Chapter 4

The night air was buzzing with excitement; bottles were popping, laughter was resonating, and the live band was bumping. I had just finished my third margarita - to go with my 2nd glass of wine - when I spotted Sidney approaching the bar at the far end of the restaurant. A few guys that had walked in with him were dispersing into the crowd, searching for available women to keep them company on the dance floor.

"I feel like dancing!" I suddenly announced, removing the napkin from my lap and rising from my seat.

"One more round, first!" Heather motioned for the waiter to bring us another tray of cocktails.

I shook my head. "Nah, i've had too much already. I'll see you girls on the dance floor," and attempted to slip away but Lara grabbed my arm just in time.

"I'm ready to dance, too. I see a hot guy by the bar, anyway."

I prayed that it wasn't Sidney as she and I approached the dance floor area. Thankfully, she had her eye on an older gentleman, with enough jewelry on him to put Birks to shame.

"Really, Lara?"

"What? He's hot! Kinda like Richard Gere, isn't he?!"

I was about to argue and stop her from approaching the man, when my eyes flickered toward Sidney and we made eye contact.

"Oh! Ya, you know what? He kinda does!" I said with renewed excitement, focusing back on Lara. "And he looks rich, too. Find out if he's staying at the Villas." I hoped she didn't detect my hurry to get rid of her.

"Ok, that's random...? But I can't approach him alone, anyway. I need you as my wing woman. You have to talk to his friend."

I looked back to Sid who was beginning to make his way over. I panicked; I didn't have time to think of a distraction for Lara, so I did the first thing that came to me. I pushed Lara into the man she wanted to meet, blaming it on the guy behind me who was struggling to keep up with his Salsa partner.

"Oh, i'm so sorry!" I apologized to the man, while Lara mouthed 'what the fuck?' to me. "God, it's getting crowded and sweaty in here, eh? I think it's time we got another drink."

I smiled sweetly at the man as he nodded and helped Lara to her feet again.

"Are you ok, pretty lady? What can we get to fix this night for ya?"

Lara shot me a dirty look before turning her pretty face back to him and ordering a Vodka Tonic.

"Order one for me, too," I said, stepping away from the group. "I'll be right back. Ladies room!"

"Hey!" I heard someone shout over the noise.

I looked up to see Sidney holding a glass above his head, indicating that he was on his way over to me. A quick glance over my shoulder to where Lara was standing - she was not paying attention - and I squeezed through the throng of people to reach him first.

"Hey, i was just coming over to meet you."

"Ya, i know. Listen, i'm not really a fan of this music. Wanna take a walk?"

"Um, ok...?"

I lead Sidney out of the canopied restaurant, away from all the people and onto the now deserted beach.

"Is everything ok?" he asked, when I stopped to kick off my heels.

"Huh? Oh ya, sure. Just needed some air."

"That was an open air bar," he laughed, overtaking me.

I couldn't think of anything better as I struggled to keep up with him, my bare feet sinking into the soft, damp sand.

He finally found a spot well away from the hotel, set his beer down in the sand and took a seat next to it. I cringed - my beautiful dress was going to be ruined if I sat down. But I couldn't make any demands to move; I'd already changed our date from dinner to drinks, then took it from the bar to the beach. Any more requests and he would surely leave me.

"So what's the deal?" he asked, as I carefully lowered myself onto the sand next to him.

"I don't get what you mean- ?"

"Avoiding me in public. Blowing me off for dinner, coming out here instead of hanging out at the resort like everyone else..."

I was silent as I tried to think of an explanation. Why hadn't I just told him I knew who he was? At least that way I could have used the excuse that I was avoiding public arenas for his benefit.

"It's a boyfriend, isn't it? You have a boyfriend and you don't want your friends to tattle. Am i right?"

Crap. He was going to think I was a cheat if I admitted to sneaking around because of a boyfriend; but I also couldn't tell him that I knew he was a famous star and I didn't want my friends to get a piece of him, too. That would just label me a crazy fanatic.

When I hesitated, he said, "I think that's kinda hot."

I turned to look at him. Was he serious?

He grinned and took a swig of his beer, turning his head to look back over the water.

"I won't tell him if you won't," he continued. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?" I was still staring at him in silent disbelief. I couldn't believe what he was saying!

He looked back at me and shrugged. "That's my motto, anyway," and downed the rest of his beer.

When I finally managed to find my voice, I asked him if he had a girlfriend.

"Sure, if you can call her that. We're dating but we're both really busy people. She does her own thing for most of the year and vice versa."

I wondered if 'she' was the girl rumoured to be dating him all over the internet - the catalogue model from New York City.

