Page 39 of Playoffs & Promises

Smash cakes. She's turning my cupcakes into cannon fodder. Bright hot anger rushes through me. I want to smash a cupcake right into her face. But I manage to restrain myself.

"Where do you want me?" I ask, clenching my teeth.

"Oh, you can go." She says, and then frowns at the paper with my logo on it. She picks it up with a dismissive sniff.

"What about our agreement," I ask.

"Agreement for what?" she gives me an innocent look.

"You said I'd get to promote my bakery."

"Oh." Her face falls in pretend sympathy. "There's been a change in plans."

"I agreed to do this in exchange for exposure."

She smirks, and crumples the paper in her hand. "Well, a little lesson in business. Always get it in writing, and never do it for something that's not quantifiable."

She turns and walks away, a bounce in her step as she tells everyone "Two minutes until showtime. Where are my sparklers?"

The thought of packing up my cupcakes and hitting the road crosses my mind.

"It's not worth it." Lou says, coming up to stand beside me.

I whirl around, surprised to find him there.

"What isn't?" I ask him.

"Letting her get under your skin."

I snort. "Like you're one to talk." Grabbing the box of cupcakes for his coach, I fully intend to take my empty travel containers and go.

"You're a thousand times better than she ever will be," He says, stepping closer.

I stiffen, clutching the box tighter. "Stop it," I hiss.

He takes a step back, eyes wide, at my outburst.

"Stop trying to manipulate me. I don't appreciate being used." I glare at him, my anger bubbling over. Used by his ex for free cupcakes, used by him for lemon bars. I've had enough.

Before he can respond, I yank open the cupcake box, grab one, and fling it at him. The white frosting sticks to his blue jersey, while the chocolate cupcake bounces off and lands on the table.

Lou looks down at the mess, stunned. I can't help it. I grab another cupcake, and pull back my arm to throw it too.

"Maria, don't," he says, moving to grab me. But I dart around the table, laughing as I dodge his reach.

The cupcake flies past him, missing its target, but I don't care. The look on Lou's face is priceless. He picks up a cupcake from the table and lobs it at me, hitting my shoulder as I try to dodge. The curtain opens, but I don't care, I have a cupcake war to win.

The bright arena lights illuminate the ice as I dart out onto it. The team has stopped and is staring at me with wide eyes. I can't help but laugh at their shock, even as a cupcake, lands next to me.

I look back at Lou and throw another cupcake, the frosting splattering across the ice.

That's all it takes. Lou's team joins the war. They're grinning ear to ear grabbing their frosting covered ammo. Cupcakes fly through the air and I try to run out of the way, but the ice is slick. I slip, flailing my arms to try and regain my balance, without dropping the box of cupcakes in my arms. I don't dare lose them on the sugary battlefield.

One of the players skates over and grabs my arm, steadying me. I grin at him, breathless from laughter, and glance back at Lou, who's furiously pulling the guards off his skates, ready to chase after me.

In the middle of the chaos, I notice the Zamboni driver shouting and waving his hands. He must have taken his eyes off the controls because the machine is moving forward, crashing into the light stands. It's a chain reaction from there of curtains and tables going down. A cameraman catches it all, but doesn't watch his step and trips over a downed stand. He stumbles into Carrie who's holding a lit sparkler.

Everything happens in slow motion. The sparkler falls onto the downed curtain, and within seconds smoke begins to rise.

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