Princes of New York | Mat Barzal

~2~

"So Lex, is there anything special you want to do while you're here?" Mat's mom asks me. "Nothing in particular, just want to spend time with you all." I say, smiling. "Aww you're such a sweetheart. Well maybe tomorrow after breakfast, we can go shopping or something." Nadia says. "That sounds perfect." I say.

THE NEXT WEEK

MAT'S POV

I roll over in my bed and Lexi isn't here. I roll to the other side and check my phone. 10:30. Damn! Who let me sleep this late? Then the sleep wears off and I remember what day it is; May 26th. My birthday. I throw on a tshirt and head out to the kitchen where my mom, Liana and LC are standing. "Happy birthday!" They all scream when they see me. My mom comes to me, pecking a kiss on my cheek and hugging me. Liana is next and gives me a tight squeeze. Last is LC, who comes to my side and stands on her tiptoes to kiss me. I kiss her back and wrap my arms around her. "Happy birthday handsome." She whispers in my ear before stepping back. "All my girls on my birthday? Did I do something special?" I ask, stepping forward and pulling all three of them into a hug. "No, you just are special sweetheart." My mom says. "So what do you want to do today? And please don't say train." Liana says from her seat at the counter bar. "How about breakfast with my sister, lunch with my girl and dinner with my family?" I suggest. "Sounds perfect, I'll text your dad today and have him meet us for dinner."

"Cool, alright Li, you ready?" I say, she stands and we head out to breakfast. She ended up paying for us and we had a good time.

LEXI'S POV
While Mat and Liana were at breakfast, I helped his mom clean the house a little and we sat down and talked. We had a real heart to heart and I told her all the details about Mat and I's beginning. "I have this idea of what to get him for his birthday." I say. "What's that?" She asks. "I wanna get him a new charm for his necklace. I got him the ring for Christmas but I figured I'd update it. I want to get him a cross charm with my name on it. I also want to get him a picture frame with a picture of us in it." I explain. "Honey that sounds adorable. You can take my car if you want to since Mat has his sister's." She says. "That would be awesome thank you, do you want me to bring you anything back for lunch?" I offer. "No thank you hun." She says, handing me her keys. I hurry out the door to the car and head off in search of his present.

I find a jewelry store and head inside. "Hello Ma'am! How can we help you today?" I hear the salesman say when I enter. "I'm looking for an engraved charm for my boyfriend's necklace. I was looking to get my name on it." I explain. "Let's see what we can do for you." He says, leading me over to a glass case with men's chains in it. "What kind were you looking for?" "A cross." I say. "Ah, here we go. Any of these we can engrave for you." The man says holding out a display of cross charms. "I like this one." I say, pointing at a sterling silver charm. "Ok, what should we write on it for you?" The man asks. "Alexandra" I say, using my real name for the first time in a long time. "Perfect, give me one minute." The man says, whisking away the charm. I browse around for a minute before the man comes back out with it. "I love it, thank you." I say. He bags it up for me and I head out to find a frame for a picture. I print out the picture of Mat and I from casino night and found a pretty frame. Then I head back home before Mat gets home so we can go for lunch. Turns out they just went to Starbucks for breakfast. I wrap the gift just as he walks in the door and tell him I'm going to take a shower. When I'm done, we head out to lunch and I make sure to grab the present on the way out.

During lunch, I give Mat his present and he loves it. I even take a picture of him across the table from me and I post it on my Instagram with the caption "Happy birthday to my man, you deserve all the love and Chickfila in the world. Thank you for loving me and being my knight in shining armor. I love you!"

After lunch, we head home and hang out until we get the ok to head to dinner.

A week or so later, Mat and I were hanging out on a dock on Pitt Lake when his phone rings.

Hello? He answers.

Yes Mathew Barzal? The voice answers. Mat put the phone on speaker.

That's me.

Hi Mathew this is Jerry from the National Hockey League Player's Association, how are you?

I'm living the dream, how about yourself?

I'm doing good. I was just calling to let you know that you've been nominated for the Bill Masterson award at this year's awards ceremony. Congratulations!

Wow! Thank you so much. That means so much! Mat says, looking at me wide eyed. My jaw drops when I hear the news as well.

Anytime Mathew, we'll see you in a few weeks!

Thank you, Jerry.

Thank you, Mathew. And the phone hangs up. He puts the phone down and looks up at me with a shocked look on his face. He looked like he was waiting for me to say something. "I told you." I say. He starts laughing. "I freaking told you Mathew!" I say, laughing too. He jumps up and grabs my hands, pulling me into a hug. "Oh my word, baby!" He exclaims. "I'm so proud of you." I say, kissing him. "Thank you. You excited to go to the awards?" He asks. "Very, I get to get all dressed up again." I say. "Here, let's take a picture, to remember this." I add. I set my phone up against my light balled up jacket I brought and set up a timer. Then I stand in front of Mat and he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close and I throw my arms around his neck and we kiss. Once we hear the shutter go off, I go and pick my phone up and examine the picture. It looks amazing with the mountains and blue green water in the back with the shelter of the dock over us. I post that picture with the caption "Oh Canada."

After we go back from the dock, Mat goes to meet up with some of his old friends. I stick around back at his mom's house and help her with dinner, despite her not wanting me to lift a finger.