Meant For You

twenty-nine.

Miles Dempsey

My weeks have been busy with hockey. Every year since I got drafted to the Kings, my days during the season have looked the same. Wake up, hockey, train, eat, sleep, and do it all over again the next day. I've become so accustomed to this lifestyle that the idea of change in my routine has become unfathomable.

I rarely go out with the boys after a game or on a long weekend when we don't have a game. My first year I took in my new lifestyle but now, it's all the same. The guys on the team call me boring and are surprised when I decide to go out with them. To be honest, I couldn't care less what they say.

You'd think I'm married with two kids the way I am. Hell, I go out as much as Cap. But in my opinion, there's nothing better than sitting at home, drinking a beer alone, and watching a good movie or a hockey game.

So, when the kid asked if I was coming out tonight after our win against the Panthers, I said no.

"C'mon, Miles. Everyone is going out tonight." He emphasizes 'everyone' as he slips on some jeans. "Cap's going?" I wonder. The kid looks up directly at me while buttoning his pants like be serious. We seem to not include Drew when talking about everyone going out. It's a rare sight from him.

"I'm exhausted. Did you see the way I got passed around like a puck tonight by those fuckers? And everyone was too busy to help me out," I recall, rubbing my sore arm. JT gives me a look. "Besides you, but still. You were busy half of the time I was getting shoved," I add.

It's not new to me to get shit on half of the game. When teams play us, I'm sure one of their plans of action is to take care of me. And not in a nurturing way, more of a 'get this guy the fuck away from the puck' way. I'm fine with handling one guy but when they're so desperate and put two on me, it gets a bit more difficult.

"Hey, you think we'll be back in town tomorrow by at least one in the afternoon?" JT questions, biting his nails as he looks at his phone. "Yes. Why?" That's another reason I'm deciding to stay back tonight. Our flight takes off at 6:30 so we have to be at Miami International by 6:00 am the latest, meaning the bus leaves at 5:30. There's no way I'm going to be drunk on a plane.

He throws his phone on the bed while he picks up the shirt I ironed for him. "Nola invited me as her date to a wedding tomorrow. It starts at three and I don't want to be flakey," he tells me. An uneasy feeling creeps onto me at his words. Sometimes I forget that she's friends with him. They're closer in age too. "Oh yeah?" is what I manage to get out.

"Yeah. You think you can drop me off at her place tomorrow?" he asks. I nod in response and turn my head away from him, focusing on the TV which shows the highlights of our game. I'm trying not to let that lingering feeling I have going on get to me. It's ridiculous that I even feel anything from his words.

To be honest, I don't know what that feeling is. I can't describe it. Nola is both of our friend but she invited JT to the wedding. As her date? That's what he called it. Would I have gone if she asked me? Probably not. Pictures would circulate if I were to go because somehow, people always find me and try snapping pictures.

JT gets that attention too, but it's calmer with him. He's fresh to this lifestyle. He doesn't mind being seen with women as much as I do. Rumors piss me off. They make him laugh. Half of the media they put out about us that doesn't involve hockey is bullshit. That doesn't mean it doesn't bother me. So if I would have said no, then why am I feeling uneasy about it?

Once the kid leaves a couple of minutes later, I volume up the TV, trying to focus on the commentators talking about our game against the Panthers. The thing I dislike the most about myself is the fact that I'm an overthinker. Do you think only women deal with overthinking? Nope. I do too. I find out one uneasy thing and it stays in my head for days. My brain creates different scenarios and it fucks with me terribly.

Therefore the thought of Nola inviting JT to a wedding as her date fills my head and makes me queasy. I know they're just friends. The last time I remember, the kid was moping about Ember, Nola's roommate. Nola wouldn't do that to her friend and I'm sure JT's feelings for the little brunette haven't changed.

Plus, Nola and JT don't make sense. Not in a relationship type of way. She can't have feelings for him and vice versa. It just doesn't make sense. Then my mind ventures to our game against the Ducks. It's where my mom and dad met Nola. My mom thought Nola and JT were dating. He had his arm wrapped around her after all. Do they look like they're dating to other people? Hmm.

I shake my head. Why do I even care so much? If they liked each other and started dating it would be fine with me. It shouldn't matter to me. It doesn't matter to me.

The stupid thoughts in my head get interrupted by my phone buzzing on the nightstand that separates JT and I's bed. My eyes flit to the top of the screen when the call pops up, my heart pumping one thousand times faster when I see the name.

Despite every single voice in my head telling me not to pick up, my thumb finds the green answer button before the call falls through. I swallow hard before speaking. "Hello?"

The line is quiet for multiple seconds before her voice comes through. "Hi. I didn't know if you'd pick up or not." Me either. I already hear both Tate, the kid, and Kait screaming at me that I'm an idiot. Trust me, I know. "Did you want to pick up?" I question. She sighs. "You know I did." Even if I want to smile, I don't.

While my life has been the same for the past years, I had time for some things on the side. One of those things was Allie. I never kept ties with a girl for so long since I joined the league.  Now that she had finally been out of my life, another girl took up some of my free time. Nola. But Nola and Allie are different people to me.

Allie was the girl that I slept with. The girl I held a physical connection to with the indication that neither of us would fall for one another. It was a mutual agreement and a fun one at that. We both got what we wanted and that was that. Occasionally I'd spend time with the girl but I never led her on.

Nola... she's just my friend. She's unlike any other woman I've ever met and I think that's why I keep her around. Not only is she a good listener, but she's a good person. A girl that's a friend? When was the last time I had a real one of those? There is something about her that I can't let slip away.

She's different than Allie.

But I won't lie, something right now is telling me to stupidly talk to Allie again. Give her another shot at keeping me company in the little free time I have.

"You're going to get me in trouble," I tell her. I'm pretty sure she's aware of how the people in my life feel about her. As much as I try to tell JT, Tate, and the other guys on the team to not be assholes, they can be sometimes. I don't blame them most of the time. Allie isn't pleasant to a lot of people herself.

She chuckles. "You can make your own decisions." I'm starting to believe that I can't. I don't say anything for a couple of seconds and then she says something that bothers me slightly. "Are you still with that girl? The blonde one?"

She's talking about Nola. "I was never with her to begin with, I told you this," I say through almost clenched teeth. "Good," Allie retorts quickly. "So when can I see you again?"

Here we go again.