by Robyn M Ryan
“When does he go to St. Louis?”
“I don’t know. I’ll look up the schedule in a bit. Right now, I don’t even want to acknowledge that he’s going anywhere besides a road trip.” She shut her eyes against the sudden rush of emotion.
“Promise you’ll call if you need some company,” Lauren said softly.
“Promise. Thanks, Lauren.”
Caryn gathered her portfolio and texts that she needed for class in the morning, shoving everything into her backpack. She checked the doors, dimmed the lights, and took her phone and iPad upstairs. She peeked out the window, noting that the snow was quickly accumulating, then said a prayer for a safe flight to Chicago. Maybe he’d have to wait until tomorrow? Caryn forced that thought aside, knowing that the separation was going to hurt, no matter when the jet took off.
Suddenly chilled, Caryn stepped away from the window, tossing her devices onto the bed. Mechanically, she undressed and got ready for bed. She impulsively grabbed one of the shirts Andrew had left in her closet and pulled it on before burying herself under the bedcovers. She hugged the pillow he’d used the previous night, then finally allowed her tears to flow.
TWENTY-FIVE
March was nearly over before Caryn and Andrew could coordinate time together. Her spring break meshed with a Blues home stand, promising an entire week together. Because of the hectic schedule, Andrew had continued to stay at a hotel near the arena, but moved to a luxury suite at the Four Seasons Hotel the day before Caryn’s arrival. The weather in St. Louis was unseasonably warm, daffodils and hyacinths in full bloom, budding cherry trees promising to follow soon—a nice respite from the unusually bitter winter in Toronto.
Usually a white-knuckle flyer, Caryn repressed her fear with thoughts of being with Andrew again. Her flight arrived early afternoon, after his practice, and Drew had promised to meet her where arriving passengers entered the terminal. The line to clear customs was short, but Caryn impatiently waited her turn. The couple in front of her seemed to take forever, their declaration form full and luggage blocking the gate. She fully expected the agent to search their bags, but finally they were waved through.
Caryn had only her purse and the carry-on bag, and she handed her passport and entry form to the customs officer.
“Business or pleasure?” the agent asked as he flipped open the passport.
“Definitely pleasure.”
The agent glanced at her. “Have you visited St. Louis before?”
“First time.” Caryn couldn’t stop smiling, the anticipation of seeing Andrew nearly overwhelming.
“Traveling elsewhere during this trip?”
Caryn shook her head. “Not unless we go across that huge river.”
This produced a smile from the agent. “Enjoy your visit.” He pointed to the left. “Just go through that door and take the escalator to the main level. You’ll find signs directing you to ground transportation.”
“Thank you.” She returned the passport to her purse and followed the directions. The line for the escalator seemed unusually long—and slow. She looked around and wished for stairs so she could bypass the crowd. Finally, she stepped onto the escalator, carefully placing her carry-on suitcase on the step in front of her. She wondered where he’d be standing, if she’d see him first.
She stepped off the escalator into a sea of people that closed around her. She couldn’t see over the crowd and began working her way toward what appeared to be the closest exit. She felt like a fish swimming against a strong current, propelled two steps to the left for each step forward. She didn’t even see Andrew until he caught her in a huge bear hug, lifting her off her feet.
“May I be of assistance, ma’am?” He teased before he kissed her.
“Yes, not a moment too soon.”
Andrew set her back on her feet, grabbed her bag, and slipped his arm securely around her shoulders. “Let’s get you out of this rip current.” He quickly helped her through the crowd, emerging near the exit.
Caryn laughed as she caught her breath, then hugged him tightly. “Tell me I’m not dreaming.”
“No dream, Cary. This is our week.”
Caryn looked up at him, her eyes shining. “It is so… so… unbelievably fabulous to see you, Drew. I thought today would never come.”
