One of the Boys

Chapter 11

Delaney

Mason had texted me to say he'd pick me up after practice today on his way home from the grocery store. So there I was waiting for him outside of the arena for about 15 minutes now until Chris scared me. Now, here I am sitting in the passenger's seat of his car in my wet hoodie because it started pouring rain and my brother was stuck in traffic.

"Alright, let's get some heat flowing in here." Chris said as the driver's door opened and closed again once he was in the seat and starting the car. "Are you cold? You look cold." He asked as his voice was a tad shaky. "Um yeah, a little bit." I reply not realizing that my lips were quivering and my body was shivering.

"Hey, thanks for the ride by the way. You honestly didn't have to." I found myself speaking, breaking the moment of silence. "No, no worries. I wasn't going to let you wait out in the pouring rain like that. Plus we live in the same building so we're both headed back the same way." Chris smiled at me.

"Warm enough?" He asked a few minutes later as he looked over from the road to me. His brown eyes meeting my green ones. "Yeah." I nodded. "Hey, is it okay if we stop for a coffee and a bite to eat before we go home?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine with that." I reply before looking down at my phone to see that Mason had answered my text I'd sent to him back at the rink.

After locking my phone and placing it on my lap, I looked out the window as we drove down the city streets as nothing but the music on the radio filled the silence of Chris's car.

******

"After you." Chris said holding the door open to the small coffee shop I used to come to all the time when I was a kid. "Thanks." I reply with a warm smile before stepping inside and making my way to the counter to order.

"Hi, what can I get for you today?" The lady behind  the counter asked with a smile. "Hi, could I please get a small white peppermint hot chocolate and a couple of your sugar cookies please." I replied with a smile. "Sure can honey! That will be $5.55." She said as I began to search my wallet for a $5 bill I had stashed inside.

"Here. Could you add a medium coffee cream only and a bagel to that please?" Chris asked stepping forward towards the counter. "What are you doing?" I asked looking up at the 6'1 giant standing in front of me as a friendly smile appears across his face.

"Before you say no, I'm paying because I can and I want to. Also I owe it to you for being a jerk." He said as my gaze stayed focused on him watching as his cheeks began to turn red. "It's the least I could do Delaney." He added giving me raised eyebrows.

"Okay fine! But if something like this happens again I'm paying!" I reply rolling my eyes and giving in, not wanting to argue with the team captain.

I wonder why he's acting like this. Something's up with him. I know I told him to treat  me like I'm one of the boys but I don't think he treats the guys like this. Does he?

"Thanks again for the treat." I said once Chris and I took a seat in a booth near the window. It's the same booth I'd always sit at with my brothers when we were kids and all the good memories are still here. "No problem, like I said it's the least I could do to make up for being a jerk." Chris replied.

I hood my cup of peppermint hot chocolate close to me while it sits on the table. "White peppermint hot chocolate Eh?" He asked looking at me before taking a sip from his coffee. "Yeah, I'm not a big fan of coffee. It's not my thing." I reply fiddling with my thumbs. "Yeah I guess coffee isn't for everyone but it's definitely made for me." He says picking up the last piece of his bagel.

"So Christopher, tell me a little bit about yourself. What does the Chris outside of work like to do? What's he like?" I ask breaking the silence between us after finishing the last bit of my cookie. "Okay well, I'm originally from Calgary but moved out here in 2015 for hockey and my family moved out here with me. Um, I have a younger sister who's name is Morgan and she's 17 years old and... My mom's a nurse and dad's a firefighter." He said before taking a sip from his coffee.

"Wow, that must have been a lot for you and your family." I said as he placed his cup down and looked across the table at me. "Yeah, it was tough for Morgan at first but she managed and my parents transferred to different stations out here before we left home." He replied. "How about you? WhT do I need to know about Miss Delaney Rose?" He asked leaning back against the booth seat raising his eyebrows.

"Well, I was born and raised in Toronto. Hockey's been in my life for as long as I can remember and as you know I have two older brothers, Matthew and Mason. Fun fact, I used to come here all the time as a kid and hangout in this exact booth with them." I said as he nodded. "Oh and I've played in boys teams since I started hockey and Jason and I have played on the same team and been best friends ever since!"

"Wow that's impressive! You really have spent a lot of time here as a kid?" Chris asked as he kept his chocolate brown eyes focused on me, wanting to know more. "Yeah, I mean we'd come here after school, before early morning practices, after  our games and every Saturday morning." I reply. "Well I mean I don't blame you for that! This place is pretty cool plus it's got the best coffee around and it's one of my favourite spots around here!" Chris said.

******

We walked out of the coffee shot a little while after we finished our drinks and ran to Chris's parked car as the rain continued to pour down.

I quickly opened the door and hopped in before closing the door and buckling my belt. The driver's door opened a couple seconds after and I watched Chris as he got in and started the car. His brown hair was drenched from the rain and droplets of water were dripping from his face as was the ones on the small piece of hair that fell into his forehead.

Wait why am I staring again? He's going to catch me and things are going to get awkward! Oh my god... Am I falling for him? I can't be right?

"Anywhere else you want to stop before we head home?" He asked looking over at me and snapping me from my thoughts. He definitely caught me staring! "Um no, I'm fine. Ready to head home and have a nap!" I replied.

"Me too." He said as we pulled out of the parking lot and onto the streets of Toronto.