Focus.
Shootouts were the absolute worst. It wasn't like soccer where the chances of scoring a goal were pretty high depending on the angle of the kicker. In hockey, there weren't certain angles or moves to ensure a goal. He had one shot. One chance. One opportunity.
He was either going to be a hero or a villain.
The Kings were tied with the Ducks and it officially up to Dean to make the winning goal. It was a shot he'd done many times before in the past and despite that fact, it seemed the shot was the first time he'd done it at all.
He briefly closed his eyes to concentrate. When he reopened them, he focused on the goalie and silenced all of the noise surrounded him. He made eye contact with the goalie and simply smirked.
He skated, starting off slow before increasing at a fast pace. Just before he reached the goal keeper, Dean spun so his back faced the goalie, distracting him, before he turned around again and made the shot.
The crowd went on their feet and Dean skated to the middle of the rink. He fell on his knees and pointed to Sydney, who blew him a kiss. The smile on his face quickly disappeared when he saw Renee also blowing him a kiss.
Only one word entered Dean's mind. Fuck.
"What a great game!" Renee smiled. "Dean did great out there."
"He did," Sydney smiled back. The very least she could do was be polite to the woman, though she wasn't sure if she deserved the treatment. When Renee came back to the game, she was surprisingly quiet and the rest of the WAGs went out of their way to include her in conversations, though it was clear all of them were just being nice.
Sydney's focus was on Dean and what she was going to say to him. How many ways could she ask Was I your jumpoff? without sounding like too much like a bitch. She only had one day left in Los Angeles before she had to go back to her life in San Francisco. At first, she was sad about the trip but new revelations made her very excited about going home. Maybe she was right on her first intuition. Maybe Dean really wasn't shit.
"So what do we do now?" Sydney asked. "Do we just wait here? What's the protocol?"
"Protocol?" Renee scoffed. "There is no protocol. You're not allowed in the locker room because it'll be a distraction and it's for players, coaching staff, and journalists only. There's a waiting area just for the WAGs and that's where we'll go."
"Um, that's where we'll go," Naomi corrected, "you sat with us as a courtesy because of Dean. You're not coming with us."
"Says who?" Renee folded her arms.
"Says me," Naomi replied. "And if you want to complain to your ex-boyfriend who clearly doesn't give a damn, please be my guest. Come with us, Syd." She began to walk off and Sydney followed, leaving Renee behind with a scowl on her face.
Sydney followed the ladies to a private lounge in the Staples Center, reserved just for the WAGs and any special guests of the players. A bartender was available to make any drinks and there was a light assortment of refreshments on a nearby table. It had a cozy feel and Sydney guessed it was much better than being in a locker room stuck with a bunch of smelly players and bizarre testosterone bouncing everywhere.
"So you had the Renee experience," Naomi handed Sydney bottled water. "I apologize for that."
"I'm used to it. A few snarky remarks can't deter me," Sydney shrugged, "I do wonder, however, what Paige said was true? Is it?"
Naomi lightly shrugged. "I don't know for sure. All I do know is that there was a bit of an overlap between Dean breaking up with Renee and he first mentioning you. I can't tell you if you were already firmly in the picture or when exactly Dean ended it with Renee. I do know, though, he is crazy nuts about you."
Sydney smiled. She wasn't sure if the news helped her feelings or it further harmed her. What she did know was that she needed to talk to Dean the moment he came to the lounge. Either he was serious about her or she just became his San Francisco girl he calls on whenever he needed ass.
She would definitely find out that night.
"So I just got a text from Paige," Cesaro walked over to Dean and showed it to him, "what in the hell did you do, man?"
Dean read Paige's text. Maple Syrup is sitting next to Ghirardelli Square. He shook his head as he put on his shoes. After a quick shower and interview by reporters on his amazing shootout performance, Dean was antsy on seeing his girlfriend, if she were still his girlfriend.
He was so focused on the game and Sydney having a good time, he completely forgot about Renee and her possible appearance at the game. He didn't even notice she was there until the final moments of the game when he spotted her sitting right next to Sydney. A flurry of emotions raced through his body but anger was the one that stood out.
Renee was up to something and he wondered what it was. "Dude," Dean rolled his eyes, "I forgot about her."
"She didn't forget about your ass, now did she?" Jimmy Uso laughed and the rest of the players joined in. "You know she want that old thing back!"