“That makes two of us.” He set her suitcase beside him as he closed his arms around her, his lips seeking hers. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
“Not as much as I’ve missed you,” she countered. She hooked her arm through his as Andrew nodded toward the exit.
“I’ll give you a quick tour of my new home town.”
***
Within the hour, they arrived at the hotel, Caryn looking around the suite in wonder. “And I’ve been worrying about you being stuck in some hotel room. This is nearly as big as the townhouse.”
Andrew laughed softly as he took her hand and led her to the window with a breath-taking view of the Mississippi River and the Gateway Arch. Caryn stepped closer beside him and grasped his waist. “It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like the river. We’re up so high, it makes me feel that I can jump right into it.”
Andrew pointed to a boat working against the current. “Not recommended. You’d be halfway to New Orleans before you knew what had happened.”
Caryn laughed as she leaned against his chest. “I don’t plan to let you out of my sight. How about a special private tour of your home?” She saw Andrew’s eyes darken as he smiled.
“I haven’t been staying here—just in a regular room. Haven’t been in town long enough to care about the space. Until today.” A smile hinted at the corner of his mouth. “Come on. I’ll show you the best room in the suite.”
***
Hours later, Caryn finally noticed the large bouquets of fresh flowers spread throughout the over-sized bedroom, the scent of lavender causing her to raise her head from where she’d nestled against Andrew’s chest. “Drew, the flowers are beautiful! Just incredible.” She glanced at him. “Almost as incredible as you,” she said with a teasing smile.
“Almost?” he echoed as he pulled her back against his chest.
“Correction—not even close to your incredibleness…I think that’s a new word?” She ran her hand against his chest. “I just can’t believe I’m here. With you.”
“Hopefully you didn’t have a Plan B.”
“Drew, you know what I mean. I’ve been counting the hours until today. I just can’t believe we’re together.”
He pressed his lips against her forehead. “I’m just glad we’re in town the entire week of your spring break—and that you chose to come here and not go the beach with Lauren.”
“Well, Key West was tempting.” Caryn couldn’t resist teasing him. “Of course, Lauren expects me to come home with prospects from your teammates.”
“Of course. Though I may be able to help her this time.” He shifted until he could see her eyes. “She should be careful what she wishes.” He brushed her tousled hair away from her forehead. “Can I interest you in a romantic dinner for two?” Her smile radiated warmth that reached his heart. “I’ll take that as a yes?”
***
Andrew had planned an evening at a restaurant recommended by several of his teammates. Elegant, yet intimate and inviting, soft jazz filtered around them as they followed the Maître d’ to a table near a cozy fireplace.
“I hope this is satisfactory?”
“It’s perfect,” Caryn answered, looking at the Maître d’ with a smile, as Andrew held the chair for her. “This is beautiful. Thank you.” Her eyes sparkled as Andrew took the seat across the table. “However did you discover this?”
“Asked some of the single guys on the team where they’d go for a romantic evening with an extra-special date. And I emphasized the ‘extra special’ requirement. I figured we could provide our own romance.” He reached across the table to grasp her hand. “How am I doing so far?”
“Everything’s magical. I’m
afraid I’m going to wake up and be back in Toronto.”
“Not this week, babe.” He squeezed her hand. “I want everything to be perfect while we’re together.”
“It already is, Drew. From the second you grabbed me at the airport…I already love St. Louis.”
“Maybe we’ll have some time to explore. You know you can go to the top of the Gateway Arch?”
“Seriously? It’s so high, I’m not sure about that—maybe we can just look at it from the ground?” Caryn reluctantly released Andrew’s hand to take the menu from the waiter.
“I hear there’s quite a view at the top,” Andrew commented as he opened his menu.
“If you really want to go, I will,” Caryn said, peeking at him over the top of her menu. “Just don’t expect me to open my eyes.”
Andrew laughed. “Speaking of, how was your flight today?”
“I just kept telling myself that planes don’t usually fall out of the sky.” She laughed as he suppressed a smile. “Also knowing you were waiting for me was the perfect distraction.”
