Hockey Is My Boyfriend: Part Three (12 page)

O
n my 22nd birthday
, I walked into the office to find a huge arrangement of exotic flowers on the reception desk. I pulled out the card and looked at it.

Happy Birthday, Kelly. See you tonight.

Love, JF

“Who’s JF?” Arthur asked from behind the bouquet.

“You read my card already?”

“Of course I did, the envelope was not sealed, this bouquet is gigantic, and it came from Thomas Hobbs, which is the most expensive florist in town. That means something huge and romantic. Are you going to tell me, or do I have to start guessing?”

“Please no, not in front of everyone.” This place was worse than high school. The combination of flowers and Arthur’s loud voice had attracted people to the lobby. Full-scale eavesdropping was in progress. “I’ll tell you later.”

Arthur gave me a disbelieving look but went back to work. I toted the flowers over to the boardroom so I could actually see anyone who arrived. The arrangement was so heavy that I was going to have to take a cab home.

Just before noon, Phil walked in. He was wearing his on-site work clothes, which were casual and dusty. He flashed me his cocky grin, and I smiled back. He had never ever forgotten my birthday. When he called to book a dinner with me, I had to regretfully decline since Jimmy had put this on our schedule back in May.

“Can we go for lunch?” he asked. “It is a special day.”

“Okay,” I smiled at him, “but not a long one, I’ve got stuff to get done today.” I knew he didn’t have much time either. Phil had been working a lot of hours, and he looked a little tired.

“Here,” Phil pulled a posy of purple pansies and lime green nicotiana from behind his back. They had a pale purple ribbon and tissue around them.

“Awww, pansies are my favourite flower,” I told him. “How did you know that?”

“I double-checked with your dad when I ordered them.”

Arthur breezed into the lobby. He seemed to have a sixth sense for any drama going on.

“Hellooo! I’m Kelly’s friend, Arthur Kim.” He held out a hand.

As they shook, I introduced them. “Arthur, this is Phil.”

“Oh, Phil. Your fiancé who wasn’t really a fiancé? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” If he inspected Phil any harder, he’d be doing a body cavity search.

I buzzed Annalise, who covered my lunches, and then excused myself to put the flowers in water. Arthur followed me.

“Is there no privacy? Are you coming in the ladies room too?”

“Of course not, that would be the last thing my image here needs.”

As a florist’s daughter, I put the posy in water right away with a dash of Sprite stolen from Mindy’s desk. Although Dad should have included a packet of preservative. When I came out, Arthur was still waiting. Did he not have work to do?

“Hmmm,” said Arthur. “The flowers aren’t as spectacular, but Phil is extremely hunky. If I was JF, I’d be worried. But perhaps JF has other qualities you find attractive.”

“Do you not have work to do?” I asked.

“Is it James Franco?”

“What? Get real. Look, I’m going to lunch now and we can dish later. Sometime next year would work for me.”

Arthur leaned in and whispered, “Why don’t you pull that doppelgänger story on me again? I think if I searched your closet, I’d find the exact yellow dress of the gorgeous girl that James Frechette took to the NHL Awards. And a matching push-up bra.”

“No comment,” I said and walked away.

“I knew it,” he hissed after me. “And someone’s social life seems to be picking up, big time!”

When I got back to the lobby, I plunked the flowers on my desk. Once we were out of the building, Phil took my hand and led me down the sunny street to the Japadog street cart. The usual line-up was mercifully short. We both ordered Terimayo dogs and drinks, then walked to a little cement parkette near the waterfront.

“Never let it be said that I don’t know how to treat my special girl,” he remarked as we sat down on a bench and started eating. I was glad that he wasn’t being all jealous and resentful about dinner. Phil’s mood swings were extreme lately, but I had blamed them on myself. Today seemed to be a good day.

“Are you kidding? I love Japadogs!” I took a big bite of its teriyaki, nori, mayo, and sausagey goodness.

“Of course, they’re just like you. The best of Japanese and Canadian culture.” Phil laughed. “Oh, that reminds me.” He put down his hot dog and reached into his pocket. He handed me a little cloth pouch, which opened up to reveal a cord with a carved charm on it.

“I got this for you in Japan. It’s called an
omamori,
a charm for protection and good luck.”

