Chapter 49

Chapter 49
They returned to Pittsburgh the next morning because Sidney had a game that night. Lauren watched the game with Vero and after the game, they headed out to Diesel with the some of the team. Lauren was talking with Vero and Marc and Jordan when she noticed a blonde woman approach Sidney, who was standing at the bar with Max. The woman appeared to be in her early thirties and while Lauren was sure she’d never seen her before, the woman certainly seemed to know Sidney. Lauren wasn’t the jealous type, so she didn’t think too much of it when the woman put her hand on Sidney’s arm. Marc, on the other hand, had something to say. “What is she doing here?” he snarled.
Lauren turned towards Marc, giving him a confused look. It wasn't like him to sneer at someone like he was doing. “Who is she, Marc?” she asked, glancing back and forth between him and the woman who was standing very close to Sidney.
“That’s Candace.” Marc said simply, as if Lauren would know who he was talking about.
“Candace?” Lauren asked, swallowing hard. “As in, Candace?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.” Vero said in a very annoyed tone.
Lauren watched Sidney and Candace for a moment. So this is Candace? Lauren thought to herself. Sidney had mentioned her when they had the obligatory conversation about past relationships, but he hadn’t wanted to talk about her that much, claiming she wasn’t important. They had met while he was on vacation in the Caribbean with some old teammates from Rimouski, and as it turned out, she had moved to Pittsburgh about six months after that. He had gone out with her a few times, but he had never intended to start a relationship with her – he saw them more as friends, but she didn’t.
Sidney caught Lauren’s eye and smiled at her. He seemed oblivious to Candace’s flirting, and if he did know what she was doing, he didn’t let on as Lauren walked over to them and he slid his arm easily around her waist, pulling Lauren close against his body. Candace looked at her with both surprise and disgust. “And you are?” Candace asked, obviously annoyed.
Sidney just grinned. “Lauren, this is Candace. Candace, this is my girlfriend, Lauren.” Lauren extended her hand for Candace to shake, but Candace just rolled her eyes.
“Girlfriend? I thought you weren’t looking for a relationship. Or at least that’s what you told me a few months ago when I saw you here.” Candace sneered. Lauren couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Sidney had never mentioned that he had seen Candace recently. Then she realized that a few months earlier was when they were broken up. Had he really gone running to his former fling? Lauren thought to herself while trying to keep a calm exterior.
Lauren tightened her grasp on Sidney’s waist, trying to keep him calm but feeling his entire body tense up at Candace’s harsh words. “Candace, please don’t do this. You and I were never meant to be. We had a great time on vacation, but I never intended for us to be more than friends.”
“Friends?” she said, laughing. “Friends, Sidney, do not do what we did together.” She said, glancing at Lauren to see her reaction. Lauren did her best to hide her emotions – being around Sidney long enough had taught her how to do this. Inside, her mind was racing and her heart was pounding inside her chest. She knew Sidney wasn’t a virgin when she had met him – he had always been very honest with her. He had told her about his previous partners. He had only been with two women before Lauren – Candace, and Kimberly, the girl he had dated in Rimouski. Lauren hadn’t thought much about either of those women until now. Now she was wondering if he had slept with Candace when they were broken up.
“Candace, I’m not going to have this conversation with you. Things didn’t work out the way you wanted them to and I’m sorry. But I will not stand here and allow you to subject my girlfriend to this. When I met you, I wasn’t looking for a relationship. But I am very much in love with Lauren and we are very happy together.” He said, his voice steady.
Candace huffed at him. “Well, Sidney, when this little girl disappoints you, don’t try to come crying back to me.”
“Candace, Lauren is a better woman than you will ever be. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re here to hang out with our friends.” Sidney held Lauren’s waist tightly as he guided her away from the bar and over to where Marc and Vero and Jordan had been watching their exchange with Candace. He pulled her protectively into his arms and rested his forehead against hers. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry about that.” He said, his hazel eyes staring into hers.
“Yeah, Sidney, I’m okay. I just need to know something.” She said cautiously.
“What is it, babe?” he replied, his eyes never leaving hers.
“She said she saw you a few months ago…was that when we were broken up?”
“Uhh, yeah. I went out for a few drinks with the guys one night and she was here.”
“Did you, I mean, you and her, that night…did you sleep with her, Sidney?” she said, her voice hoarsely.
“No! God, no. We just chatted for a while. No, Lauren. I was a mess and I missed you so much. No, I didn’t sleep with her. I couldn’t imagine being with any other woman besides you.” His eyes searched hers as she processed what she was saying. Sidney had never lied to her before, and she didn’t have any reason to think he would lie to her now. She believed him, and she relaxed into his arms as she rested her head on his chest.
“Are you okay, baby?” he asked, gently rubbing his hand up and down her back.
She looked up at him. “It takes a lot more than some jealous bitch to get me upset. Besides, who’s standing in your arms and who’s whining to her friends?” she said, causing him to grin.
“That’s my girl. I love you.” He said, kissing her lips.
“I love you too.”
“Sidney, why don’t you come with me to get refills for everyone?” Marc asked, leaving Lauren with Vero and Jordan.
“Wow, I’m impressed.” Jordan said, looking at Lauren.
“What?” she asked, confused.
“You’re really something. Most girls would have been jealous as hell if their boyfriend’s ex just caused a scene like that, but you don’t seem fazed at all.”
“I won’t lie, that girl annoyed the hell out of me. But I know who he’s going home with tonight, and that’s really all that matters.”
Jordan dropped to one knee in front of Lauren and took her hand in his. “Lauren, will you marry me? Seriously, you’re like the coolest girl I’ve ever met.”
Lauren replied, laughing. “Sorry Jordy, I really love you a lot, but my heart’s already taken.” Lauren giggled and looked up to see a very confused look on Sidney’s face.
“Uhh, should I even ask?” he asked, causing another eruption of giggles. Jordan kissed Lauren’s hand before standing up again.
“I was just proposing to your girlfriend. She told me no.” Jordan explained, pouting his bottom lip. “Seriously though, if you don’t marry her, I will.”
Sidney wrapped his arm around Lauren’s waist and she leaned back into his chest. “I told him my heart was already taken.” Lauren said, leaning up to kiss Sidney’s jaw.
“Taken, huh? Anyone I know?” Sidney said with a toothy grin.
“Oh, no one special.” She teased.
“No one special, huh? Well, how about I take you home and convince you otherwise?” he whispered in her ear.
“I guess you could give it a try.” She smiled at him as they waved goodbye to their friends and he lead her out of the club. Candace glared at them from across the room, but Sidney just smiled and kissed Lauren on the forehead and pulled her closer to him as they left.