Ice Dreams

Disclaimer: Characters in this story are my creation, as is the city of Bannen,(as far as I know, Canada doesn’t have a city named Bannen in it), and the hockey team is fictional as well. California doesn’t have a team named the Demon Dogs, that is my creation. The characters in this story are not based on any specific person, so any similarities are purely coincidental. I do not own any rights to the Stanley Cup, and I don’t make any money off my stories.

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I tried to keep the hockey facts as truthful as possible, so please excuse any slip-ups. While this is a story based on a sports team, it’s not my intention to focus completely on it, but instead on the romantic story. I also don’t bash hockey players in real life, as I’ve met a few and they are lovely people. It just works in my story for now. I was inspired from the recent playoff games, when this plot bunny jumped into my head. Please enjoy.

Warnings: angst, lemon, oral, death, fluff, language, m/f


** Asterisks indicate thoughts

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Chapter Fourteen



*Ugh, what the hell?* Denise peeked one eye open, nearly groaning in frustration. Graham had spent the night, and during the time, they made love several times. Denise had counted on sleeping in, mostly to recover from their nocturnal activities, but the telephone ringing woke her. Graham fussed beside her, seemingly also awaked by the incessant ringing.

Denise growled, when whoever was calling was refusing to hang up. Reaching over to pick up the phone, she glanced at her bedside clock.

*9:30am? Who the hell calls at that time on a Saturday?!* Finally picking up the phone, she held it to her ear, restraining herself from giving the other person on the line an earful.

“Hello?” Denise said, her tone obviously tired and a little cranky. She tried to keep her voice down so Graham could try falling asleep again.

“Hi Denise! Long time no talk!”

*Hilary…..* Denise wanted to bitch-slap the girl. Hilary knew about Denise’s sleeping habits. She knew that Denise did not get up before noon on the weekends, unless she absolutely had to.

“Yes, yes it is. I can’t help but notice that it’s also 9:30am. Any reason for calling so early?” Denise didn’t want to sound too aggravated, but she couldn’t understand what was possibly going through her friend’s mind. It almost seemed like an evil thing to do, after the night she had.

“Oh, no particular reason. Just thought that we haven’t talked for awhile, and that I would call you up. Whatcha doing?”

*More like what am I not doing… I was sleeping…*

“Well, I was sleeping, but the phone woke me.”

“Ahh, sorry about that.”

*I don’t believe you for one second….*

“Listen Hilary, it’s quite early for me, and I got to bed late. Can I call you back later?” The line was silent for a moment. Denise couldn’t believe Hilary had to think about it. If she said Denise couldn’t hang up, then Denise would. She was tired and cranky. She hardly thought Hilary was being fair to her.

“Umm, well, what are you doing later? We could meet up instead? Say, the Corner Café at one?”

“Fine, fine, I’ll see you then.” Denise hung up the phone. She didn’t really want to meet Hilary at all, but if it would get her off the phone and back into Graham’s arms, then she would. Turning around, she snuggled back into her lover’s muscular chest.

“Wha’ that ‘bout?” Graham slurred sleepily. Denise kissed him on the nose.

“I’ll tell you later. Sleep.” And they did.


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Denise grumbled, wrapping her fall jacket closer around her petite body. She did not want to meet Hilary. She had a lunch date with Amanda at two, so she hoped whatever Hilary had to say to her wouldn’t last a long time. Graham did not want to let her go. He had put up a good fight, trying to find any reason to make her stay at home, but she had squirmed her way out of his arms and gotten dressed. As much as she wanted to skip out on her meeting with Hilary, it would not have been the right thing to do.

Opening the glass door to the café, a little bell jingled above her, singling a new customer. She spotted Hilary in the corner, a coffee already in her hands. As she approached, Hilary looked up and plastered a smile onto her face. The more Denise started to dislike her, the more Hilary seemed fake. She wondered if Hilary had been like that the entire time, or if it was a recent development.

“Come and sit.” Hilary said, gesturing to the seat across from her. Denise slipped off her jacket and hung it on the back of the chair before sitting. A waitress came over, took Denise’s order, (medium coffee, double double) and left. Denise clasped her hands in front of her, waiting for her order. Hilary didn’t say anything until Denise’s coffee arrived, the silence awkward. When the waitress left, Hilary decided to speak.

