Chapter 4

The car ride to the bar was quite with limited conversation. Karen didn't know if Sidney was regretting the choice to go with her or that Karen just didn't know where to take the conversation. After she pulled up to the bar, they got out and headed in.

"Are you sure you wanted to come tonight? You kind of seem unsure about being here with me."

Grabbing her arm and stopping her before she reached the door, "I'm sure that I want to be here. You intrigued me today and I wanted to know you better. Is that alright with you?"

Karen smiled shyly "yeah it's fine. I just wanted to make sure you wanted to be here. I know I hate being somewhere under protest and I didn't want you to feel that way."

"I was interested in you at dinner and figured I could get to know another side of you away from Mario and Nathalie."

"Gotcha."

Sidney opened the door and let Karen go in first. He looked around the quaint little bar that he had never been to and liked it. He thought it would be a good place to be inconspicuous at during off days. Sidney was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard a man's voice.

"Well batten down the hatches boys, look who decided to grace us with her presence. Get over here girl and give me a hug."

"Pops" hugging him. "It is so great to see you and I realize it's been a long time."

Unleashing her from his grip, "You look good but then again, you've never looked bad." He glanced behind her and saw Sidney standing there taking it all in "and look what you brought."

"Pops, I would like to introduce you to..."

"Sidney Crosby. I know who he is dear child. I am just glad that you brought him to my humble abode" Pops beamed proudly.

Sidney shook the older man's hand "it's nice to meet you sir."

"What's this sir shit. Call me Pops, it's a local thing."

"I'm not really all that local Pops" Sidney stated.

"You will be playing here for the next 5 years, you will become local. Especially if you keep stopping by to see me with this beautiful lady. Are you two dating?"

"Pops!" Karen couldn't believe that just came out of his mouth. "We just met like 8 hours ago. I had dinner at Mario's catching up on old times and he decided to join me to come here."

"I usually work pretty fast, but this one needs a little more coaxing" Sidney chimed in.

"I am going to go join my friends."

Karen walked towards the table shaking her head and laughing. As Sidney was about to join her Pops pulled him back "she is a special one Sid, don't let her slip away from you."

Pops smiled and headed back behind the bar and Sidney walked to the table Karen was standing near. He instictively put his arm around her waist and Karen looked at him, making all her friends look as well.

"Guys, you remember Sidney from today. Sidney you remember Liz, Stacie, Samantha, and Kasey."

"Nice to see you all again" he said.

"These are their boyfriends, Tom Matthews, Nate Markson, Andrew Strand, and Jason Parks."

Shaking all their hands, "nice to meet you." Sidney turned to towards Karen "what do you want to drink?"

"Beer is fine" she replied.

Sidney went to the bar to get a couple of beers and went back to the table. Everybody scooted down and made room for him to sit closely beside Karen...dangerously close. They all talked with the guys quizzing Sidney about the Pens and their chances in the playoffs this year. Karen was surprised how he handled himself in public. He had an aura about him that was genuine and not at all cocky of who he was and what he did for a living. When they finally got off questioning Sidney, they would start to tell sories about Karen and the girls and it was time for Karen to blush to all what they were telling Sidney. At some point of the night, Sidney had put his arm around Karen's shoulders and she had actually leaned into it not realizing she had. She also never realized how her hand was resting on Sidney's thigh until he grabbed it with his other hand and held it.

"Well enough of this, I am going to go shoot some pool" Tom said standing up. "You up for a game Sid?"

"Sure. You mind Karen?" he asked

"No, go have fun."

She watched Sidney walk over to the pool tables with the rest of the guys and the girls all took turns in asking questions about what was going on with Sidney.

"So, is this a date Karen?" Liz started the questioning.

"No. I had dinner with Mario and his wife tonight and Sidney is staying with them. He had dinner with us and when I left to come here, I asked if he wanted to come."

"Then you asked him out. No wonder he's making moves, he probably thinks this is a date" Kasey added.

"I just figured that since they had some days off until the next round he could use some relaxing fun" Karen tried to explain.

"I'm not buying it" Liz said sternly. "You've been hurt before by a hockey player, why would you want to go through that again?"

"Who says I am going to go through that again. I am 16 years OLDER than him. I am not the least of who or what he is looking for in a girl."

"The last interview he did when they asked what he wanted in a girlfriend, he said he was looking for someone who was independent and could handle his schedule with being gone a good bit of the time. That fits you perfectly because one, you've done it before with Rick and two, you are more independent than all of us put together" Samantha pointed out blankly. "You are a perfect rendition of a hockey player's girlfriend" she added.

"Maybe for one more my age."

"Oh for fuck's sake Karen, get off the age thing and realize what is happening in front of you" Stacie finally chimed in. "He either obviously doesn't care that you're older or he wants someone that's older. Either way, you win a very nice prize in dating the hockey god of Pittsburgh."

"I am going to play pool with the guys" Stacie said getting up.

"I'm coming too" Liz followed her.

"What are you afraid of Kiki?" Samantha asked. "This can't be all about the age thing."

"It's not all about the age thing, I just....I don't know why" Karen said looking at her empty beer bottle. "But I do know that we need some more beer."

"I am up for that, but for the record Sidney has not taken his eyes off of you since he left to go play pool with the guys" her friend told her with a smile.

Karen and Samantha got up and headed to the bar for more drinks, looking towards the pool tables as she went and noticed Sidney staring at her. She pointed that she would be at the bar and he nodded along with flashing her that killer smile he had.

