Lindsey

Dinner the other night with Taylor helped relieve so much anxiety that was looming over my head. She answered so many questions I had about WTF has been going on around here. Namely, all things Chase-related.

Turns out Chase likes me; he isn't involved with Taylor, she's actually pretty cool, and she may or may not have best friend potential. The last part remains to be seen. I'm taking this one step at a time, starting with Chase.

Clearly, my libido is running the show these days. Not that I'm complaining. It has been a long time since I've had any kind of release in that way. Ya know, that way that requires a willing second participant. Yeah, over two years since that's happened- not so much fun. And now that I have been made aware Chase may be interested, I think I may just let him break that streak.

I mean, who better to get me out of my self-induced celibacy than an incredibly hot hockey player. One with washboard abs, a happy trail, and a panty-dropping smile. And with Chase's....er, experience, I'm sure he knows what he's doing. A guy like him could probably go for hours...

As I drift into dangerous territory in my mind, a loud thud draws my attention to the bedroom door. Before me is Taylor standing in the now, wide-open doorway with a massive smirk on her face. "Check your phone." She commands.

My phone dings with a new text from an unknown number. "What's this?"

"It should be a text from Chase. Probably saying something generic like "hey" or "sup." I gave him your number and told him not to be a pansy and text you." She smiles proudly. "I told him you would be waiting to hear from him. Hope you don't mind that I gave him your contact info."

She walks back out of the room. And I stare blankly at my screen as it dings a second time with another text from the same number. I read:

Unknown number: Hey

Unknown number: This is Chase. Just so you know.

My phone alerts me to a third text. Followed shortly by a fourth.

Unknown number: Um, Taylor gave me your number and said I should text you. So I'm texting you.

Unknown number: I hope that's ok. That I'm texting you. Or that I have your number...

I save Chase's contact info to my phone and start to type a reply. Just as I'm about to hit send, my phone dings again.

Chase: I thought I'd say hi. See how you're doing. This is ok, right?

He's rambling. Is he nervous right now? That's so cute! I smile to myself and hit send.

Me: Yeah, she told me she gave you my number. I'm glad she did.

Chase: Yeah? Cool! So...how are you?

Me: I'm good. Taylor and I had a very interesting talk the other night...

Chase: Oh? What did you two talk about?

Me: Lots of things. Family, college, work, guys...

Chase: Guys, huh? What guys specifically?

My heart is beating out of my chest. I can't tell him we talked about him. Can I? I bite my lip in contemplation. I mean, Taylor did say he liked me, and he enlisted her to help get me back in his good graces. I just don't know if I have the guts to actually start that conversation with him. A sudden burst of courage springs out through my fingertips. I start typing out my message and hover my finger over the 'send' button.

Me: Ohh, our exes...and maybe you...

I hit send and watch with growing anticipation as the dots on the bottom of my screen show up, then disappear, then reappear, only to disappear again for a full two minutes. Not that I was keeping track or anything.

After an agonizing 120 plus seconds, my phone dings with his reply.

Chase: Ohh...what about me?

That's it? Two minutes of typing and disappearing, and that's what he came up with? Maybe I should play coy. Give him an "oh you know" or the ever-popular "not much" followed by a cutesy "hehe" or smiley face emoji. After debating my reply for at least a minute, I finally settle on:

Me: she may have said you were talking about me with her...

Chase: ...what did she say, exactly?

Me: that you like me?

I hit send and immediately regret my question mark ending to that last text. He's going to think I'm a dork. Nice one, Lins! I hold my breath waiting for his reply. Lucky for me, he doesn't make me wait long.

Chase: I do.

I feel my jaw drop to the floor. He just admitted it! He just confirmed what Taylor told me. I pick my jaw up off the floor and shove my eyes back into their sockets, trying to compose myself. I don't know how long I stayed in my surprised state, but it was long enough to make Chase send a follow-up text in response to my silence.

Chase: I was hoping you felt the same...

Shit! I have to say something!

Me: I DO LIKE YOU.

After smashing the send button, I realized what I typed. Fucking all-caps! Maybe he will think it's endearing? Fingers crossed. I wait an agonizing length of time for him to reply. And...nothing. Not even disappearing dots. I may have just scared him away. Shit! Should I text a correction- all lower-case? I start to panic.

Then my phone rings. I look down and see "Chase" scrawled across the top of my phone. Holy fuck! He's calling me! I take a few breaths and answer.

"Hey," I try to sound like my heart isn't beating out of my chest and I'm not out of breath.

"Hey," his deep voice sounds in my ears. I feel a shiver go down my spine. How does a voice have that kind of power over me? I turn to a puddle of mush over his one-word greeting.

"I snuck away to call you real quick. We're finishing up dinner, then getting everything together so we can head to the airport. But, I wanted to hear your voice." He tells me, his voice heavy with excitement.

"I love your voice." Oh my God! Did I just say that out loud?!

