Chapter 67

"If you heard me last night, I told you nothing happened with her."

"I know and I believe you but what I want to know is how did you meet her? Did she approach you or did you seek her out?"

"I didn't seek her out baby." Sidney had her sit down and he sat in front of her on the coffee table "she approached me after the preseason game with Tampa Bay." Karen closed her eyes and put her head down remembering that night. She tried to play back waiting for Rick in the parking lot talking to Ryan, wondering if she was waiting around. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just remembering if I saw her that night." She was actually wondering if she saw her with either Ryan or Rick. "If she approached you then she was waiting for you which makes sense."

"What do you mean?"

"She saw you wink and smile at me during the playoffs and I have been waiting to see when she would make her move."

"But I thought she would only come after me if she knew we were together?"

"That's what I thought too. She must have changed her mind when she saw me leave without you that night. So what happened?"

"After I saw you walk past the dressing room, I couldn't stop thinking about you the whole night. When I left, everyone was gone which was nice since I wasn't in the mood to sign autographs. I was unlocking my car and she came up to me."

Flashback

"Excuse me, Sid?" Sophia said as she approached his car.

"Can I help you?"

"I was wondering if I could get you to sign this for me" she said handing him a puck.

Sidney sighed and took the puck "sure." He signed his name and gave it back to her "here you go."

"Thanks" she said making sure her hand grazed his. "You played a great game tonight."

Sidney knew she was just being polite but losing in a shootout isn't playing great "thanks, if you'll excuse me I need to go." He got into his car and went to shut the door but Sophia stepped in before he could.

"You know, if you need someone to take away the pain of losing, I'm a great listener." Sophia handed him a piece of paper with her number on it "call me sometime." She smiled when he took it and touched his arm before leaving.

End of Flashback

"I ended up calling her when we got back from Tampa. We went out for dinner and then to Marc's. He had the team over for us to get together before we left for Sweden. All the guys were shocked when they saw I was with someone else and not you. I think I got questioned by everyone. We had gone out a couple times before we went to Sweden and she called me a few times while I was gone but when I saw you at the game, I couldn't stop thinking about what I was doing with her."

"So the night you kissed me...."

"I was checking my feelings for you. I needed to see if the spark was still there between us and it was. When you kicked me out of your room, I needed to figure out a way to get rid of her."

"But you ended up staying with her for a few more weeks."

"I know. I tried to break it off with her but she didn't want any part of it."

"Because she won't give up until she's slept with you."

Sidney saw her head go down and took his hand, lifting her head to look at him "I didn't give her that chance baby. She tried, believe me but after that night in Sweden I couldn't stop thinking about you. I wanted to be with you and I knew sleeping with her would have jeopardized that. I wanted to be with you again and if you knew I had been with her, you wouldn't want me back."

"I don't know about that. I gave Rick another chance I think I could've been pursuaded to give you one too."

"I hope that's what you're doing now, giving me another chance" he said holding her hand.

Karen was about to say something when Sidney's phone went off. He grabbed it and saw it was Jordan, answering it. Karen closed her eyes wondering if telling him about Rick and Ryan, he would want her again.

"What did Jordan want?"

"To remind me about the guys getting together before practice. I told him I was in the middle of something and would just see them at the arena."

"You don't have to cancel plans because of me Sid. Go meet the guys, I'm not going anywhere."

"Are you sure?"

Karen smiled at him "go Sid. We can finish talking when you get back from practice. I don't think we should get more into this when you were going to leave in a little bit anyway."

Sidney got up and helped Karen up. She started to stumble but he wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his body. "I'll go, but I will be back so we can finish this ok?"

"Ok."

Karen saw Sidney dip his head down and closed her eyes feeling his lips on hers. She brought her right hand up to his neck and massaged under his hair. After a few minutes, Sidney pulled away and put his forehead to hers "I do still love you and all I want is for us to work everything out."

"I want that too."

"I think you forgot something there" Sidney said smiling at her getting her to smile.

"I love you too Sid."

He kissed her again and told her goodbye before leaving. Karen took a deep breath hoping everything would work out for the best.

Sidney met up with the guys and they all stared at him when he sat down.

“What’s going on today Sid? You look a little too happy.”

“I was with Karen” he said with a huge smile on his face.

“Does this mean what we think it means?” Jordan asked

“It might, but she’s got a lot going on right now and she’s thinking about us. She was in an accident at work a few days ago.”

Ryan’s head shot up “how bad?”