"So what does my girls want?" Pops asked

"Tequila" they both said in unison.

Pops set out the shot glasses and poured the Tequila in them, leaving the bottle for them.

"Let me ask you this" Samantha started. "If he did want to start something, would you at least take the chance to see where it would go?"

Karen slammed down her shot and filled the glasss again "I don't know, maybe."

After a while of downing shots, a guy came up to Karen and Samantha. "How about I buy the next round for you two pretty ladies?"

Karen looked up at the guy and her face went from having fun to a disgusted look. "No thanks Tony we're covered" holding up the half bottle of Tequila.

"Well, then how about letting me join you?" he asked with a hopeful grin.

"I think you already know my answer to that. It's the same answer to everything you have ever asked me...NO!" Karen practically yelled.

Sidney was waiting his turn when he looked over at the bar and saw Karen annoyed at a guy that keeps pushing his way at the bar. He leaned over and asked one of the guys if they knew him.

"Hey Jason, do you know who that guy is at the bar with Karen and Sam?"

Looking to the bar "yeah that's Tony. He went to school with us and have been trying to get with Karen ever since the 7th grade. I guess he's never quite gotten the message that Karen has never wanted anything to do with him."

Sidney watched Karen leave the bar and head in the direction of the bathroom. A minute later he saw Tony walk off in the same direction. Sidney told the guys he would be back and went looking for Karen.

As she was coming out of the bathroom, Tony had grabbed her and pinned her up against the wall.

"You need to get the hell off me."

"When you finally give me what I want then I will. You should know by now that I always get what I want."

"Yeah, you usually had daddy buy it for you. I'm still not for sale."

"Really now. Saw you come in with Sid the Kid" whispering in her ear "you sure you're not for sale or did you finally find a price worth your time."

"You are an asshole" Karen said shoving him away as best as she could, only to have him come back more angry.

"Forget about going home with The Kid, you will be going home with me."

Karen didn't have to answer him as someone else spoke up for her.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. See, I always make it a point to take home the girls I take out" Sidney said slipping inbetween them "so you might want to back off."

"I wouldn't get all cocky now Sid, you don't have your teammates to back you up."

"I don't need my teammates."

Karen put her hands onto Sidney's back and felt his muscles contract "let's just leave Sid."

He pulled her out from behind him and slid his arm around her. Karen melted into him to feel safe and hopefully to give Tony the impression that she was indeed with Sidney.

Tony backed off and started to walk away. "You know I will have you Karen, you're still worth waiting for."

"You'll be waiting a long time buddy" Sidney said not taking his strong glare off him until he left the hallway. His eyes softened when he looked into Karen's still scared ones. "You ok?"

"Yeah. I have always been able to fend off his advances but not this time. Thanks for helping me."

"When I saw what he was doing at the bar and then follow you, I figured it wouldn't end well. I have to protect my date from harm or Mario might hand my ass to me."

Karen couldn't help but laugh at that but her smile faded when she realized that Sidney still had his arm around her and pulled close to him. She nervously bit her bottom lip as she saw his head lean closer to hers. Karen went on instinct and got out of his grip looking at her watch.

"We better go, it's almost 2:30am."

"Yeah, ok. Let's go tell everybody that we're leaving."

They headed out into the bar and saw Karen's friends were back at the table. She told them they were leaving and that she'd call them later for plans to do something. Sidney grabbed Karen's hand to hold and led her out of the bar. He unlocked the car door and Karen got in. Sidney shut the door before walking around and getting in the driver's side.

"So what was that guy's deal with you anyway" Sidney asked.

"We had gone to school together and we had been friends growing up but that was all he ever was to me. Tony had this obsession with me and I never fell for him. He dated my friends hoping I would get jealous, but I never did. He didn't give up until after I started dating Rick."

"Really?"

"Yeah, apparently Rick wasn't just intimidating on the ice as a bruiser. Tony came up to me after a game when I was waiting for Rick and he wasn't too pleased with what he saw. After he got done 'talking' to him, Tony finally left me alone."

"Maybe he'll get the hint again" Sidney said as he pulled in front of Karen's house and shutting off the car, both getting out.

"We just met not even 12 hours ago, how can this be happening so fast?" Karen asked.

"I guess it's fate."

"You believe in fate?"

"In some things, just depends on what the situation is" stepping closer to her "and this is just one situation that I think fate is having a hand in."

"Sid..."

Before Karen could speak or protest, Sidney had his lips on hers in a soft kiss. She felt his hands wrap around her waist to her back and stay there. Karen's hand went to his shoulders and then up into his hair. The kiss started to intensify but Karen pulled away before it got any hotter between them.

"You better go. I don't want Mario to come after me if I keep you out too late."

"Yeah, we have a late practice today so I guess I need some sleep."

"Thanks for coming out with me tonight. I don't think I would have had that much fun if I went by myself to meet them."

"I had fun too. Your's friends were cool and didn't get all fan-crazed on me."

"Well we're old enough to know better" looking up at him "night Sidney."

Karen walked up on the porch and unlocked the door. She headed inside and was about to close the door when Sidney yelled to her.

"One last thing" he walked up onto the porch "can I call you later today?"

Karen smiled and gave Sidney her cell number. They said goodnight again and he left, programming his phone as he went. Karen shut the door and couldn't stop the smile from being glued on her face as she locked the door and went to bed.