When I met you (ON HIATUS)

fourteen

"Cailey! Are you almost ready to go?" My mom calls up into my room. My dad's flight ended up getting delayed three hours which meant that I had some time to sleep.

"Coming!" I frantically grab my jacket, phone, turn out my bedroom light and go downstairs. Kirby was on the couch talking to Caden; and I assumed Jacob was still hungover from last night.

"Hey," Kirby gets up off the couch and greets me with a hug.

"Hi," I smile. "Are you ready for this?"

"Nervous, but I think I am"

I make sure to grab a blanket on the way out and Kirby and I get in the back row of the van as usual.

I put the blanket over both of our laps and I rest my head against his shoulder, playing with his fingers on his left hand.

"Having fun?" He kisses me gently on the top of my head,

"Very much" I smile.

The airport comes into view and my mom parks in the garage. We hop out of the van and I put on my jacket immediately. My mom and Emma walk ahead while the three of us walk a few feet behind.

"Is there ever a day that you two don't constantly hold hands?" Caden teases, looking at my hand inside of Kirby's.

"Nope," Kirby says. "Right, Cailey?"

I smile in response and hold his hand a little tighter. We eventually reach the terminal my dad's plane landed in.

"Daddy!," I look ahead of us and see Emma pry herself from my mother's arms and run full-speed at my dad in the airport terminal.

"Hey Ems!" He picks her up and gives her a hug, greets my mom, and then notices Kirby, Caden and I. He gives me a hug first and then looks at the boys.

"Kirby," My dad says and gives him a firm handshake. I look up at Kirby and tell he's trying not to sweat bullets.

"Mr. Brown," He says. "How was the flight?"

"Very well. Thank you," He gives Kirby a pat on the shoulder. He then turns to Caden and gives him a pat on the shoulder as well. "Hello Caden"

"Good morning, sir"

We take the luggage and load up the car, and my dad tells us about his latest scouting adventures. He had scouted in Kelowna, Vancouver, and Kamloops last week. His scouting covers british columbia, but every two weeks he has to go back to Montreal for meetings.

"That's so cool that you're an NHL scout," Caden says. "Does it ever get stressful?"

"It really depends on the week"

"What's a typical day like for you?" Kirby asks.

"Well," He says. "A typical day usually consists of meeting with coaches, making notes on who I'm going to watch that night, type up reports, do research, and then catch a flight if I have one"

"So the scouts know who they're going to watch that night?"

My dad nods at Kirby's question.

"That sounds terrifying," Caden says. "They focus on a single player the whole night?"

"Usually,"

"I'm suddenly glad they don't tell us when scouts come" Caden says with a sigh of relief.

"They don't?" I whisper and look up at Kirby.

"Nah. Coach mitchell says he doesn't want to make us nervous," He says. "He told us at the beginning of the season"