“So, how are you?”

*Working her way around what she really wants to say*

“I’m fine. Trying to work, though the ideas are slow.”

Hilary nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. Denise just sat, looking at her friend searchingly. She knew that’s not what Hilary wanted to know. She just wished that the bigger woman would just come out and say it.

“Sooo….. I haven’t seen a lot of you lately. What’s going on?” Hilary finally asked. Denise suddenly realized just how much she didn’t want her friend to know. She supposed that wasn’t very friend-like, but Graham had become something extraordinarily special to her, and she didn’t want Hilary to ruin it.

*What do I say? Do I tell her? Do I leave out details? Which details though? Ahh….*

Denise cleared her throat. Hilary watched her friend. The darker haired woman seemed to be really uncomfortable, cupping her hands around her coffee mug, her eyes averted. Hilary tried to wait patiently, but each second that passed, she grew more irritated.

“Well?” Hilary finally snapped. Denise drew her beautiful blue eyes up to regard her. That air of nervousness that was around her before had disappeared – now a confident woman sat in front of her. Denise lifted her head slightly, appearing to talk down to her, daring her to say the wrong thing.

“I’m dating Graham Kelly. We’re in love.”

Hilary stared at her blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing.

“What? Is that some kind of joke? Denise, you hate hockey players, remember? Actually, I
think you just hate men in general. Are you trying to make up some poor excuse as to why you haven’t been able to see me in the last couple of days?” Hilary looked annoyed. Denise looked taken-aback.

“Excuse me? You know very well that I don’t hate hockey players, and I definitely don’t hate men. I just had a bad time before, that’s all. Graham is sweet, he’s there for me, he’s….perfect actually.” Denise had folded her hands in her lap again. She was starting to feel angry herself, Hilary’s reaction seemed very uncalled for. Instead of being happy with her, she had reacted….well, not the way Denise would have imagined at all. Hilary sat back in her chair.

“Oh, right. So you don’t hate men, but they hate you. After all, why would a man cheat on you? Obviously it was something that you had done. I don’t see any other reason.”

*What. A. Bitch*

Denise could feel the sting of oncoming tears, but refused to let them spill. She did not want to let Hilary see her in a time of weakness. Hell, she hadn’t wanted Graham to see her cry, and it had humiliated her. She couldn’t believe that Hilary would say such a cruel thing. She didn’t understand it. Why did Hilary suddenly hate her now, when she had always been nice to her?

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, and don’t pretend that you do either. The circumstances of the break-up from my previous relationship are none of your damn business. Don’t bother talking to me….ever.” Denise stood, briskly leaving the café. Hilary watched her leave, angered by how Denise had spat those words menacingly at her.


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Denise walked to her car, the tears beginning to spill. How had Hilary been her friend one minute, only to stab her in the back the next? She didn’t understand where Hilary’s anger had come from. What she had said tore a painful hole in her heart. How could Hilary possibly think that the reason Jon had had an affair was because something she had done? It was obvious that Jon was a greedy, low-life bastard who couldn’t see a good thing in front of him. It wasn’t her fault, was it?

*No, it wasn’t*

Swearing under her breath, Denise sat in her car, disbelieving at how fast the larger woman had turned on her. Wasn’t she supposed to be happy that Denise had found a man, and that she was in love? Weren’t friends supposed to hug and celebrate after news like that? Denise leaned her head against the steering wheel.

She would have to just let it go. She had lunch with Amanda in less than an hour, and she didn’t want to arrive and look like a basket-case. She didn’t want to scare Amanda off, since she seemed the only possible friend Denise had close by, besides Graham.

Starting her car, Denise headed towards the eatery where she was meeting Amanda, not caring that she would be a few minutes early.


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Hilary left the café about ten minutes after Denise, grimacing after a cold wind hit her. She hated that October could have a week of blistering hot days, only to turn around and chill you to the bone the following week. She did not dress appropriately for the weather, in only a sweater and jeans.

She had known that there was something up with Denise. She was already jealous that Denise had got the job of events coordinator. Even though Hilary hadn’t applied for the position, she thought the job would have gone to someone more deserving, in her opinion. Denise didn’t know anything about hockey when she started, and she probably still didn’t, for all Hilary knew.

