“I need to talk to you,” I said, grabbing Toni’s wrist and pulling her towards the door.
Ignoring the curious looks from our teammates, I led Toni down a hallway, past the restrooms, to a window seat at the end of the hall.I glanced out, seeing the lights of the city below and wishing we’d had more time, or any time really, to do some sightseeing while we were here.That was the problem with the Games being right in the middle of the season – our teams were in a hurry for us to get back to the game.
“What’s going on?Are you okay?”Toni asked in concern.
“I didn’t like it,” I said, my voice coming out louder than I intended.
She cocked her head.“Huh?”
“I didn’t like hearing you say we were just friends.Not after everything that’s happened.”
“I thought that’s what you wanted,” she said, clearly confused.“I tried to suggest that we keep seeing each other, remember?But when I brought it up you told me you hated crossing back and forth over the border.”
I’d clearly hurt her feelings.Damn it, I knew I’d messed this up.
“Everyone does!”I said impatiently.
“Huh?”
“Everyone hates crossing the border.That doesn’t mean you don’t do it.”
Toni looked confused.We stared at each other for several long seconds while I tried to figure out what I wanted to say next.Finally, I decided to take a risk and speak from the heart.
“The thing is, I’m not good with emotions or talking about feelings or, well pretty much anything that’s not hockey.”
My words were slow and halting, but Toni listened patiently.
“I’ve never had many friends, and I’ve never had a relationship, so I suck at this whole thing.”I waved my hand between us.“I like you Toni.I more than like you.And I want to figure out how to keep seeing each other once we get back home, even if it means traveling back and forth over the damned border.”
She gave me the ghost of a smile.
“The season will be over in April,” she reminded me.“But tell me what that means, you more than like me.”
I sighed impatiently.“I’m falling in love with you, okay?At least I think I am.I mean, I’ve never been in love before but I’m pretty sure this is how it feels.”
“Yvonne.”She squeezed the hand I was still holding, her eyes tender.
“Yeah?”
“I’m in love with you too.I look at you and I see babies and houses with picket fences and barbecues on the deck with our friends.”
I blinked several times before saying the first thing that popped into my head.“I was raised by Russians.My people don’t barbecue.We boil or pickle things.And we have a lot of stews.”
Toni laughed.“I can do the grilling, okay?”
“Okay.”
We both stared at each other for a long moment before Toni spoke.
“So we’re doing this?”she confirmed.“We’re dating.We’re going to figure out how to make a long-distance relationship work?”
“Yeah, we are.”
She gave me the brightest smile I’d ever seen.
“In that case, you’d better kiss me to seal the deal.”
I laughed.“I thought handshakes were the preferred method for sealing deals.”
