Julie glanced at the clock, it was a little after seven and she figured now should be as good a time as any to give Charlie a call.
She dug out her address book scanning the "C"s until she came to Charlie's. She just hoped it was his current number. Since the boys joined the NHL they'd had to change their numbers several times otherwise they'd be subject to masses of phone calls from adoring fans at all hours of the day and night.
Julie smiled when the number she'd just punched into the phone had connected.
"Conway residence" a pleasant female voice answered.
"Hello, this is Julie Gaffney speaking I'm just returning a phone call from Charlie" Julie had a pleasant phone manner. A skill she'd acquired from her job.
"Hold the line" the female told her and Julie guessed she must be Charlie's maid or something. Julie sure did pity the woman. She remembered how awful his bedroom used to be back in Minnesota.
"Jules!" Charlie's voice came across the line and he sound pleased to hear from her.
"Now what's this about our dear old Fulton getting married" Julie kept up the routine of their joking nature each time they spoke on the phone.
"Well I think that since you're in another state, Tammy would just have to do" Charlie teased.
"Ha ha very funny Charlie"
"I know, I crack myself up all of the time. Besides I know damn well its not that Bash Brother that you want" Charlie couldn't resist throwing that spanner in the works.
"Shut it Conway!" Julie warned with a smile. Charlie could always see straight through her and it came as no surprise when one day he'd just come right out and asked if she had a crush on their old enforcer and no. 21.
Since that time it was face to face Julie wasn't able to lie about it and had finally admitted that she did.
"So have you caught up with him yet. You know since you're both in Chicago and all" Charlie was getting straight to the point.
"I tried calling him but there was no answer" Julie told a little white lie. She'd been gutted when Portman's girlfriend had answered his phone and said Dean couldn't come to the phone as they were 'fucking' as she so eloquently put it.
"You chicken" Charlie scolded.
"Like you can talk Mr 'I'm so nervous every time I hear the words CONNIE MOREAU' " Julie teased back.
"Shut it Gaffney" Charlie used Julie's earlier words against her.
"So have you called HER?" Julie asked.
"Yes but she didn't answer, I haven't heard back from her yet" Charlie admitted.
"Well what are you wasting your time talking to me for when you could be waiting for her call" Julie laughed.
"They invented that little thing called 'call waiting' Jules" Charlie advised her.
"Really? And here I am doing things the old fashioned way" Julie shot back at him.
"What can I say Jules, you really need to catch up"
"Shove it Spazzy"
"Well as much as I'd love to stay and chat with ya Jules my agent keeps poking me and pointing at his watch. Anyone'd think he'd want me to buy him a new one"
"You're so funny Charlie"
"I know but seriously I've got some interview with Sportswatch. I'll talk to you later?"
"Sure, I forgive you for blowing me off for the media"
"Ha ha night Jules"
"Night Charlie"
Dean was in the midst of making himself dinner when the telephone rang.
"Hello" he tried his hardest not to sound too pissed off.
"Port!" Fulton's voice came over the line.
"Dude! I was about to call you" Portman lied a little. Well in truth he was gonna call Fulton, tomorrow.
"Beat you to it"
"Looks like it"
"So hows about it? You gonna come be my best man?"
"Fulton, I AM the best man. Congratulations bud"
"Thanks man, so Charlie was gonna call Julie"
"So?"
"So, cut the bullshit we all know you still like her"
"So?"
"So's your favourite word tonight huh"
"Yeah, so?"
"Portman you are such a pain in the ass sometimes. So how's that chick you've been with"
"Left me"
"Aw man I'm sorry"
"Nah don't be. She was a gold digging bitch"
"So you'll be flying solo for the wedding huh? Maybe Julie will be too"
"Fulton dude, give it a rest already"
"Okay, okay. So Tam's sent your invite out in the mail last night so you should get it soon"
"Cool. Do I have to do like anything special for this thingy?"
"Just a couple of things Tam will tell you about the boring stuff but there's always the bachelor party"
"Sweet!"
"Don't tell Tam what you're doing though, she's paranoid enough already"
"I'll bet, so should we have the whole Ducks, including Julie and Connie or just the guys?"
"Just the guys, I think Tammy's inviting the girls to her birds night or whatever it is they call it"
"Cool so we can have strippers and stuff"
"Man I dunno"
"You wimp"
"You've never seen Tammy pissed off"
"Yes I have don't you remember that time Averman accidentally spilled his coke over her that time we went bowling"
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well take that and times it by a million and that's how pissed she's gonna be"
"Alright we'll think of something else"
"Well great talking to ya man I gotta go the in-laws have just arrived"
"I don't envy you man"
"Thanks Portman, thanks a lot"
"You're welcome"
"Catch ya later bro"
"Later"
Dean placed the phone back in its cradle and turned his attention to the microwave that had just signalled that his TV Dinner was ready.
He flopped back onto the sofa placing the unappealing tray on the coffee table. Switching the TV on he mindlessly flicked channels not really concentrating.
His mind was elsewhere.
Flashback
"Hey Jules"
"Hey Dean"
"Rough day?"
"You could say that?"
"Hey what's wrong?"
"Nothing"
"Don't give me nothing Julie, I can tell you've been crying"
"No I haven't"
"Yes you have, you've got that black eye stuff running down your cheek"
"At least someone noticed I got dressed up, well sorta"
"What did that dickhead do?"
"Dean can I ask you a question?"
"Fire away Cat"
"Is there something about me that turns people off?"
"Nope, why? Who said you were a turn off?"
"No one its just that"
"Just what Jules? You're the biggest turn on I know"
"You're just saying that"
"No, I'm not"
"Really?"
"Really"
And with that Dean Portman took the biggest chance of his life as he gently pushed a strand of long blond hair that had come loose from Julie's elegant up-do out of her eyes.
Julie couldn't take her eyes off of him as he brought his other hand up to gently caress her cheek.
Julie swallowed hard praying that this was real as she closed her eyes, anticipating what was going to come.
Dean leant forward his eyes never leaving her face until he was so close that it was one big blur as he prepared to press his lips to hers.
"Hey Jules I was thinking" another voice interrupted their moment.
Julie and Dean jumped apart as if burned by each other's touch.
The door swung open and Connie and Charlie entered the room.
"Oh hi Portman I didn't know you were here"
"Oh um Dean just wanted to borrow some history notes" Julie covered quickly.
"Yeah" Dean replied weakly.
"Here you are" Julie thrust a wad of notebook paper in his hands.
"Um thanks"
"So I'll see you later" Julie was practically pushing him out of the door.
"Yeah bye"
End Flashback
Damn I'm so stupid Julie thought to herself. She couldn't believe that she didn't grab the guy she truly wanted with both hands and hang on.
Well that was about to change, she decided.