hey babe. How's it going" I wonder.

"Pretty good. My moms been asking about you literally the whole time" she claims.

"Well tell her I say hi and I hope she's doing good" I say.

"You're on speaker phone" she tells me.

"Oh, well in that case hello Mrs. Davidson. I hope you've been doing well" I say.

"I'm doing good. How are you sweetie" she asks.

"Good. I really miss my girlfriend though" I admit.

"Awww" she coos.

"Awww" Jess says and I shake my head.

"When are you coming home" I wonder.

"Later tonight. My mom and I are going to dads grave and going to clean it up of leaves and other things and leave some flowers. Then I'll be over" she explains.

"Alright. Well don't rush, enjoy yourself and take care" I insist.

"Of course. I'll see you later tonight" she says.

"I'll be waiting."

And so I wait, I watch some Netflix and fix leftovers she left me because she loves me a lot and knows that I am anything but a master in the kitchen. I eat my food then fight with Freddie over the leftovers until she gets home. When she does I find it really hard to be apart from her, I keep her in my arms and wherever she goes I go with her.

"What is with you" she asks.

"I just really missed you" I insist.

"I was gone for a day" she reminds me.

"I know..." I trail off.

"But" she asks.

"But I still missed you like crazy" I admit.