“She’s ok, but her left side is pretty banged up. Her knee was wedged between a forklift and the bay in the warehouse, she hit her head and her wrist got fractured. Other than that, she’s good. I think I'm going to stay with her these next couple of weeks until she can go back to work."

“Well that’s where the smile is coming from” Marc-Andre chimed in. “She’s hurt and to get back on her good side for dumping her, you’re working your way back into her heart by taking care of her.”

“I don’t have to work my way back when I never left her heart. She never stopped loving me which surprised the hell out of me. We still have a lot to talk about though. She said she had some things to tell me.”

Ryan sat there and wondered if she would tell him about their kiss. Maybe he should tell him beforehand then he wouldn't be so mad at her when she told him.

“Maybe we could stop over to see her after practice today.”

“I’m sure she wouldn’t mind Geno. Just don’t ask for that rematch in Twister yet.”

"Oh alright" Geno said dejectedly as the guys all laughed.

They noticed the time and all headed to the arena. As they were walking out, Ryan decided what he needed to do.

"Hey Sid, got a minute?"

"Sure, what's up Whit?"

"I think you should know something. I was at Pops watching the game in St. Louis and Karen had shown up. She didn't want to watch the game by herself either. Anyway after the game ended, we stayed to drink and talked for awhile before we left."

"Ok. Why are you telling me this? You guys met up and had a few drinks while watching the game, I don't see a problem with it."

"I'm telling you this because when I walked her to her car, I kissed her."

"You did what?" Sidney said as the anger built inside of him.

"I kissed Karen."

"YOU MADE A MOVE ON MY GIRLFRIEND?" he said yelling at him.

"She wasn't your girlfriend then and unless I missed something inside, she's still not officially your girlfriend. You never actually said you two were back together."

"So you kiss her and now you want to make a play for her?"

"I never said that Sid. I am being a friend and steppin up to tell you what happened. I don't want you to get mad and take it out on Karen when it was all me. I kissed her and she backed away. Damn man, you are not the only one who took a liking to her. Everyone in that locker room has at one time or another admitted what an amazing woman she is but you got to her first and her heart is with you. Even if she thought you had slept with Sophia, she couldn't bring herself to cheat on you. I took a chance but she loves you."

Sidney's face softened towards his friend "I didn't know what was going on. Why didn't you guys ever tell me?"

"We didn't want you to get jealous everytime you saw one of us have fun with her. Look Sid, I told you because you said Karen had some things to tell you and I knew she would tell you about that night. Just remember it was me that kissed her, I wanted to see if anything would happen, not her." Ryan walked away and got in his car heading to the arena. Sidney stood there for another minute before getting in his car and heading over himself.

Karen had taken a nap and was in the kitchen getting something to eat when her phone went off.

"Hello."

"Hey girl. How you feeling?" Sheril asked.

"I'm doing ok. My knee is hurting a little bit from last night but that was to be expected. What's up?"

"Well, I had some free time and wanted to see if you and Sid got anything worked out."

"He came over about 9a and we talked until he had to go to practice."

"Is he coming back after practice?"

"I think he is. We have a lot more to talk about."

"Did he tell you why he hooked up with her?"

"Yeah and it was what I knew all along, she seeked him out. I was just waiting for her to target him and she got to him at the perfect time."

"Did he fuck her?"

"I love how you get to the point Sheril and he said he didn't."

"You believe him?"

"Yes I do. Sidney's not like that and I know she threw herself at him and he rejected her."

"I just don't want you to get hurt again."

"If I do it will be my own fault."

"What are you talking about?"

"I haven't told him about Rick yet."

While Karen was in the kitchen on the phone, she didn't hear Sidney walk in. He heard her talking and went in that direction but stood outside the doorway and listened to her conversation.

"Are you seriously crazy to tell him about that?"

"Sheril I have told him the truth about everything since we got together, I am not about to lie to him. If he doesn't want to be with me after I tell him, then I will deal with it. I have to tell him."

"I just hope you're prepared for what may come from it."

"Whether I'm prepared or not, I can't keep it from him."

"Well if you need to talk I will be home all night."

"Thanks girl."

"I got to go. Bye."

"Bye." Karen hung up and went to walk out of the kitchen when she came face to face with Sidney standing in the doorway.

"So, what do you need to tell me?"

Karen just looked at Sidney and took a deep breath letting the words slip out on their own "I slept with Rick after the Tampa preseason game."