Page 48 of The Cupcake Cottage

It was Wednesday night, and Maverick had just finished a home game. The Dragons’ second win of the season—and long overdue. The team, from what Daisy-Mae had heard, was beginning to believe in curses.

And to make tonight’s win even sweeter, Maverick had scored the winning goal against the team that had tossed him aside—Lafayette.

Daisy-Mae had wanted to dance, and as the mascot handler, she had. All over the arena, getting the fans worked into a frenzy of excitement for their home team. Her enthusiasm had been contagious, and she’d never felt an energy like that before. It made her want to become a performer.

Daisy-Mae, still in her Dragons puck bunny outfit, left Violet to finish primping her hair after being in the costume and went to wait outside the team’s locker room for Maverick. He had to be crazy excited. The team, too.

The door opened, and he was the first one out, his hair damp from what must have been a quick shower. His jeans and light sweater clung to his muscles, and when he saw her his eyes lit up as he grinned.

“Hey, champ,” she said, rolling up onto the toes of her boots to give him a kiss right on the lips in front of everyone. He dropped his duffle bag and hugged and kissed her back.

They got a few catcalls as other men entered the hallway, and Maverick scowled at them, making Daisy-Mae laugh.

“I saw you in the stands,” he said, releasing her.

“Wow, you can focus on meandon making goals?”

“No. Not at all,” he admitted. “Sometimes I sit on the bench, though, you know.”

“Aren’t you supposed to watch the ice when you’re on the bench?”

“I told you back in October that you’re a mighty distraction.” He hefted his bag again, slinging its strap over his shoulder. “You’re probably the reason we lose so often.”

She gave a choked laugh. “The only wins this season have been when I’m up in the stands, buster.”

He smirked and kissed her again.

“So? Where are we going to celebrate?” She was practically vibrating with energy from the win. And she was just the mascot’s helper. She hadn’t actually been on the ice. He must feel so full of energy, too.

“Celebrate?”

“Yes! Don’t you feel good?” She ran her hands down his chest, then gripped his waist and pulled him closer.

He smiled. “Yeah. I feel pretty good.”

Understated as always. She could see the joy lifting him like the earth’s gravity had been reduced around him.

“You should feel amazing! And we need to be seen. We need to show you off because you just scored the winning goal against your old team.” Daisy-Mae snuggled against him and patted his chest with pride.

“Can’t we stay in?”

“Again?” Decorating the tree had been lovely last night, and she’d love to repeat having him all to herself, but they had a job to do. She’d noticed that sometimes after people recognized him, they grew cool, and she wanted to change that. She wanted the world to celebrate the Maverick she knew and adored.

She nudged him. “We’re supposed to be out in the world, spreading this amazingness and making people love you again.” She began pulling his hands, dragging him toward a cluster of teammates at the end of the hallway, just before the doors that would lead them to the press.

He resisted.

“What?” Didn’t he see this opportunity to change the way people saw him? Or was something else happening that she hadn’t picked up on yet?

“Can’t we? You know?” He was eyeing the group of men. He looked back at her. “Just you and me? Do something away from everyone else?”

“You don’t want to be seen with me?” Her words barely came out above a whisper as she caught herself. He was simply more private than many of his teammates and had been burned by the press. It wasn’t about her. “I mean, wehaveto go out. Wehaveto celebrate.”

That lift she’d seen earlier seemed to fade.

“Let everyone celebrate you, Mav.” Then she leaned in, her hair brushing his neck as she whispered a reminder. “It’s part of the deal, right?”

She watched his expression, getting the feeling that he was really starting to hate that part of their relationship.

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