The weeks apart seemed just a memory as they enjoyed a leisurely meal, Caryn bringing news from his family, Andrew providing some anecdotes from playing on a new team. They walked the short distance back to the hotel, the spring-like weather irresistible for Caryn.
“We still have about a foot of snow on the ground at home,” she said.
“I’m getting spoiled playing out in Arizona and Los Angeles, though reality will hit soon enough when we head for Vancouver, Edmonton, and Winnipeg next week.”
“I’ll go with you and help you stay warm,” Caryn offered with a laugh as they entered the hotel lobby.
“Don’t tempt me.” He slipped his hand to her waist and held her close to his side as they waited for the elevator. He pressed his lips against the top of her head.
Caryn stepped aside so she could see his face. “I’ll gladly cancel my return flight.” Her eyes teased him, and she grasped his hand as the elevator door opened. “Consider this an offer you won’t want to refuse.”
***
They were up way too late catching up on each other’s lives in more depth than they could through daily phone calls, texts or emails. Caryn snuggled against Andrew on the couch, unable to bear a moment’s separation.
“Hey, did you bring your latest graphics project with you?” he asked suddenly.
“It’s on my iPad. I’ll show you later. I don’t want to move right now.”
“You doing okay in that marketing metrics course?”
Caryn laughed without humor. “Lost. Barely passing.” She met his eyes, and Andrew read the frustration in her expression. “I miss my tutor.”
“Did you bring your textbook?”
Her reply was an emphatic “No! We are not going to spend one minute of our time together on that class. I’m thinking of dropping the course, then trying it again in the summer.”
“If you drop it, will it show as an incomplete?”
“Hope so. I don’t want a withdrawal with a failing grade.” Caryn leaned her head against his shoulder. “It might as well be in Chinese. Actually, that might make more sense.”
“Do you need this class to graduate?”
He felt her shrug against his shoulder. “Probably not, if I do change my minor. I’m seriously thinking of that anyway.”
Andrew brushed his hand against her hair. “Then do it, Caryn. Life’s too short to be stuck in a class you don’t like and don’t need. I think your talents are showing themselves in the new courses you chose this semester.”
“It’s a lot more fun. I have a meeting with my advisor after I get back, to see if I can switch and still graduate next spring.” Caryn suddenly sat up straight and looked at him. “I forgot to tell you—I have an interview for an internship when I get back. I just found out before I left for the airport.”
“Something you would enjoy?”
“I don’t know. Business services could mean anything. It’s with a bank. I don’t know which one. I just got notification of the interview, on campus next Tuesday.”
“Internship in Toronto?” Andrew asked. “When, this summer, next fall?”
“It could be either or even this spring. That would be perfect since my mornings are completely free this term. And, yes, definitely in Toronto—I specified that when I filled out the questionnaire.”
Andrew pulled her back against his chest. “I’m proud, Cary. You’re doing this all on your own.”
“There’s no guarantee I’ll get the internship. But it’s a start. This is the time of year when companies start looking for interns. If not this one, there will be another.” She bit back a yawn as fatigue suddenly washed through her. “I’m sorry, Drew. I was up way before dawn.”
He glanced at his watch. “Morning skate will come early. We have an entire week together. Let’s not waste any of the nights, either.”
TWENTY-SIX
Despite her vow to enjoy every minute of Spring Break, Caryn felt caught in a whirlwind that spun her through the days and nights much too quickly—one that she could not slow or stop. Andrew took her to his games, and she met two of his friends when they enjoyed a post-game meal at a nearby jazz club. Jim Andrews and Dave Martin played on the same line as Andrew and had been with the Blues since college. Both had played hockey for Boston College and joined the Blues organization the same year. Now in their second year on the team, they were vocal in their belief that Andrew’s talent would double the line’s scoring.