How embarrassing was it that Phil knew more Japanese than I did? I picked up the charm. It was antique looking: a metallic bean with a little carved animal and Japanese lettering on it. Very beautiful, with a nice worn look to it, as if it had been loved and handed down with affection.

“It’s cool. It does feel spiritual or something.”

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s older. It was that or Hello Kitty.”

I tied the cord around my neck. “What does it say?”

Phil shrugged. “I don’t read Japanese.”

Really? I highly doubted that he would buy something he didn’t know the meaning of.

“Thanks so much, Phil.” I leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek, and he smiled. We started eating again, and he told me about being in Japan. I had never been there, and even my dad had only gone once. Phil had had some funny lost-in-translation experiences there.

“They’re always telling you what actor or celebrity you look like. In Tokyo, I had people ask me if I wanted to work as a model.” Phil laughed dismissively. “They say that to any tall Westerner.”

“You could be a model,” I told him. Phil was tall enough, slim, and handsome, with great cheekbones. Even in the twenty minutes we were sitting here, more than a few women had checked him out.

He snorted in reply. Then he looked at me closely.

“You’ve got a little sauce,” he motioned to my upper lip. I reached up with my serviette, but he shook his head. He moved closer, put a hand under my chin, and tilted my face towards him. He stuck his tongue out and licked my lip, then kissed me. His mouth was warm and insistent. I kissed him back, feeling a growing breathlessness. When he finally stopped, I collapsed against the bench.

I started stammering, “Uh, well gee, I think I better get back to—”

“Work?” suggested Phil, grinning.

“Yes. Work.” I swallowed hard.

J
immy flew directly
from Chicago to Vancouver, just for my birthday dinner. After I cabbed it home, I put the flowers down on the coffee table and started to get ready. A quick shower, a little extra makeup, and I got dressed. I knew it would be a fancy dinner, so I put on the nice black halter dress I bought for Phil’s family party. I tried to do my hair up smoothly as Magenta had, but had to settle for a messy twist. Unfortunately, my roommate/personal stylist was out. The dress looked a little bare, and I was trying to remember what accessories April had made me wear before when Jimmy knocked on the door.

“Come on in,” I called.

He found me in my room and pulled me into his arms. “It’s been a long day. Seeing you is the highlight.” He bent his head down and kissed me. His kiss was hot and demanding. My whole body was gravitating towards his—with the physical memory of the feel of his mouth on my breasts, my belly, and between my legs.

Finally, I broke away. “I’m almost ready.”

“I see you got my flowers.”

“Yes, thank you so much. They’re really lovely.”

He sat down on my bed and watched me get organized. I was looking for the little evening bag that April had gotten for me in Chinatown, after I horrified her by bringing a big hobo bag to some evening event.

“You look beautiful tonight.” He looked pretty slick himself in a dark grey suit with a white shirt and a lavender tie.

“Thank you. I’m getting better, but accessories are still beyond me.” I tried on a gold bracelet, but it didn't seem quite right.

“Well, maybe I can help you out there,” Jimmy offered. It was true that he had better taste than me, but rooting through my jewellery box would be a little too gay-best-friend. Then he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a slim aqua-coloured box. “Happy birthday, Kelly.”

I undid the white ribbon and the box read Tiffany’s. Yikes. I panicked since I wasn’t really the fancy jewellery type. Cautiously, I opened the box and saw a beautiful silver key with crystals all over it, with a long silver chain attached. It was gorgeous in a low-key way, and I really liked it.

“Wow! Thanks, Jimmy.”

He took the necklace from my hands and went behind me to put it on. After he fastened the chain, he kissed me gently on the back of the neck. I went into the bathroom to have a good look, and he stood in the doorway watching.

“It’s beautiful.” The key hung perfectly in the V of my neckline. I looked at him in the mirror. “Jimmy, it wasn’t too expensive, was it?”

He smiled and shook his head. “You have the key to my heart, Kelly.”

“So original, did you spend the whole plane ride thinking that one up?”

“No, just thought it up on the drive here.” He laughed, and we took off for the restaurant.

