Testing Their Patience

This is quite probably the most uncomfortable meal I’ve ever experienced. And I was with Kailey when she told her family she was dating Jonathan.

It probably wasn’t her smartest idea ever to admit it when everyone—literally everyone in her family—was over at her house. Her logic was this way she only has to deal with the complaints and screaming one time. She didn’t figure on the complaints and screaming coming at her from all directions all at once. They were not a happy family. I think she had to tell her uncles and cousins five times that no they couldn’t kill him. I had to physically hold her cousin back at one point when Jonny actually showed up at her house. She’ll say that’s a lie I didn’t help at all, that all I did was sit there and watch as the chaos unfolded. For the most part she’s not wrong, I was not getting involved in that.

When they’d finally all calmed down they all sat down and were eating dinner. The only thing you could hear was the sound of seven men chewing angrily while they glared silently at a flustered Golden Couple. Then they asked questions. Lots of questions.

I felt so bad for my best friend, she was really put through hell that day. And that went down in my book as hands down the most awkward meal in the history of the world.

Until now.

I watch as the three hockey players stare each other down while waiting for their food. To be fair, Ty deserves it right now. He hasn’t stopped with the flirting since he got off the plane, and he knows it’s putting the guys on edge. Especially Jonathan. Patrick clearly doesn’t like it, but he’s okay as long as I’m not the center of attention for it. But Jonathan . . .

“If he keeps this up I’m going to break that pretty face of his,” he mumbles to himself.

Nope, Captain Jealous is not a happy camper.

“So,” Tyler says smirking. He knows the trouble he’s causing the jerk. “How are my two favorite couples doing? What’s going on in the world of Jailey and Jentrick?”

I snort. “Jentrick?”

He shrugs at me, laughing. “Ok not Jentrick then. Patriffer?”

Kailey giggles next to him while I just say “Next.”

He throws out a couple more names that have me almost in tears from laughing so hard.

“Hey this is difficult!” he defends himself. “Your name is not meant to be meshed with his.”

I roll my eyes at his antics.

“Um,” the boys finally break their silence. “What is he talking about?”

Kailey drops her head on the table, laughing so hard she can’t breathe. I sgh dramatically and explain. “They’re ship names. I can only assume that Kailey told him what that was—“

“Guilty!”

“—and so now he’s trying to make a joke out of it. Basically,” I continue, seeing how confused they both are. “It’s like a couple name. You guys have a ship name for your bromance, Kazer. Kailey’s ship name with you Jonathan is Jailey.” I try not to sound too envious that their names roll together perfectly, while mine and Patrick’s don’t mix at all.

“So that’s what people mean,” my boyfriend mutters. It must be my turn to look confused because he explains. “People keep sending me stuff on twitter saying ‘I ship you and Jen’ and I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. But now that I know it’s a good thing babe we got a lot of compliments about how cute a couple we are.”

I giggle and his goofy smile. It’s good to hear that people like us together. I’ve been worried that the fans might hate me, or see me as a replacement for Amanda. It’s nice to think that they might actually like me with him.

“Kanifer,” Kailey says suddenly, popping straight up in her seat. I wonder briefly how her spine didn’t just pop before processing what she said.

A huge grin breaks out on my face. “Yes! That’s perfect.”

“Kanifer,” Ty says, testing it out before smiling too. “Almost sounds like Lucifer, which fits you to a T Jen,” he dodges the napkin I throw, laughing. “I’m kidding I’m kidding! It’s nice. So we have Jailey and Kanifer, the dynamic duo of couples for the Chicago Blackhawks.”

Kailey pushes at him for his antics, but she’s smiling. “You’re such a dork Ty.” Her boyfriend glares at the pair of them but neither pay him any attention. “We aren’t the ‘dynamic duo of couples’ you idiot.”

“Nope,” I chime in. “We’re just best friends, dating best friends.” Kailey nods and points across the table at me as if to say ‘yes what she said.’

“Well you two certainly did manage to score big in the romantic department,” it’s like his words are ice. They’ve frozen all activity at the table.

“What did you just say Seguin?” Toews is pissed. Like, if-we-were-on-the-ice-I’d-have-already-dropped-the-gloves-and-broken-your-face pissed. I’m not much happier and judging from the angry looks worn at the table, no one is either. But I don’t think anyone can hold a candle to Jonathan right now. He’s been itching for a reason to fight Ty for hours and he might have just gotten one.

For someone whose life is imminent danger, he doesn’t look all that concerned. “I said you and Kaner did good. There aren’t better women anywhere than these two. Don’t fuck it up.”

A general sigh of relief passes mine and Kailey’s lips. I feel Patrick relaxing next to me. When he pulls me into his side I go willingly, smiling a little bit. He’s very hug-y but I don’t mind.

Tazer is the only one who doesn’t relax immediately. If anything, he looks more pissed than he did before. I can see him holding back all of the things he wants to scream at Ty. I’m not sure how he does it. His self-control must be astonishing.

“Babe,” his girlfriend reaches out and tugs him down so her lips are at his ear. I can’t hear what she says, but whatever it is gets him to look less than murderous. He even cracks a small smile.

That smile evaporates when he sits back to see Seguin smirking at him.

“She works magic doesn’t she? She must if she can tame the furious captain.” I want to tell Ty not to push his luck. He’s only kidding but it sounds a hell of a lot like a challenge.

Instead of leaping across Kailey and strangling him like I know Jonny wants to, he just leans back in the booth and puts his arm around his girlfriend. She snuggles closer to him, and he visibly relaxes.

“You’re right about one thing Seguin,” his glare could melt glass. “She does work magic.”

I beg silently for Ty to keep quiet. I plead and pray and beseech him with my eyes just to keep his mouth shut so that he doesn’t leave here in a body bag.

“Oh believe me, I know.”

I drop my head on the table in defeat. Why couldn’t he just listen to my silent begging? Why couldn’t he just shut up? Now I’m pretty sure the only way he’s leaving is either in an ambulance or handcuffs.

“We should get out of here before the blood starts spilling,” Patrick whispers in my ear. I nod silently, but I can’t leave.

“I’ve got to try and stop Jonathan from killing him first,” I whisper back. “He might be acting like a dicky idiot right now but he’s still my friend.”

“I’m not talking about them,” he sounds a little desperate now. “I’m talking about the walking disaster headed our way in the form of the former girlfriend of one Captain Toews.”

I pick my head up to check and sure enough, there she is walking our way. What is it with exes showing up at the worst times lately?

“Great,” I mutter, settling back into my seat. No way are we leaving now. “As if we needed more trouble.”

A/N: *screams* 5k reads?! What the fuck??!! I love you guys! You're the best readers ever in the history of the world! Thank you so so so so much for reading this and getting it to 5k! So other business sorry for so long between updates school has been nuts. It's still nuts lol but it should hopefully slow down soon :) thanks so much for reading and if you liked this update please pretty please vote and comment! Also thank you to @hawkeygirl88 and @sherhnorc32 for submitting ship names! Thanks again everyone for reading and I really hope you like this :)