"And she knows you're not in a monogamous relationship?"

He laughed. "It hasn't been said, but it's understood. My job... I'm away on the road a lot. It's hard to touch base with her, and, well... shit happens, I guess."

If I hadn't known better, I would have thought he was a deadbeat trucker. But I had to admit, it was nice to hear him speak candidly about his - and most other hockey players', I'm sure - off-ice behaviour.

"So, I'd just be another one for the books, eh?"

If Sidney had caught on that I was Canadian, he didn't show it. "Who said you made the cut?" he teased, before dodging my playful punch.

Chapter 3

It took me a moment to regain my composure after Sidney had left me on the path, but I eventually made my way to the pool, where Daisy was sunbathing and Heather and Lara were shamelessly flirting with the bartender at the swim-up counter.

"They know the drinks are included, right?" I asked with a roll of my eyes, settling down next to Daisy.

She removed her sunglasses and cocked an eyebrow. "Do i detect a little jealousy?"

"Of what? A chance to be with that greaseball? No, thank you," I said, my mind wandering back to Sidney Crosby. Now he would be worth the trouble of flirting with...

Daisy laughed. "There are a couple of hotties around...not that you and I will really benefit from that. Still nice to look at, though."

Ugh. It was at times like these that I wished Daisy wasn't so prim-and-proper. I would never cheat on Rob - I had no reason to - but a little flirting never hurt anyone! I knew Daisy, though, and she would be super against anything of the sort.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Jake called me before you got here, said Rob was worried about you because you hadn't touched base yet. I told Jake to pass on the message that we've landed safely, but did you call your boyfriend back yet?"

I slapped my forehead. "Shit! I'll be back... left my phone in the room."

I jogged across the manicured lawns back to the hotel, cursing myself for forgetting about Rob. I never made such careless mistakes... neither of us did, not when it came to each other.

"We meet again."

"Oh!" I gasped, taken by surprise. I clutched my heart. "I didn't even hear you behind me."

Sidney grinned. "Scared you, did I?"

"To death."

"Bet I could make your heart race in a good way, too."

Whaaaa-t? No way - he couldn't have just said what I thought he said. The Sidney Crosby portrayed on TV and every glossy cover across the nation was a complete gentleman...super polished...completely...innocent?

"Sorry, too soon?" He still had a smirk on his face.

"No, just taken by surprise."

"Why? Are you saying I don't look like the type of guy that gets girls?" He pouted, pretending to be hurt.

Oh my God, those lips were going to be the death of me! So luscious, so kissable...

I snapped back to reality. "Oh, um...no, that's not what i meant. It's just that on TV -" Shit! He had no idea I knew who he was. "Um, you know, those lines never work. And i'm just surprised you'd pull such a cheesy one on me." I let out nervous laugh, praying he would buy my explanation.

Thankfully, he did. "Well," he said with a laugh. "I thought that was an original, but if it's cheesy, I'll gladly take suggestions to help my case in the future."

This couldn't be happening. Sidney Crosby was not at my hotel doorstep, asking me to help him with his sex life. I turned the handle to let myself in - then turned back to Sidney.

"Why don't you try the traditional route - date first?"

He pondered the thought for a moment. "Sure, I could do that. It'd be the cheapest date I've ever taken anyone out on, considering we're already at an all-inclusive."

I laughed along with him before realizing what he thought I was implying. He thinks I want to date him first.

"So, how about we meet at 8 downstairs?"

I hesitated before answering. I wanted to have dinner with him, but I didn't want to have to introduce him to my friends, too. Besides, they'd blow my cover and reveal that we all knew who he was.

"Uh...why don't we meet up after dinner? It's our first night, and the girls really want to have dinner together, just the 4 of us..."

"Fair enough," he paused, before continuing. "Post-dinner drinks by the bar, then?"

I couldn't say 'no' twice. "Sure."

"Great, see you tonight." He winked and continued on his way, whistling as he walked.

I entered my hotel room in a daze, forgetting why I had come back up here in the first place. How was I going to sneak off to have drinks with Sidney Crosby without the girls noticing? I'm sure he wouldn't be alone, either, and his friends would want to know if I had friends to introduce them to.

Riiiiiiiiiiing. I jumped up from the bed, surprised by the familiar ring tone. Rob!

"Hello?"

"Where have you been? I've been texting and calling you all morning. I was worried sick!"

I grimaced. "I know, I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I got sick on the plane, and then I rested my head for a bit when we got to the hotel, and after we showered we went down to the pool and I... just lost track of time, I guess. I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry to hear that you were sick, but I wish you would have called or at least texted me to let me know you were ok. Are you ok? How's your head?"