"Uh, I mean, you have a really nice phone voice. Not all people are so lucky." Wow, Lins, super smooth save. I face-palm myself wishing I could sink into the ground and pretend this last round of embarrassing dialogue never happened.

He chuckles and graciously pretends I didn't just make a complete ass out of myself. He really is sweet. After telling me he likes my phone voice too, he tells me the flight is leaving pretty late, so I probably won't get to see him until morning. Liam is still sharing a room with him at the apartment, so me waiting up until they got back would raise alarm bells. And I'm not ready to explain all of this- whatever it is- to my big brother.

We both shyly say we're excited to see one another tomorrow and say a quick goodbye when someone comes to find him. Once I end the call, I heave a sigh and fall backward onto the bed. I had been pacing around the room during our phone call. Taylor knocks on the door a few minutes later and peeks her head inside. She mirrors my smile when I sit up to look at her. Then she flies over to the bed and flops down next to me.

"Dish! What all did he say?" She demands enthusiastically. Then, I do. I tell her everything. Several hours later, I fall into the best night's sleep I've had in a very long time. I cannot wait until tomorrow.

~

This morning, I finally saw Chase for a few minutes before I had to leave for work. We didn't get to say a lot with Liam standing less than ten feet away, but the tension that was hanging between us before has morphed into something new. It's like this giddy excited energy now. I couldn't stop smiling at him and vice versa.

There is a home game tonight, so that's where Taylor and I went straight after work. She met me at the front of the building, and we walked together to our seats. Turns out, her seats are right next to mine. I wonder if Liam did that on purpose? Anyway, we watched the game from our neighboring seats and cheered our hearts out for our team.

They were on fire tonight! Liam scored a goal with an assist from T.J.; Chase scored two goals, one on his own and the other with an assist from Liam. The other team only scored once. The crowd was going crazy by the end of the game. It was amazing!

Afterward, Taylor introduced me to Dan's wife, Stacy, and Tyler's fiancée, Ali, who were seated a little way over from us. We made small talk with them for a bit, and Taylor asked if they were coming to the bar tonight to celebrate. They said they wouldn't be coming, but Dan and Tyler were going for a bit.

Stacy and Ali then excused themselves and said they wanted to say bye to their guys before heading home. After saying bye to the other women, Taylor and I started off to the bar, where we would meet up with the guys after they were done with reporters and getting cleaned up.

......

We beat the team to the bar by about fifteen minutes. While we waited, we found a couple of open seats at the bar and ordered our drinks. The place was packed to the rafters with fans and regulars, so we had a bit of a wait to get our drinks. When the team arrived, the bartender was just starting to make our drinks.

As the team filtered by us, Taylor waved and said hello to some of the guys and told them congrats on a well-earned win. I smile and wave to them as they pass by, locking eyes with Chase as he brushes past us. He gives me a huge grin and a wink. My heart starts to flutter.

The bartender sets down our drinks as T.J. saunters up behind Taylor putting his arm around her waist and whispering something in her ear. He's practically undressing her with his eyes, and she leans in, putting her hand on his chest, and says something I didn't quite make out. I think I heard something like, "never gonna happen." She then turns to me and grabs her drink. I follow suit, and we head over to where Chase and Liam are sitting.

As we reach the table, where not only Chase and Liam are, but now Val and Jenna D, I look back to where we came from. T.J. is still staring after Taylor. I ask her what that was about back at the bar. She just shakes her head and laughs. She tells me he was hitting on her, and she turned him down again. She comments that he must like being turned down because he keeps coming back for more.

We start laughing, and Jenna D makes a comment about T.J.; I can't tell what she said because the music is so loud in here now. When Taylor responds, Val and her minion shoot her a glare. I look over at Chase, who is ignoring a very touchy Val. She is flirting with him and running her freshly manicured nails up and down his arm. He looks annoyed as he swats her hand away and makes conversation with some of the guys on the team.

She continues to flirt with him for a full two rounds of drinks. Taylor nudges me and leans over, telling me just to ignore her. She then reminds me that I am the one going home with Chase, and I am the one he likes, not Val. Her encouragement cheers me up a bit, and I use all my willpower to ignore Val. It helps that Chase is sending me apologetic looks and consistently swatting Val's hands away from him when she makes contact.

I don't know exactly what the protocol is for this kind of thing. Chase and I haven't had a real chance to talk about everything yet, and I can't risk Liam finding out what's going on. Not yet. So, I sit back and just try to ignore Val, reminding myself I can't make a scene in front of Liam.

Finally, she and Jenna move on to another table after Chase shrugs her off of him for the umpteenth time. Liam remarks that she just can't take a hint, and Chase replies that he's told her multiple times, but she keeps coming back.

Then, he says, "she doesn't get it. She's just not the girl for me." His eyes lock on mine across the table, and the corner of his lips quirk up, telling me all I need to know.

I'm the girl...he's choosing me.