“I don’t know, man,” Jordin told Wade as they skated around the rink, “I don’t want her to feel obligated to go out with me.”
Wade laughed, “It’s Valentine’s Day, and she hasn’t had a date on Valentine’s Day since you met her.”
“I just don’t want her thinking I expect something from her though.”
Wade smirked, “You sleep in the same bed she does every night but you are worried about taking her out for a nice dinner? Grow some balls man, how old are you? Next thing I know, you’ll be writing a note that says, ‘Be my Valentine: Check yes or no!’
Jordin laughed, “Dude, shut up!”
Mike Fisher noticed the men bantering back and forth, “What are you two going on about?”
“Eskimo kisses over here won’t ask his girl out on Valentine’s Day,” Wade said causing Jordin to whack him in the shin with his stick.
“I thought she left you,” Mike said, “You can’t go back to her; she’s going to set you back. Paige will kill her. Don’t do this to yourself or Paige. Carrie loves Paige.”
Jordin laughed catching Mike off guard, “What are you laughing at?”
“Wade wasn’t talking about Brooke,” Jordin said, “I live with Paige.”
“HA,” Wade yelled, “You admit that she’s your girl. I knew it! I knew it! You like her.”
“Someone care to fill me in here,” Mike asked.
“Paige lived with her roommate before she got married. After that, Paige lived on her own. Long story short, Paige moved in with me after I went to rehab. She visited me in the rehab center when she could and then I offered for her to move in with me because her lease on her apartment was almost up, and I didn’t want to live alone, so I offered her a place to live. She put her life on hold for me and wants nothing but the best for me. She knows where I’m coming from; she used to be addicted to cocaine. She went to rehab when she was 16.”
Mike and Wade watching Jordin drift off and laughed as he suddenly became defensive, “You Bastards,” he said as he skated a lap around the rink.”
“How much do you want to bet they end up getting married,” Mike asked.
Wade laughed, “Jordin needs to nut up first and tell her how he feels. They’ve been friends for almost four years, his ex-left because she didn’t want to be with a ‘junkie.’ Paige has supported him; they clicked instantly when they met. Kellie even made that song about him and Paige because she thought Jordin cheated on her with Paige.”
“What song,” Mike asked at the mention of one of his wife’s friends.
“I think it’s called ‘Best Days of your Life,’ or something like that,” Wade replied, “Totally not true, Jordin left Kellie because of his addiction.”
“I’ll have to tell Carrie, that’s ridiculous. Let me be honest, I always thought Kellie was a slut anyways. Total harlot with an annoying voice,” Mike said causing Wade to laugh.
“Preach on my brother,” Wade said lifting his hand in the air and bowing his head.
Mike laughed as their coach blew the whistle and started going over drills on the wipe off board. Jordin looked into the stands where the press was and saw Paige. He nudged Wade and Wade smirked, "She cares."
Jordin smiled as Paige gave a small wave but turned away to finish listening to the play that was being drawn up. After practice ended, Paige was standing in the hallway talking on her cell phone. Jordin laughed when he heard Kayden's name and "no" leave her lips countless times.
"Hey," he whispered kissing her cheek.
Paige smiled before returning to her phone call, "Kayden, I am not buying you a new Xbox. I don't care if daddy said no. No, you are not asking Jordin. Yes you can come to the game. I'll ask Jordin. I love you too. Goodbye."
Jordin smiled as Paige rolled her eyes while shoving the iPhone into her pocket.
"You looked good out there," she said, "I'm excited to see you back out there."
"I'm nervous," Jordin admitted.
"You'll be fine," she promised, "I believe in you."
Jordin smiled before opening the door to the locker room, "I'll be out in 20 minutes. Do you have to go back to work?"
"I'm done for the day; do you want to go get some lunch?"
"Lunch sounds good," Jordin replied, "I'm a little hungry."
"Meet me in the parking lot and we'll go."
"Well," Wade asked as Jordin entered the locker room, "Did you ask her?"
"I'll ask her tomorrow."
"No, you're asking her tonight and I mean it."
Jordin quickly showered and got dressed. He pushed his wallet into his back pocket and Wade smiled, "I mean it, tonight."
Jordin nodded and headed out of the locker room. Paige was sitting in her car in the garage. Jordin climbed in next to her but before Paige could put the car in reverse, he grabbed her hand.
"What," she asked.
Jordin panicked suddenly unable to speak. He felt his face grow hot but didn't know what to say.