"Feeling much better, thank you." I leaned back against the headboard, smiling at the thought of my boyfriend waiting for me back home. My boyfriend. I had a boyfriend.

"That's good. Did you eat anything yet?"

"No, but I will. Came back up to get my phone to call you, actually."

"Well, I'm glad I crossed your mind at some point today," he chuckled.

Only every time I was talking to another man I wished I was with, I thought guiltily.

"I miss you."

"I miss you, too. Are you having a good time, though? Get a chance to meet new people yet?"

I bit my lip as I lied to my boyfriend and said 'no'. I could've told him about Sid - he would be excited, really - but that would also mean he'd spread the good news to his buddies, including Jake. Jake would then call Daisy, and soon the girls would all know that Sidney Crosby and his entourage were here at the resort. And I wasn't ready to share yet.

"Ok, well update me again when you have a chance. I have the afternoon shift today, so I'll be free tonight if you decide to call."

"I will."

"Ok. talk to you tonight then. Love you."

"Love you, too."

I waited for Rob to hang up before I let out a huge sigh. Tonight was going to be a mission - dinner with the girls, drinks with Sid, post-party phone call to Rob. I hoped I could pull off all three - but I was really just excited for one.

***

"What are you wearing tonight?" Heather asked, taking over the mirror.

I shrugged, collecting my cosmetics off the bathroom counter. We were back in the hotel after a long day out in the sun: a friendly game of beach volleyball with some of the resort staff, a dip in the pool, and lunch in the open-air restaurant where we met some of the other vacationers; but we never ran into Sidney. That was both a good and bad thing - my girl friends were still clueless about his presence, and yet I wished he had seen my awesome spikes during the game.

"You don't seem very excited. Tell me it's not because you miss your boyfriend!"

Truth was, it had nothing to do with Rob. I was nervous about meeting Sidney later tonight - I mean, who wouldn't be?

"I'm fine, just a little tired. And I'm debating between the black mini and the zebra one-shoulder, if you really want to know."

"Zebra print," Lara cut in, holding up two dresses in front of the full-length. "You're talking about your black tube mini with the ruffled skirt, right?"

I nodded. "It's one of the hottest dresses I own."

"Um, yeah - super hot, but also totally inappropriate for the beach! Who the hell are you trying to impress?"

I turned away from the girls to hide the smirk across my face. If you only knew, I thought.

"Anyway, the zebra print is lighter. Satin-y. Alcohol comes right off it. Go with that one."

Thirty minutes later, I was wearing my short zebra print dress, cinched at the waist by a thick black belt; my sky-high black Steve Maddens; silver bangles and a pair of silver hoops. My hair had been pulled back high into a messy bun, and Heather had helped with the smoky eyeshadow and nude lips.

"Wow," Daisy breathed, taking in my outfit, hair and makeup. "Vanessa, you look stunning! We have to take pics for Rob."

I laughed it off, pretending that I hadn't planned on looking extra hot tonight.

"Group picture, and then let's get this show on the road! I'm starving!" Lara said, jumping into the shot.

Chapter 2

"Which bus do we take?" Heather asked, pointing to two shuttle buses with the name of our resort plastered on the sides.

We were exiting the Arrivals gate, luggage in tow, figuring out the next step of our journey. I shielded my eyes from the sun and scanned the group of people boarding both buses when I spotted the pink Polo shirt.

"That one," I answered, pointing to Bus 1. The guy I had bumped into aboard the plane had his back turned to us, in line for Bus 2, and I was avoiding him at all costs.

The ride to the hotel was bumpy, but the friendly bus driver and the beautiful scenery more than made up for it.

Buzzzz. My cell phone vibrated as I rummaged through my purse to find it. One new message.

'Hey Gorgeous, hope you landed safely. Call me when you're settled in. X'

A smile crept over my face as I read the text from my boyfriend, Rob. We were high school sweethearts, having been together since he and I were 15 and 14, respectively. He was the kindest soul I had ever met, and he wasn't hard on the eyes, either. Rob was tall, medium-built, with sandy brown hair and blue eyes so clear they almost glowed. He had a dimple in his right cheek and a smile that could melt your heart. My parents adored him, my brother idolized him and my friends couldn't love him more if they tried. In short, he was perfect. Almost.

