Chasing the Stars {Jamie Benn}

Eighteen

There were only two weeks left before Jamie had to be back in Dallas for training. It was kind of sad how fast the offseason went by. We decided we would go to one last place before he went.

"Elle?" Jamie questioned as he turned to face me as we sat in the airport, waiting for our flight to Victoria, B.C. His family lived there, and he had been really missing them.

"Jamie?" I replied, turning in my chair. He grabbed my ankles and pulled my legs across his lap, mindlessly running his hand up and down them.

"I don't want to pressure you, but are you coming to Dallas when the season starts?" he asked. Whether he realized he was doing it or not, he was giving me the most adorable puppy eyes I had ever seen.

I took a moment to collect my thoughts. I honestly didn't know what I wanted. I didn't really want to be without Jamie for such a long time, but on the other hand, I wasn't sure I was ready to be back in Dallas and have to see Tyler on a regular basis.

But then again, the little voice inside my head was telling me to go live in Dallas. Don't let Tyler ruin your life. You love Dallas, you've got Jamie. You're stronger than letting Tyler's mistakes stop you from doing what you want to do.

"I'll definitely go to Dallas," I replied with a smile. Jamie's face lifted, and he leaned over to press a quick kiss to my lips.

"I'm getting a new apartment and everything," he explained. "I signed over the lease to Tyler, it's his now."

"Should we really live together right off the bat?" I questioned. Jamie but his lip and looked down towards the floor, thinking.

"I don't know," he responded, bringing his eyes back to mine. "I don't think it'd be awful if we did. We've kind of always lived together, anyways."

"That's true, but Tyler was there," I trailed off with a shrug.

"Elle, whenever I go on a road trip, I damn sure don't want to come home to an empty apartment," he said softly.

"There's always dogs?" I offered up with a small giggle. Jamie smiled and rolled his eyes at me, but his face quickly returned serious.

"I don't want a dog," he told me. "I want you. I want you to come home to."

"You're cute," I responded with a grin. In turn, he fake pouted at me. "I'll think about it."

"Thank you," he replied as his face turned to a smile. Our flight was called over the intercom system, and his smile got even bigger. "Ready?"

He seemed eager, like a little puppy, and it was seriously so adorable.

"Ready."

••••••••••••••••••••

"Jamie, isn't it weird for me to be meeting your family?" I questioned as he drove down the street that his parents lived on; the place we would be staying for two weeks.

Jamie brought one hand off the wheel and shrugged before grabbing my hand.

"I've known you for a while now," he replied, his eyes trained on the road. "They know how I feel, and they're aware of the situation with Tyler, but they're still going to ask questions, just be ready for that. To answer your question, no, I don't think it's weird at all."

"And how do you feel?" I questioned, turning to look at him. He dodged the question by pulling into the driveway and saying,

"We're here!"

He pulled the keys out of the ignition and was out of the car before I could question him further. I sighed before pushing my door open.

"We can just leave the stuff out here until later," he said as he started towards the front porch. I took a deep breath before following him. Meeting the family. This was going fast. Given, I could have met them at any time, even when we weren't a "thing."

But now we were a thing, and I was standing on Jamie's parents' front porch as he fumbled with the house key.

"Mom? Dad! We're here!" he called out once the door was open.

"In the kitchen!" a voice called back. Jamie looked back at me, and he took my hand before taking us to the kitchen.

The whole family was standing around, leaning on the counters. They were all laughing, and it looked like they were having a good time.

"Jamie!" the woman who I assumed to be his mother exclaimed. She set down her glass of water and quickly came over to Jamie, enveloping him in a giant bear hug.

"Hi, mom," he greeted with a laugh, giving her a small squeeze.

"There's my boy!" his dad exclaimed, giving Jamie another hug. Jordie just laughed, considering he got to see Jamie, for the most part, year-round.

"Hey, stink face," another woman said as she hugged Jamie.

"Well, hello there, poop face," he replied, laughing as he hugged her. I loved them already.

"Alright, who's the lady?" his sister demanded, tilting her head towards me.

"Mom, dad, Jenny, Jordie, this is Elle, my girlfriend," he introduced me. I felt my cheeks get warm. Even though we'd kissed and had sex, I didn't really know what exactly Jamie and I were.

And now I knew.

"Elle, this is Heather, my mom, Randy, my dad, Jenny, my sister, and you've met Jordie," he told me.

"So nice to meet you, Mrs. Benn," I told his mom as she pulled me in for a just as giant hug as Jamie's.

"Psh, call me Heather!" she insisted with a smile.

"Call me Randy," his dad said as he also hugged me. So, the Benn's were huggers. Who knew?

"I'm so excited to meet you!" Jenny squealed, wrapping her skinny arms around me. "I've heard so much about you!"

"I've heard so much about you, too!" I replied with a smile.

"So, you're the girlfriend instead of just friend now, eh?" Jordie teased. I shot him a fake glare and the family laughed. His family was already making me feel so comfortable and at home.

"Apparently so," I responded.

"You know, he's liked you since day one," Jenny admitted, smirking at Jordie.

"It's true," Jordie confirmed. "Ever since he picked you up at the airport he-"

"Oh, stop it, you two!" Heather told them with a laugh. I grinned. I looked over at Jamie, who's face was a bright pink. Cute.

The idea of him having liked me since the beginning set of butterflies in my stomach. A small part of me had liked him from the moment I first saw him, too.

"We'll go grab the luggage," Jamie said,gesturing towards Jordie. That left me with the rest of the family.

"Sweetie, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly happened?" Heather questioned, her eyebrows pulling together like the way mine did.

"Mom-,"

"No, it's alright," I stopped Jenny. "The more I talk about it, the better I feel."

So, I explained. I told Jamie's mom everything; from the day Tyler proposed to the day I found him with Kelly. God, the images still haunted my brain. If I could've just gotten those out of my head, maybe I wouldn't have been crying in front of Heather.

"Oh, sweetheart, it's okay," she assured me, coming across the kitchen to hug me. I hugged her back, and I decided right then and there that she was one of the best huggers in the world, and I would love to keep getting these hugs. For the rest of my life.