part 4

"Oh my God! I know who you are!" Brooklyn said as she sat straight up in her bed. "Nicklas Backstrom, center for the Capitals!"

She turned to look at Nicklas, but only found the morning sun beginning to rise outside her window.

"Nicklas?"

How did she end up back in her bed? She didn’t even know she had fallen asleep. She decided to get up and start her day off early. She was half way to her kitchen before she realized she was in the same clothes as yesterday. She got to her kitchen and found a note on her counter.

"Brooklyn,
You fell asleep. I woke you up and drove you home. I don't know if you remember lol. Sorry I’m so boring =). Here’s my number.
-Nicklas



She leaned back against the counter, his note clutched in her hand. He had taken her home, and put her to bed. She had never known a guy to be that sweet. She stood there for almost an hour, thinking of the perfect thing to say to him. She jumped in the shower, threw her hair in a ponytail, and found some jeans and a hollister hoodie. As she walked down her apartment hall she sent him a text.

I need some food, Nicklas Backstrom, center for the Capitals, oh yes I know.
-Brooklyn

It was a pretty nice day out. Not to cold, since the sun was shining.

"Sorry baby." she said patting her car. "I’m going to walk"


She had no clue where she was going, only that she needed food for her poor empty fridge. She found a cute shop not far from her apartment. She was deep in thought about what fragrance of shampoo she wanted, when her phone vibrated in her pocket.

Are you asking me to lunch?-Nicklas

She smiled and responded

You wish lover boy

She decided on lavender. She grabbed some essentials. Bread, milk, vitamin water, canned food. She laughed out loud as she passed the frozen pizza. As she reached for a box her phone vibrated again.

Lover boy? Hmm I’ll be sure to tell Gretzky that when I tell him what you were mumbling about in your sleep.

She smirked and responded

I so do not mumble in my sleep.

You keep thinking that. Meet me in front of the Verison Center in 5 minutes. This time don’t fall asleep

She paid for the few things she got. It was maybe enough to last her through the weekend. She rushed back to her apartment, threw the food in her fridge and rushed back across the street to the Verison Center.

“Well don’t you look snazzy?” she said with a grin.

He was wearing a pair of Hollister jeans, a long sleeved polo with a blue argyle sweater over that, and a dark blue beanie over his curling blonde hair.


“That beanie really brings out your eyes” she continued.
“mmhm what about you, lover girl, do you ever let this hair down” he said as he pushed her ponytail off her shoulder.
“Yes. You never give me enough time to look good. By the way, argyle sweaters are a total turn on” she said biting her bottom lip.
“Oh really? I’ll keep that in mind” she said a grin forming on his lips.
“So what’s the plan for tonight, Casa Nova?”

He let out a small laugh.

“Well, I though we could go get an ice cream, since it’s so nice out, maybe just sit and talk”
“Sounds good to me.”

They walked for a few blocks to an ice cream stand. He ordered a vanilla waffle cone with sprinkles, for her a plain vanilla cone.

“Gee looks boring” he said as they sat down.
“I like them boring” she said with a wink.
“Well Canada, what else to you like other then boring argyle ice cream? He said with a laugh.
“Hmm well, I like Scandinavia boys, lake sunsets, and dancing to the Spice Girls in my underwear.

They both laughed.

“By the way” she continued. “I’m not Canadian, I’m Finish.”
“But I thought you moved from Canada” he said a little confused.

“Yeah I did. But we moved from Helsinki when I was 12. Hence why I’m so white, I burn thinking about sunlight.” She laughed a little and continued. “So lover boy, how does it feel to not be a secret anymore?”

“Well actually it feels great. I’m just a little shocked it took you that long” he said throwing the bottom of his cone in the trash.

“Hey, I can’t be perfect all the time”

As she said that, thunder shook the sky.

“So much for a nice day, we better go before it pours. My place is right around the corner.” He said standing up.

As the walked to Nicklas place his hand met hers, the both blushed and laughed. The almost made to his apartment before the rain came – almost. They were drenched when they walked in.



“Well I’m glad I didn’t wear make-up.” She said with a laugh. “I’d look like a raccoon by now.”
“Come on, Ill get you something to change into.”

She followed him into his bedroom, he handed her a towel and she let her dripping hair down.

“See its down” she said before throwing her hair up into the towel.

He laughed and handed her shorts and a long sleeved shirt.

“It’s a practice jersey from the Swedish junior team.”

She smiled and walked into the bathroom to change. She slid into his clothes and let her hair down. His shorts fell past her knees, but she was warm. She threw her hair around a bit and threw wet clothes over the shower to dry. When she walked into the living room he was already changed and lounging on the couch. He was in grey sweat pants and a white shirt that was pretty form fitting- his hair wet and messy.

Man-he was hott!

She slid next to him on the couch and curled her feet up under her. He kept flipping the channels but put his arm around her and pulled her closer.



“You know we have a game tomorrow” he said after a minute. “Playing the penguins.”
“Hey, I have a Crosby jersey” she said with a grin.
“Hmm nothing Capitals?”
“I have an old Kolzig jersey, but it’s signed and framed.”
“Kolzig huh?”
“I love him; he’s sexy for almost 40!”
“I’ll make a call and get you a good seat and a jersey.” He said laughing.
“…so I don’t get to wear my Crosby jersey?” she said pretending to be disappointed.
“Aww sorry no you don’t.” he said with a small smile.
“Maybe I’ll wear my hair down, make A.O. jealous.”
“Remind me to tell him to stay away from you” he said pulling her closer. “wait how to you know him, and not me?”

She laughed, blushed a little, and buried her head a little further into his chest.

“So.” He said after a few minutes. “Why’d you move from Helsinki?”
“My dad got a job offer in Nova Scotia, so he took it and moved us into a big house on the lake. He tried so hard to make it feel more like Finland. The once I finally got settled into Canada, they break the news that they were getting a divorce. That was a week ago.”
“Oh wow, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, I’m just glad I’m not there to hear them argue anymore. That’s why I came here, I was going to start school in the fall, but I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”
“You’ve got time to figure it out”

She nodded and turned to watch the rain fall.

“I miss the snow” She said with a small but serious laugh.
“Me too. As much as I love it here, I can’t wait to go home in the off season and relax.”
“I’d love to go home to Helsinki.”
“I’ll take you to Sweden, and we’ll go visit.”
“Only if you wear that cute argyle sweater.” She said smiling.
“I’ve got a whole closet full of them.”

They both laughed.

“So am I falling asleep here and waking up in my apartment again?” she said lifting her head to look into his blue eyes.
“Well” he said staring right back. “either that, or you can stay, if you want.

He softly took her head in his hand and kissed her forehead. She yawned and laughed.

“Am I boring you again?”
“No! I yawn when I’m nervous.”
”Nervous? Why would you be nervous?”

She rolled her eyes and yawned again.

“Now that was a tired yawn.”

He smiled, took her hand and led her to his bedroom. He pulled the blankets down and lay on his back. She flicked off the lights and crawled in next to him. He wrapped his right arm around her lower back as she laid her head on his chest. She ran her hand over his abs smiling as she counted them.

“There are 6” he said a laugh in his voice. “I’m working on 8.”

She laughed, yawned again and drifted off to sleep.