Now Denise was dating Graham Kelly? HER Graham Kelly? She had been following his career since he had started in the NHL. That was years and years ago. She had dreamed about meeting him in person, and him falling for her womanly charms. She loved Neil Hamilton, but given a choice, she would have picked Kelly any day. To hear that Denise was dating him felt like a stab in her heart. As if Denise deserved him. What did she do that was so great?

She knew, as soon as Denise told her, that the two of them had slept together. They probably were making love when she called, and that was why Denise was in such a hurry to get rid of her. Her friend’s lips were overly plump, probably from hard, bruising kisses. Her hair was slightly mussed, and she looked like a woman who was being satisfied. The signs were all there. Just imagining Graham Kelly – the tall, muscular, sexy grinned Graham – giving her once ‘friend’ that smile of his, his bright blue eyes twinkling…. Hilary wanted to vomit. He should be doing that to HER, not Denise.

Hilary made up her mind. She would do something about it. Denise maybe deserved happiness, but not with her man. She could find someone else, but Graham Kelly was HER’S.


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Amanda had arrived the same time Denise did, so they walked into the restaurant together, laughing. They were directed to a table, the both of them removing their jackets before taking a seat. Amanda looked significantly more rested than Denise felt, and she had only one person to thank for that.

After ordering, Amanda smiled at her, lovely big brown eyes regarding her with interest.

“Please, tell me about yourself. I wanted to ask you that last night, but I thought it
wasn’t the time.”

Denise filled her in on her job as a fashion designer, as well as her gig as a part-time fashion consultant. She told Amanda about how she had set up runway shows in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles, all showcasing her creations. Amanda was paying avid attention. Denise explained how applying for the job as events coordinator for the Bannen Warriors had been a spur of the moment thing, and now she had the job and was working hard on the Christmas Banquet, as well as the Children’s Hospital visit. She told Amanda that that was how she first met Graham, and after much persuasion, this is where they ended up.

Amanda seemed delighted by the story, very interested in the fashion industry. She asked Denise a few questions about it, Denise happy to answer anything. It was, after all, her profession and her passion.

“Your turn.” Denise said, smiling. Amanda laughed.

“Well, I’m actually working as a seamstress for now, which is why I had so many questions for you about the fashion business. I did go to school for it for awhile, but it was apparent early on that I had absolutely no ideas to draw down. I can make it with my hands and cloth just fine, but I need to work from a picture. I can’t make up my own clothing ideas. I don’t get much work that way, so I work at a bridal shop, doing the adjustments on dresses. That sort of thing.”

*Maybe I could use her…* Denise thought.

“And how about Neil? Where did you meet him?” Denise asked, leaning on the table. She gave Amanda a mischievous look. Amanda grinned.

“I’m sure you can tell that I’m not a huge hockey fan. I’m really not. My younger sister is though, and she begged me to come to a Bannen Warriors game. I did, sat through it, was bored to tears. She wanted to meet the players, so we hung around after the game. That’s when I saw Neil, and I knew that he had seen me too.” She laughed. “He definitely did a double-take with me. He approached me, and pretty soon he was asking me out on a date. Now, when I watch the games, I’m jumping out of my seat, screaming and cheering my head off. Now I actually like watching the damn game.”

Denise knew exactly what she meant. She hadn’t been a fan either before meeting Graham. She now watched their games on TV, hooting and hollering every time one of the Bannen Warriors players had the puck.

When their lunch arrived, they continued talking about many things, laughing and sharing stories of their own. It ranged from talking about Graham and Neil, (and the ridiculous things the two of them had done during the course of their friendship), fashion, hockey, houses….they could talk about anything.

“I hate to go, but I have a moody boy at home that demands my attention.” Amanda said, slipping on her jacket.

“Me too. I better get home before he starts listening to heart-wrenching country songs. You know it gets really bad when he starts singing along.”

“Tragic.”

Laughing, they left the restaurant together.

“Do you want to get together later?” Amanda called, halfway to her car. Denise waved.

“Of course! Give me a call!” With that, they parted ways, back to the men that had brought them together.





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A/N: Please review! More to come soon! Thanks for reading! :D


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