Silk Encased Steel

Chapter four

Valentina walked through the mall slowly, taking her time since she was in no real hurry. Unlike the majority of crazy frantic people around her she had finished her Christmas shopping weeks ago. now it was just a matter of little gifts, and finding some way to send JT’s gift express post to Houston. Really who would have thought he was going to send her a gift in the mail, but when he mentioned mailing it the day before she panicked a bit. What do you get a millionaire anyway? 

They had been in contact for four weeks now, and she spoke to him in some way every day. Sometimes a short text or email to say he was in practice and meetings all day but wanted to say hi. Sometimes it was an hour long phone call before bed, most times it was a video chat. She had needed to increase her data and internet plans. Her first bill had scared her, he had offered to pay it, but she  refused. It was her problem. She had learned a lot about him, he was two different people, he was JT Brodie, the fearsome player: aggressive and competitive on field, and polite and engaging with fans and media off field. Then he was James Tucker Brodie, polite, a gentleman and stereotypical guys guy at the same time, dirty minded and a huge goofball. He was a giant man-child when he wanted to be. It was cute, and aggravating at the same time.

He was also a sore loser when it came to her, she had learned this when they decided to play games online with each other, whether it was violent video games or a passionate game of scrabble. He hated losing, and she loved rubbing it in his face. It was nice, he was a good guy, and when things did get more x rated on their chats they were well matched. But Valentina didn’t shy from the fact that she was enjoying it so much because it was safe. There was no real chance of it blowing up, no chance of making it real. He was so busy it was hard to even imagine ever seeing him in person again. So when he brought it up Christmas eve she felt that weight of anxiety fall on her. 

“I have some endorsement appearances that bring me up your way during the off season.” He started, after telling her for the tenth time that no she could not open her present early. Though he understood her desire since hers was waiting under his tree as well.

“Oh...where?” She could hear her heart hammering inside her chest.

“Toronto in March, I have to do a few interviews, and a commercial up there. Maybe you could meet me, it’s over a weekend so you won’t have to worry about work.”

She sighed silently, happy she didn’t have to think about it for a few more months, “ yeah, i’ll have to save up and get someone to take care of the beasts, but maybe...”

“you know it’s just a weekend, not marriage right?” He asked with a laugh, he wasn’t offended by her reticence. He understood she was in a different situation that he was, he hadn’t been with anyone seriously in a while, there were no recent ghosts in his past to haunt him.

Valentina made a face, “What if we had one great night but if we meet up again I realize I don’t like you at all and that your head is way too big for your body? Computers can be deceiving you know.” He gave her what she had simply dubbed the look, it was half quizzical and half exasperated. Like she was a weird alien creature speaking another language that he only half understood. Her dogs had a very similar look when she talked to them without giving them a real command.  

“I don’t think my head is too big. The hats down here fit just fine.”  He added sitting back on the couch comfortably, “I do have giant arms, and giant hands, and a giant..”

“Ok Ok, you are perfectly proportioned for a giant, no need to go into specifics, I remember.” 

He grinned, “You know I’ve never had to work this hard at convincing a girl to meet up with me somewhere.” She snorted and he could swear she muttered the word doubtful, “I have to get going, got another meal to eat before bed. But just think about it, this isn’t about you not liking me Val. This is you being afraid I won’t still like you, remember I already know about the leg.” 

Valentina threw the couch cushion across the room in frustration as the screen went blank. Fitz and Cooper raised their heads from the ground where they had been sleeping, looking at her expectantly, “You already had dinner you dopes.” She said pointing at them in warning. They both began to thump their tails slowly against the floor, with that dopey ‘yeah but 2 dinners would be better’ look that labs universally had. She glanced down at herself, and wished things could be simpler. She refitted the prosthetic leg that she had discarded in an effort to be more comfortable then made her way around the room turning things off and to get ready for bed. The two food faces followed hopefully.