The one thing - and probably the only thing - that bugged me about Rob was that he was less than ambitious. His education - or lack thereof - and current employment situation was a reflection of that; when Rob had turned 19, he accepted a job at the local casino that paid twice the minimum wage for less than full-time hours. At the time, it was a sweet deal. Four years later, Rob is still hanging onto that job. Sure, he had job security and he was getting by on the pay, but that meant Rob had no intention of striving to do something more meaningful with his life. He was happy where he was, satisfied with what the Casino - and the city of Brantford - had to offer. I, on the other hand, dreamt of jet-setting around the world, driving fancy cars, owning a mansion in Bel-Air and earning more money than I could ever spend. Superficial, maybe, but that was the difference between Rob and I.

"Dude, why are you still staring at your phone?" Lara nudged me with her elbow, breaking my thoughts.

"Haha, sorry, text from Rob."

"Awww, how is Prince Charming? Miss you already?" Her face had that 'oh-he's-so-dreamy' look across it as she spoke.

"Nah," I laughed. "Just wanted to make sure we got in ok."

Daisy checked her cellphone and pouted. "No message from Jake."

"Good God, need I remind you that we're here for eye-candy and tequila?!" Heather sighed, re-applying lip gloss to her pouty pink lips. "No more boyfriend talk for the rest of the trip, please!"

Daisy and I exchanged knowing glances - Heather was in the mood to party, and she was taking all of us down with her.

Heather was the fiery one - confident, witty, and fiercely protective of her loved ones. She didn't take anyone's bullshit, and if you were close to her, you didn't have to take anyone's bullshit, either. People often mistook her attitude for bitchiness, but she was really just a hard shell with a super soft interior. She grew up with 4 older brothers and without a mother - she had passed away shortly after Heather was born - and was often left to take care of the house, cooking and cleaning up after them. Her father worked 2 full-time jobs for as long as I could remember - day and night shifts - just to keep a roof over his children's heads. Her brothers had taught her how to fight, play sports, and to treat men as if every one of them was expendable; this was their way of saving their little sister from inevitable heartbreak. Not that they had much to worry about; most guys were afraid of Heather - not only did she have 4 older brothers, but she stood 5 feet, 10 inches tall all on her own; had a solid, curvy frame; and short, platinum blonde hair that was often tucked under a sweaty baseball cap.

Daisy was the soft-spoken, quiet one. She came from a well-to-do family; her father was co-owner of 3 gas stations and her mother was a nurse at the local hospital. She had a younger sister (also named after a flower), a boyfriend who adored her, and a 2-year old Jack Russell Terrier that hated my own 2-year old Shih-Poo. Daisy was a devout Christian, a member of the Church choir, and sweeter than sugar. Though I couldn't say the same for myself, she and I looked very much alike on the outside - with our long, chocolate brown hair, olive skin, dark eyes and petite bone structure; we were often mistaken for sisters.

"How far is this effing resort? Shouldn't we be there by now?" Lara whined, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

Lara, the raven-haired beauty, was often the hardest to please. She came from a modest, mixed family - her mother was Chinese and her father, Irish - but both parents relished in spoiling their only child. Her fair skin was a stark contrast to the rest of her features - the dark hair, the dark, slanted eyes - and her personality was just the same. Underneath that innocent, angelic exterior was a hot-blooded diva with a penchant for hard liquor and rich men.

Just then, the bus pulled up to our palacial resort, and all complaints stopped.

"Here we go, ladies!" Heather grinned, jumping from her seat and heading for the front of the bus.

I put away my phone and dutifully followed.

***

The four of us settled into our room, taking turns showering and changing into more beach-appropriate attire. I was the last to get ready, as I had taken a short nap after our arrival to shake off the dizziness from our flight.

"You coming?"

"I'll meet you guys at the bar," I replied, as Lara, Heather and Daisy stood by the door. "I need a few more minutes."

The girls agreed and left me to it. I struggled to tease the hair at the crown of my head, my locks lying greasily and flat against my scalp. Of course my hair wasn't going to co-operate - it never did when I needed to impress. Wait - what? I have no one to impress, I thought to myself, grabbing a wide brimmed hat off the bed post. I'm in a loving, committed relationship and don't need attention from anyone else.

I took one last glance in the mirror - red bikini, off-the-shoulder t-shirt long enough to cover my "assets", white flip flops to match my hat, wavy hair partially hidden by said hat... I was finally beach-ready.

It was gorgeous outside - clear blue sky, temperature in the high 30s, the slightest of breezes coming in from the water... oops, my hat! Just as I turned to chase it down, someone caught it for me.

"It's a good thing I was here," he said with a smile.

My breath caught in my throat. There, in front of me, stood 6 feet of utter deliciousness.

"I believe this belongs to you," he added slowly, handing over my hat.

"Th...thanks," I stammered, quickly replacing it on my head. 'OMG! Sidney Crosby!!!' my brain screamed.

"You look familiar. Did you fly in today, too?"