Andrew deflected the comments as he sipped his beer. “The way you guys run the plays make it easy. I’m just trying to keep up with you.”
Jim laughed. “Hardly. You’re the sniper—we just feed you the pucks, Chad.”
Caryn laughed softly, resting her hand on Andrew’s forearm. “Tell me more,” she encouraged them. “Drew doesn’t talk about himself—I didn’t know he’s a ‘sniper,’ whatever that is.”
Andrew laughed shortly as he shook his head. “No way I’m a ‘sniper.’ Those are players like Ovechkin and Stamkos who can fire a puck and score from anywhere on the ice.”
“Sniper makes it sound dangerous,” Caryn commented as she glanced at Andrew, teasing him. “You never told me about that.”
“Sure, it’s dangerous if you try to block one of their shots. I try to keep out of the way,” he retorted as he studied the menu.
“Didn’t see anyone diving to stop your shots tonight, Chad,” Dave Martin commented. “I was hoping you’d go for the hat trick instead of passing to me.”
“You had the clear shot,” Andrew said. “And you did get the goal.” He rested his arm across the back of her chair. “See anything you want?”
“I’ll probably just snack on whatever you get. Not really hungry after that lunch.” She leaned against Andrew’s side. “Do you guys live nearby?”
“Not too far from the city. There’s a nice area where a bunch of the team lives.” Dave nodded toward Jim Andrews. “We both have condos in the same development. Quite a few of the married players have homes there. Been trying to get Chad out to take a look.”
“No time,” Andrew said. “Doesn’t make much sense with the playoffs coming up. Maybe before training camp at the end of the summer.”
“Going back to Toronto for the summer?” Jim asked as the waitress approached the table to take their orders.
“You bet. Caryn’s in school, my family’s there, and I have an apartment to deal with. If I get an indication I’ll be here for a while, we’ll look for something more permanent before training camp.”
Caryn enjoyed listening to the guys’ banter as she sipped her wine. For a moment she wished that Lauren were there—she’d be right at home flirting with both Jim and Dave. She’d have to ask Drew about that later. Though a long-distance relationship may not be what Lauren had in mind. It was hard, even though Andrew and she made it a priority to spend time together each day; phone, Skype, texts, and occasionally photos, though he steadfastly refused to take selfies
. She missed his presence, sharing the little things that never made their way to a text or phone call. She missed his smile, his touch, his arms around her. There were so many things that made the days apart difficult, but this week erased any lingering memories of loneliness. She refused to think beyond the next few days, tucking Toronto and classes away in the back of her mind.
Thursday after practice, they visited the Gateway Arch, Caryn content to take photos from ground level, refusing Andrew’s offer to take her to the top. “You can go ahead, I’ll wait here and enjoy the sun,” she said.
“You sure? You could be missing one of the wonders of the world.”
“I’ll pass. Drew, I haven’t been to the CN Tower either. You’re not getting me on that Arch.”
Andrew laughed softly. “So I can forget the romantic proposal I was planning up on the Tower’s glass floor?”
Caryn paused as she read his expression. “On that glass walkway over a hundred stories above the ground?”
“Either that or the top of the Eiffel Tower.” He kept his expression neutral. “This could be good practice, you know.”
She saw a hint of a smile as his eyes challenged her. “You have something against terra firma, Drew?”
He laughed as he pulled her into a hug. “Just giving you a hard time. Though I would put Paris with you near the top of my bucket list.”
She leaned against his chest. “Sounds perfect.” She pulled away suddenly so she could see his eyes. “Proposal? Planning a romantic proposal? You were teasing?”
He shrugged. “Guess I’ll have to start planning all over again from scratch.” His eyes smiled. “Can I interest you on a ride across the Mississippi? Promise we’ll use the bridge.”
She took his hand. “Let’s go. I’ve seen the Arch.”
The river was majestic under the perfect spring blue sky, and they stopped for a simple lunch of hamburgers and salad on the Eastern side of the river.
