Chapter Four

“Where do you want to go?” Nathalie asked when they had changed into their regular clothes.

“Oh, I don't know...” Autumn replied, trying to push her t-shirt into her bag. “I don't know much about Ottawa.”
They had reached the entrance now, and were just stepping out on to the street when Nathalie stopped in the middle of a step. “Shit...” She said and looked up at Autumn. “I forgot my phone in the dressing room... I'll just go get it, be right back.”

“Okay...” Autumn walked back inside and sat down in one of the chairs in the lobby area. She looked around, seeing a big Senators logo on the wall and some men in suits talking in low voices in a corner.

Nathalie hummed on one of the latest pop songs when she hurried back to the dressing room. She pulled the door open and darted inside.

“Oh, hi,” She said to the other girls and walked over to the place where she had been sitting earlier. “Forgot my phone.” She smiled at them and pushed through the door, checking her messages as she did so.

Scrolling through her missed calls and texts, she turned a corner and the next thing she knew, she was knocked over, landing on the hard stone floor. “Ow...” She frowned and looked up at what she had walked into.

“Oh my god, I'm so sorry!” A guy's voice sounded from above and Nathalie saw him holding out his hand for her to take. She grabbed on to it and was easily helped off the floor. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine...” Nathalie let go of his hand and moved hers to her lower back. “Wow, you came out of nowhere...”

“Oh yeah, I'm sorry about that. I was in my own little world.” He smiled weakly. “You sure you're okay?”

“Yeah, hurt my back a little, but I'll be fine.”

“Dave, what's the rush?!” Another guy said, coming around the corner after him. “Oh hi. Wait, you're-”

“I'm what?” Nathalie frowned and took her bag off the floor.

“One of the ice girls, right?” A third guy said, standing next to the second guy.

“Uh, yeah... How do you know that?”

“We were in the arena so we watched the try-outs,” The first guy said. “I'm David, this is Oliver and Jakob.”

“Oh, hi...” Nathalie smiled slightly. “And you're on the Sens, I'm assuming?”

“Yeah, exactly.” David grinned.

“Nathalie, what's taking so long?” Autumn said, sounding annoyed. “I'm hungry, uh, who are your friends?”

Oliver felt his heart beating faster inside his chest. It was her, Autumn, the girl he had been looking at all day. She was even more beautiful up close.

“Um, David, Oliver and Jakob,” Nathalie said. “We should go to lunch, yeah? I guess we'll see you boys around.” She grabbed Autumn's arm and started walking away.

“Do you know them or something?” Autumn said when they were out of earshot.

“No, I just bumped into them now. The first one kind of knocked me over.” She shook her head and the two started walking along the streets.

“Uh, okay...” Autumn said, looking into the restaurants and food chains they passed. “This one looks good, right?” She opened the door to a middle sized restaurant and they both walked in, sitting down at a table close to the door.

“I'm craving pasta sooo bad...” Nathalie said, looking through the menu. “I haven't had proper food in a while...”

“How come?” Autumn said, raising her eyebrows.

“Uh, well, I had lots of operations on my knee back home after an injury, and during that time I just didn't feel like eating. And then there was the long plane ride over here and yeah.” She shrugged. “What are you having?”

“Just a salad I think.” Autumn closed her menu. “Why did you need surgery?”

“Some girl tried to tackle me down and came in a little too late...” Nathalie said, her eyes looking sad. “Um, I played soccer back home, and she hit me right on the side of my knee... I was on crutches for, uh, five months, pretty much.”

“Wow...” Autumn looked shocked. “Well, it doesn't show.”

“I'm glad. It took a lot of rehab to just be able to walk without crutches. They said I could play soccer again, but it would take a lot of time and I don't have the patience.”

“Oh yeah, I get that...”

-

“You were staring at her, Ollie...” Jakob teased as the boys walked through Ottawa. “You're lucky she didn't notice you!”

