Page 7 of One Pucking Wish

“Penny?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want to break up the love affair you have going with your pumpkin latte, but you should know you have a situation going on.” Iris makes a circular motion in front of her face.

“I have something on my face?”

“Yeah, a little mascara from all the ice snow out there.” She grins.

“Oh, I was just checking that when you sat down.” I pull down the tray table and set my coffee down before retrieving the compact in my purse.

The reflection that stares back at me makes me gasp. I don’t have a little something on my face. I have legitimate streaks of mascara streaming down my cheeks and black circles around my eyes, making me look like a deranged cousin of the Joker.

“What in the actual fuck? My new mascara claims to be smudge-proof and water-resistant. What is this mess? I look like a demon!” I whisper-hiss as not to bring unwanted attention my way. I can’t let the guys see me like this. I’d never hear the end of it. Thankfully, our seats are in the back of the plane, and I’ve seemingly gone unnoticed.

Iris covers her mouth to hide a laugh.

The captain makes his announcement to stay seated, and the plane begins to taxi down the runway. A quick escape to the bathroom to clean up my face isn’t in my immediate future, so I grab a makeup wipe from my carry-on and start wiping the mascara off my skin.

“You know, I went into the makeup store wanting to purchase the same brand I’ve worn since college, but no, you know how they always push the new products. I hate that overly spray-tanned Barbie talked me into switching. I knew better,” I grumble as I pull the wipe across my face.

“It was the bag, wasn’t it?” Iris eyes the new floral makeup bag in my lap.

I frown and roll my eyes. “Yes. I fell for the free-bag-with-purchase spiel. I’m embarrassed to be this weak.”

“Hey, now. It’s a gorgeous bag, and to be fair, the weather is pretty extreme. I’m sure your new mascara would work fine on a normal day.”

Iris and I gasp in unison as the plane falls, and we lift from our seats. Priorities in place, I reach for my coffee to stop it from catapulting through the air. The seat belt across my lap pulls against my thighs, and the plane settles, continuing its ascent.

“I hate flying through storm clouds.” Iris pulls the strap on her seat belt as tight as it will go.

“It’ll be fine once we’re through them. The air will be calmer above the clouds,” I say to reassure myself as much as Iris. I have always found it fascinating how planes can fly above the clouds where the weather can be completely different than it is on land. “Anyway, tell me… how is married life treating you?”

“Perfect,” Iris says with a dreamy sigh. One mention of her husband and she’s seemingly forgotten her anxiety over the turbulent flight. “The best.”

She married one of the Cranes starting forwards, Cade Richards, about five months ago. Cade had been her friend since she was eight years old, though they hadn’t been as close in recent years. I wasn’t on the team’s bye-week vacation in Barbados last year, but that’s where they rekindled their love affair. They are a sweet couple. Cade has always been one of my favorite guys on the team. Iris has another connection to the team, Cade’s best friend—her brother, Beckett—the other starting forward who actually randomly married our new team doctor, Elena, in a secret Vegas wedding last summer about a month before Iris and Cade’s wedding.

Now, that pairing was something I never saw coming, but I have to admit, they are really cute together. Elena is five months pregnant, and Beckett, our reformed one-night stand king, couldn’t dote on her or love her more. He treats her like a goddess, and even my black heart can admit it’s adorable.

“So Beck and Elena are still set on not finding out?” I ask, wanting to keep Iris’s thoughts off the turbulence.

“Still set on having the sex of the baby be a surprise. I think Beckett would find out in a second if he could, but he’ll do anything Elena wants. It’s still so weird to see him like this, married and in love. It’s like he’s still himself but so different. You know?”

“Oh definitely. As I’ve told you, I always thought he’d be a bachelor for life or at least until his hockey days were over.”

“I guess when you find the one, you just know. Love can find you when you’re least expecting it.” She nudges my leg with her own and shoots me a smile.

“I don’t think so.” I shake my head. “I don’t have time or patience for a man.”

“You will if it’s the right one. You’re a catch, Penelope Stellars. It’s going to happen.”

Bless her little heart, but she’s delusional. “Not for me.” I scoff. “My heart is locked down tight. I mean, nothing about being in a relationship remotely entices me. I just can’t…” I scowl. “Plus, I’m quite sure you’re the only person in the world who actually likes me.”

“That’s not true.” She furrows her brows. “You may think you only emit bitch energy, but we all see right through that. Everyone likes you.”

“Well, that’s a shame.”

Iris laughs. “Oh, Penny…drink your coffee.”

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