"What are your plans on Monday," he asked finding his voice.
Paige turned her head and smiled, "I was going to spend the day with Kayden but I'm open to suggestions."
Jordin smiled, "This sounds so cheesy but be my Valentine? It'd mean a lot to me if you were."
"Of course," Paige smiled leaning over to kiss his cheek. Jordin turned his head to say something and their lips met. Paige's eyes widened but Jordin brought his hand up to cup her cheek. Paige kissed him back and got lost in her own little world. Jordin pulled away smiling and Paige sighed.
"I'm sorry," Jordin said.
"Don't be," she smiled.
"I'll pick you up from work on Monday. Dress nice, it's all about you on Monday."
Paige still high from kissing Jordin smiled, "Sounds good."
The two of them drove to the Denny's in a comfortable silence. They didn't know where they stood after their accidental kiss but neither one of them wanted it to end.
The two of them talked about Kayden over lunch with Jordin laughing at Paige telling him how Kayden wanted to stay over every weekend.
"He can stay over whenever he wants, it'll give them a break."
The rest of the day flew by without Jordin saying a word. That night, Paige went out with one of her friends from work to a jazz club leaving Jordin home alone. She felt bad but he insisted she go.
Josh Walker called Jordin when Paige didn't answer her phone, "Hey Jordin," he greeted when Jordin answered, "I hate to do this but I couldn't get a hold of Paige."
"What's wrong," Jordin asked.
"One of Megan's cousins were in an accident at work and we need to head back to New York for a couple of days. Can you guys watch Kayden?"
"We'd love to," Jordin said, "We were just talking about him today."
Josh sighed in relief, "Thank you so much," he said, "We'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"No problem, see you then."
Jordin placed the phone in his pocket and walked upstairs. Walking into the guest room, he made the bed for the small boy before plugging in the night light.
Jordin was making food for Kayden when the doorbell rang. Jordin turned off the stove before answering the door.
"Hey buddy," Jordin said to the small boy who was in his father's arms.
"Hi," he whispered sleepily.
"Thank you for doing this," he said, "Megan and I are grateful."
"Anytime," Jordin smiled taking Kayden from Josh.
"Be good for Jordin and Aunt Paige," Josh Walker said to his son before shaking Jordin’s hand.
Josh left and Jordin smiled as Kayden woke up on the couch, “Can we watch a movie he asked?”
“What do you want to watch,” Jordin asked.
“Toy Story 3,” Kayden replied, “Daddy packed it in my bag.”
Jordin nodded his head as Kayden jumped up from the couch and ran over to his bag to grab the DVD. Jordin put it in the DVD player and sat on the couch next to Kayden. Kayden curled up next to him and Jordin wrapped his arm around him.
The movie continued to play but Kayden soon fell asleep. Jordin didn’t notice since he fell asleep as well. When Paige arrived home she saw the TV in the living room rolling the credits playing “You Got a Friend in Me.” Paige shook her head thinking Jordin watched the movie himself but as she rounded the couch, she saw Kayden tucked in Jordin’s arms as they both slept. Paige smiled and gave Kayden a kiss on the forehead before kissing Jordin’s cheek. Paige got ready for bed. Paige was out as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Paige woke up the next morning to Jordin turned away from her and she smiled to herself. They still didn’t talk about the kiss that they had the day before but Paige wasn’t complaining. Things weren’t awkward with them, they were best friends.
Before Paige knew it Monday had arrived and she was running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get dressed. Jordin had told her to dress nice but she didn’t know what he meant by that.
Paige called him to ask him and he told her that nice meant her wearing a dress and heels. Paige sighed as she fixed her make-up and hair before throwing on the black dress trimmed in red and the red high heels.
Jordin smiled as he saw Paige come down the stairs, “Wow,” he said handing her the bouquet of red roses, “You look gorgeous.”
“Thanks,” she smiled, “So do you.”
They went to dinner at Valentino’s on West End Avenue. Paige smiled as they joked about how Kayden should just live with them since he was always with them lately.
After dinner, Jordin took Paige to a small jazz club. Jordin felt weird being in an atmosphere like that, but Paige kept whispering how proud of him she was and he felt better about himself. When they left they headed home and Jordin desperately wanted to tell her how he felt but everything was still new to him including his sobriety and he had to hold it off for another day. Kind of funny considering Valentine’s Day was the day for lovers but some things are better left unsaid.
