Zambonis and Mistletoe

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 1

“C’mon Rylee. It’s for the kids!” Paige pulled Rylee into the Rivers Arena. Media folks filled the lobby, reporters mumbled into their recorders, while photographers took pictures. Paige, Rylee’s best friend, was the PR assistant for the Pittsburgh Renegades. She stood tall, her flowing dark blonde hair in waves around her shoulders. She was dressed for business in her pencil skirt, white blouse and blazer.

“Okay, okay. But stop pulling me!” Rylee shook her arm free, trying to catch her breath.

Today the Renegades were unveiling a new Christmas display in the arena—Letters to the North Pole. It was an oversized red mailbox with a large candy cane and layers of soft, fake snow surrounding it. The media and the Renegades were gathered for the introduction.

Paige stood with Rylee while the team owner, Ben Nolan, spoke to the reporters. “Letters to the North Pole gives kids a chance to send their letters to Santa, and for every letter that is dropped into the mailbox, the Renegades organization will donate one dollar to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.”

Rylee looked around the lobby decorated in red and green with holly and garlands hanging on the walls. The team stood in the corner and Tyler Kidd, the team captain, was busy making lovey eyes at Paige. They had been dating for about eight months now. It had been a rocky start for them, but they’d eventually found their way. It was nice to see her friend happy, finally.

Once Ben was done speaking, a few folks lined up at the oversized red mailbox.

“So, they are really going to write a letter to Santa?” Rylee laughed, and air-quoted ‘Santa’.

“Of course! It’s for charity. Get moving, because you are too.” Paige shoved Rylee closer to the display.

“Paige, I don’t have a letter to mail. Besides, I don’t think I’ve written to Santa since I was like eight.” She had to be joking. Adults don’t write to Santa.

“There are postcards on the side of the display. Now stop being such a party-pooper and get in line! Look at all those people waiting to do it.” Paige pointed to the line that was growing longer by the minute.

“I guess if it’s for charity.” Rylee had no idea what was Paige thinking. This was for the kids, not her. Some of the folks in line were wives of the players, and they’d brought their children. The excited kids were dropping in their letters. That was cute. But adults doing it? That was just weird.

“Hey there, beautiful.” Tyler Kidd cuddled up next to Paige, pulling her in for a kiss. “This looks like a hit. Good job.”

“Thanks, babe. Now if I could just get stick-in-the-mud Rylee here to write a letter to Santa…” her voice trailed off.

“Tyler, please tell her this is for the kids.” Rylee rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. Up until now she really hadn’t thought Paige was serious. But the glare she was getting from her friend told her otherwise. “Well, why aren’t you doing it, Paige? Where’s your letter?”

“I don’t need to ask for anything; I have everything I could ever want right here.” Paige leaned into Tyler and squeezed him.

“Oh, gag.” Rylee joked. Paige was a hopeless romantic since she’d gotten with Tyler. She really couldn’t blame her; Tyler was wonderful to Paige. Her friend was honestly the center of his world.

Rylee looked over to see Tyler’s sister Trina and her Renegades husband Sam Morris bringing up the end of the line. Trina was very pregnant at the moment. She was such a tiny girl that the big belly looked like she had to have been carrying twins, but they swore there was only one in there. And according to their ultrasound, they were having a baby girl.

“Look, even Trina and Sam are doing it.” Paige pointed out.

Rylee was tired of her insistence. She could have some fun with it, ask for some outrageous things she could never afford. “If you stop bugging me, I will write a letter once people start clearing out, okay?”

The reporters were taking photos of the folks participating and she really didn’t want to be part of that. Paige looked amazing as always in her suit, but she had come right from her shift at the hospital and was still in her scrubs, and her red hair was up in a messy ponytail. She was in no mood to be photographed.

“Sounds like that’s as good as you’re going to get, babe.” Tyler smirked and kissed Paige on the cheek. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll catch up with you later.”

He hurried over to his teammates for photo ops with the press.

“You did do an awesome job with this promotion, Paige.”

“Thanks, Ry.” Paige smiled. “I just love Christmas time.”

Rylee watched the line dwindle down, and only Trina and Sam and their baby bump were left. They were too stinkin’ cute together. Sam with his surfer-boy look, bleach blond hair, blue eyes and a killer smile. He seemed to have a tan year round too, which was odd for Pittsburgh. Trina was just as cute, her long light blonde hair always beautiful and flowing, her eyes sparkled, and now she glowed from the pregnancy.

Paige dragged Rylee over to them. “Aw, you two are just adorable.” She glanced at their postcard. “Baby Girl Morris, how sweet. Tyler said that you guys don’t have a name yet?”

“No.” Trina rubbed her belly. “It’s not as easy as it sounds to just pick a name; it has to be perfect for our little peanut.”

“Is it going to start with a T?” Rylee asked. She didn’t mean to say it out loud, but too late now. Once she got to know Tyler, she learned that he had two sisters, Trina and Talia, all three of them T names. Even Trina’s dog was a T name, Toby.

“I don’t know yet.” Trina made a scrunched up face.

Sam dumped the letter in the mailbox then took his wife’s hand. “Okay babe, I have to meet up with the team real quick before we can leave. Nice seeing you, Rylee.” They waved as they exited the arena lobby.

Paige handed Rylee a postcard and pen. “Your turn.” Looking at the blank postcard, she wasn’t sure what to write. She scribbled a few funny things down—new shoes, a real Christmas tree, a ring for Paige, and world peace.

Paige looked at her little list. “World peace? You’re supposed to have fun with this.” She whined.

“I don’t hear you complaining about the ‘ring for Paige’.”

“Well, no, you can keep that one.” She smiled before she crossed out the last item. “And the real Christmas tree is good.”

“So what are you suggesting I write then?” Rylee was bored with this and handed the postcard to her friend. “How about snow for Christmas? We never have a white Christmas here anymore.”

“Okay, I like that one.” Paige wrote that down and added a few of her own. Rylee was sure she’d write some goofy things like winning the lottery and a brand new car. But what Paige wrote wasn’t that simple. She just caught a glimpse of it before her friend quickly dropped it into the slot.

A boyfriend and true Love.

She didn’t have a chance to stop her before the postcard went into the mailbox. Paige smiled wickedly ear to ear. “Maybe Santa can help.” She teased.

Rylee knew this was only for fun, but why was she getting a sick feeling in her stomach about sending a letter to a pretend jolly fat man named Saint Nick asking to find her a boyfriend?