“I was not!” Oliver felt the red flush to his cheeks and pushed his hands down his pockets.

“Yeeah, you were...” David said, looking through windows as they passed the buildings. “They said they were going to lunch...” He muttered, and when he finally caught the look of the two girls, he smiled. “Let's go in here.”

Erik had now caught up with them, and the three boys followed David into the restaurant. They sat down in a booth some distance away from the girls. David sat so that he could see Nathalie perfectly, and Oliver sat down next to him.

“God, it's them...” Oliver looked down and swallowed.

“I know,” David smirked. “That's why we went in here.”

“You're insane...” Oliver rested his head in his hands.

“Who are you talking about?” Erik asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Some of our new ice girls,” Jakob smiled. “Dave and Ollie found some that they like.”

“Oh really?” Erik turned around and caught a glimpse of them. “Nice choice, guys.”

“Oh yeah...” David laughed. “Maybe we should order, though. Don't want it to look suspicious.”

“I'm not hungry...” Oliver said, watching Autumn.

“Because you're looking at your future wife.” David teased. “You should ask her out.”

“Yeah, let me just buy some courage first...” Oliver rolled his eyes.

“You don't need courage, girls fall for you all the time.”

“Yeah, but not the right ones...” Oliver sighed and scratched the back of his head. “Shit!” He looked down quickly.

“Oh, crap...” David said, laughing slightly.

“What?” Jakob raised his eyebrows.

“She looked right at me...” Oliver blushed. “Fuck...”

-

“I think they were just looking at us...” Autumn frowned and turned back to Nathalie, who looked over Autumn's shoulder to see more clearly.

“Oh, it's the guys I ran into earlier.” She said, rolling her eyes. “Don't think about it.”

-

“I wish I could hear what they're saying...” David said. “I'm distracted by Nathalie's rack, though.”

“Dude, you're gross!” Jakob exclaimed.

“Agreed...” Oliver shook his head.

“Look, though!” David said, his voice slightly higher.

“Dave...” Oliver said through gritted teeth.

“What?!”

“Do you ever stop thinking about sex?”

“Well I've had a dry spell...”

Jakob sighed, “Here we go...”

“And when I bumped into her, they jiggled, you know, all cute and such, like boobs do.”

“Yeah, they tend to do that.” Oliver looked at Erik and Jakob, seeking their help.

“Oliver, go distract Autumn, I want to talk to Nathalie.” David said, getting ready to stand up.

“Hello? Do you know me? I can't distract her!”

Jakob laughed, “Yeah, are you stupid, Dave?”

“It's always me...” David said, rolling his eyes.

“Well, what do you expect me to do? I can't just go over and talk to her, I don't even know her!”

David sighed, “Watch and learn.” He stood up, walked over to the waiter and took the two plates from him. “Lunch is served, ladies.” He said with a smile and put the plates down in front of them.

Jakob looked in awe as his friend and team mate did this. “He's either the bravest guy on earth, or the dumbest.”

Nathalie smiled at this odd gesture. “Hello again,” She said. “Are you stalking me?”

“Hmm, maybe...” David said. “Or perhaps I just want to tell you how sorry I am for nearly knocking you out earlier.”

“It's fine, I need to stop looking at my phone all the time...” Nathalie laughed, gesturing at it where it was lying on the table.

David smiled again, “Happens to the best of us.” He said. “You should put my number in there.”

Nathalie looked at Autumn and then back to David, “Why don't you do it yourself?” She said, pushing the phone toward him.

David picked it up, “iPhone, good choice for a pretty girl.” Nathalie smiled and looked at Autumn again, shaking her head slightly. This guy was incredible. “There you go.” He said. “Meet you here at seven on Friday? Bring that smile. Oh, and enjoy your meal.” He walked back to his table with a big smile on his face.

Autumn stared in awe at Nathalie's phone, “What just happened?” Nathalie shook her head.

“I think I have a date...”