"I don't want her." Dean stated. "I have a good girl and I want to see where it goes. We can either break up or get married."
"That's pretty much the only two options y'all have," John Cena added, "it doesn't get much simpler than that."
"So what do you think Renee told Sydney?" Two-Tone wondered aloud. "I wonder if Sydney is still here?"
Normally Dean would be annoyed with Two-Tone's sarcastic jabs and would tell him in not so many ways to shut the hell up before Dean did it for him but the man had a point. Dean knew he ended things on questionable terms with Renee, but he wondered how much of that damage did she pass onto Sydney.
He was going out to the lounge in a few minutes and he hoped Sydney would not make a scene. If she remained quiet, it was a good sign because they could go home and talk in peace. He just needed a chance to explain himself.
And if he saw Renee, he would very politely tell her to go back riding the horse she came in on.
"I was wondering when I was going to run into you."
Dean had been successful in avoiding Renee until that moment. He didn't know how many games she'd attended after they'd broken up but it was no coincidence on her part that she attended that particular game. "Hello, Renee."
Renee's high-heeled boots clacked across the tile floor as she walked towards Dean. "So I met her. Your Sydney."
"My Sydney," he repeated with a smirk.
"Yes, your Sydney." Renee nodded, shaking her blonde curls, "she's innocent and sweet."
Dean wanted to respond to that but kept his lips tightly shut. Sydney was innocent and sweet in her personality and demeanor, yes. Sydney was every porn star fantasy he's ever had behind closed doors was more apt. There was no way he was going to tell Renee that. "I'm late in meeting up with my girlfriend, excuse me."
"You're going to break her heart, Ambrose." She called out and Dean stopped walking. "She's not meant for this life and you know it. She's not cut out to be an athlete's wife."
"You don't know what she's cut out to be," he slightly shrugged, "you just met her and you're already doing your infamous psychobabble bullshit that you picked up from the latest Cosmo because apparently that's how every guy feels."
"You can insult me all you want but it's not going to change the fact that you know what I'm saying is right. Being a WAG is much more than fancy clothes, handbags, and flaunting on social media. There are going to be a lot of lonely nights and she's going to wonder who's keeping your bed warm."
Dean sighed. "I guess we can both say for one-hundred percent accuracy it won't be you."
Renee shook her head. "You need to break it off with her before you hurt her."
"This conversation is done so I'm leaving now," Dean picked up his duffel bag and walked away, "you can see yourself out."
"Can we go somewhere private and talk?"
Sydney had a visible shiver as she heard Dean's low rumble in her ears. She turned around and met his sparkling eyes and soft dimples in his cheeks. She hated his smile and his dimples, for that matter. No, that wasn't entirely true. She loved his smile and dimples; she just hated how she was mad at him and now that she saw him, her anger dissipated into the thin air.
She was convinced Dean could charm a nun out of her habit. "Yes, we can."
Dean and Sydney walked hand-in-hand out of the stadium and into the parking garage. When they arrived at his truck, he opened the door for Sydney and entered the car via the driver's side. He started the truck and waited a few moments before he finally spoke. "Renee was a fuck buddy. We were on and off for a while but never too serious. Then I met you and well, I don't know." He lightly shrugged and looked out the windshield as he spoke. "I found everything that I needed in you and decided Renee wasn't what I wanted. So I came back home to break it off with her. I gave her a season pass before everything happened and she still attends. I can't stop her from doing so. I didn't think she would anymore but I guess she wanted to see who you were since word got back to her about you.
"Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I honestly didn't think she would show up but that's Renee for you. I understand if you're pissed and think I led you on but that's really not it. Renee's my past and I don't like bringing up my past unless it's necessary. I hope you can forgive me." Dean was met with silence. "Sydney?" He turned towards her and was surprised to see her halfway undressed.
"You know I wondered that thing about a hockey player's peripheral vision and how it's pretty much shot once they start playing," Sydney pursed her lips together, "I guess there is some truth to it."
Dean's eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. Sydney's nipples were erect and ready for his mouth. "Does this mean you forgive me?"
Sydney climbed over the center console and straddled her boyfriend. "As long as she's your past and I'm your present and future, I don't care how many games she attends this season. But this is her final season being your VIP because that seat has been taken already."
Dean caressed Sydney's bare back and looked into her eyes. "There's no tint on the windshield, Syd. Everyone can see us."
"I think we should give them a show."