I had heard of Bishop’s but had never been there before. It was elegant but not stuffy, and Jimmy had scored a private corner table. I tried not to worry about how expensive it was. The service was really nice, and the food was delicious. Jimmy was so comfortable in nice restaurants now; he seemed to know exactly what to order and how to tip. One year in the NHL had changed him a lot.

I had a glass of
prosecco
and then a glass of red wine with dinner, so I was feeling pretty mellow. Jimmy told me all about the Blackhawks fan conference, which had taken place over the weekend. It was the first time such a thing had been done, and he said it showed the commitment of the new management to growing the fan base.

“Who goes to these things?” I wondered.

He blushed. “Oh you know—fans. Families, kids, guys that have supported the team forever.” Then in a lower voice, he muttered. “Young girls.”

“What was that last group?” I asked him, pretending I couldn’t hear.

“Girls.” He shrugged it off. “We’re a young team.” So far, every team member I had met or heard about was young and single. Which probably meant a lot of partying. “Anyway, I hate that stuff.

“Sure you do.” I laughed.

The restaurant owner came over to chat and ask how we were enjoying everything. It wasn’t because he recognized Jimmy, as he seemed to do that for everyone. When he found out it was my birthday, he arranged for a special dessert, which was a yummy chocolate pie topped with a thin wafer of chocolate with
Happy Birthday Kelly
written on it.

After that fabulous dinner, Jimmy and I decided to take a little stroll in the cooling summer air. He took my hand in his warm one. We walked along 4th Avenue. Most places were closed, so we window-shopped. Then we drove out to Kits Beach and walked along the water.

“It’s such a beautiful night out,” I said.

“Yeah, I’m tired, but I don’t want this to end.” Jimmy put his arm around me as we walked. “You know I’m not into all the fan girls, right?”

“I’m not jealous. Don’t worry. But I don’t believe you hate it.”

“Well, you don’t like it when guys hit on you at work, do you?”

“That’s because it’s all about my looks. They have no idea what I’m like.”

“I rest my case. Girls watch me on the ice and think they know me. Or they want the money and status.” He sounded really pissed.

“Why are you getting so upset about this?”

“Because….” He paused for a long time, and seemed to be debating his response. “I’ve had stuff happen to me. I dated a girl at UMaine, and I overheard her saying—” He shook his head and didn’t finish, but he looked suddenly miserable.

I put my arms around his waist and hugged him. I didn’t say anything though. Who was I to reassure him? I couldn’t even choose him for my one and only.

He hugged me back and then raised my chin up and kissed me gently.

“So, birthday girl, where to now?”

“Home, please. I have to work tomorrow.” Tomorrow, he was visiting this chiropractor that Ty had recommended and then he had to take off again, but we were meeting for lunch. All this eating out was not healthy for me.

“I think you might sleep better in a nice, comfy king-sized bed,” he suggested.

“Sleep? Yeah, right. I know what happens in those king-sized beds.”

Jimmy smiled down at me. “And that’s why I asked. You sure enjoyed that night in Toronto.”

I turned pink. We headed back to the car. Jimmy drove me home and walked me up to the apartment. I leaned my back against the door and looked up at him.

“I’ll be a lot happier when we get to end these evenings together,” Jimmy said with a frown.

Me too
, I thought, but I didn’t voice that. “I had a lovely evening. Thank you for everything: the flowers, the dinner, and this.” I touched the necklace.

He looked down the deep V of my halter and picked up the silver key necklace and toyed with it. Then he ran a finger down between my breasts, and I let out a little gasp. He bent his head down and kissed my open mouth, plundering it with his tongue and pushing his muscular body hard against mine.

After a long, dizzying time he pulled away and whispered, “Are you sure I can’t come in?”

I shook my head, not really trusting my voice.

“Good night. And Kelly….”

“Mmm?”

“I really hope you make up your mind soon. I’ll make it worth your while.”

I walked into the apartment and flopped on my bed. I really needed to think these things through a bit more carefully. I seemed to be spending my days in a state of sexual frustration. And I already knew too well what that could lead to.

What was the point of dating these guys anymore? The dating game had brought out the best and worst in everyone. Nobody was behaving naturally. Phil alternated between charming and childishly jealous. Jimmy was never his sweet self, and he constantly acted worried and pushy. And all the pressure on me to decide was getting intense.