Oh God, please no... don't let him be the guy from the plane!

I shook my head.

"Oh..." he frowned, trying to recall where he'd seen me if it wasn't on the plane.

Say something you idiot! But I was too star-struck to listen. Sidney Crosby, the NHL's greatest player and the man of my wildest dreams, was striking conversation with me and all I could do was stare back at him hopelessly.

"Ok, well, I better get back to my friends," he said, stepping around me to head to the bar.

You're losing your chance!

"Wait!" I called out, just a little too loudly.

Sidney stopped in his tracks. "You ok?" he asked, bewildered by the urgency in my voice.

Should I tell him he was the love of my life? No, I had weirded him out already. Plus, I'd heard once that Sidney shied away from lovestruck fans. Better to pretend I knew nothing at all.

"Vanessa," was all I finally managed to get out.

"Sidney," he replied, shaking my outstretched hand. God, he was strong.

I smiled, about to open my mouth to speak again when a stout, blonde friend of his appeared on the stone path, motioning for Sid to hurry up and follow him.

"Sorry, I gotta go... it was nice meeting you though," Sid said, tipping the beak of his cap toward me.

"See you around!" I called after him.

He turned his head back to look at me, his beautiful, bee-stung lips curled into a smile. "You betcha'," he said with a wink.

Chapter 1

"I think I'm going to be sick already," I groaned, as I slid further down in my seat.

I hated planes - the close quarters, the food, the smell...everything about them. Not to mention that my ears plugged every time we took off or landed, and I was guaranteed to throw up at least 3x from motion sickness on every trip.

"Oh man, how did I get stuck seated next to you?!" Heather asked incredulously, shaking her head. "I rigged the friggin' draw!"

"Sucker!" Lara laughed from behind, sticking her tongue out at Heather. "That's what you get for trying to scam us!"

I closed my eyes as my best friends continued to talk amongst themselves, thinking happy thoughts and trying to push away the nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach. There were four of us in total - Heather, Lara, Daisy and myself - and this was our first trip together in over 4 years. We had grown up together in the small town of Brantford, Ontario, but had gone our separate ways for University and College - the first time we'd been apart in over 15 years. When we tearfully said our goodbyes, we had made a pact to travel together after graduation. Fast forward to four years later, and here we are, aboard Air Canada Flight 227 bound for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

"Vanessa, are you going to be okay?" Daisy asked me softly, peeking out from behind my seat.

I nodded. "I'll be fine, thanks. Just let me know when we get there."

I pulled the window shade down next to me and got comfortable in my seat, preparing to fall asleep for the remainder of the flight.

***

About an hour later, I was jerked awake when the plane was caught in turbulence. I sat upright, clutching my arm rests tightly and taking deep breaths.

"Relax, Vanessa. This is perfectly normal," Heather said with a reassuring smile, rubbing my back.

I nodded in agreement, about to reply, when my face suddenly contorted and I knew what was coming next.

"What?? Why are you making that face?" Heather furrowed her brows, not able to read my expression.

I fumbled with my seatbelt and finally pulled it off before rising and covering my mouth, hoping she'd get the picture and get out of my way.

"Oh shit! You're gonna throw up!" she exclaimed in horror, hastily removing her own seatbelt and jumping out into the aisle.

I ran to the nearest lavatory, only to find it was occupied. As was the one on the other end of our section. I panicked, sure that I was about 10 seconds away from puking on the poor passenger in front of me. 'Why the hell did they remove barf bags?!' I wondered, just as Lara appeared out of nowhere, pulling me into the Executive Class wing and pushing me through a lavatory door.

"Don't worry, the airline hostess said you could use it," she explained, reading my mind. "Need me to come in with you?"

I shook my head, thankful that I had such concerned friends, and shut the door behind me.

***

What a mess. My sallow face stared back at me through the mirror above the sink, my mascara wet and smeared from tears and my lips chapped from all the rinsing and scrubbing post-puke. Ugh. I hated planes.

Knock-knock.

Damn. I had forgotten Lara was waiting for me outside. "Just a second!" I called out, dabbing at my eyes and checking the toilet one last time for any remnants of this morning's breakfast. Yuck. I pushed away the thought before it brought on another wave of sickness.

I stepped outside expecting my girl friend, only to bump into a gorgeous man - er, boy? - waiting patiently for me to finish.

"Sorry," I mumbled, looking down and turning away quickly. I was embarrassed that I wasn't supposed to be in his section, and more embarrassed that he had probably already made his own assumptions as to what took me so long in the washroom. I made my way back to my seat, praying that he wouldn't recognize me once we were off the plane.