Page 20 of One Last Puck

To finally catch up with your dreams.

I smiled at the caption before clicking off his page before somebody in here saw me blushing. Shit, I needed to avoid him tonight now.

I made small talk with Marcus and Zack while they worked on me, and about two hours later, I was being sprayed down with holding spray and setting spray.

“We’re done!” Zack called out as he turned me toward the full-length mirror. The reflection that stared back at me was breathtaking.

“Oh wow!” I focused in. My makeup was perfectly blended, and the messy up do was the perfect choice to show off my high cheekbones.

“Do you like it?” Marcus asked, already doing a little victory dance. I couldn’t help the grin that appeared on my face watching him celebrate.

“Love it!” I stood from the chair, moving to my purse to give them a tip. “Here.”

I pulled out two fifties.

“Keep it.” Marcus waved me off.

“Trust. We were generously compensated,” Zack added, and I nodded my head.

They didn’t have to tell me twice. I put my money back in purse and went in the bedroom to oil down while the glam squad packed up their things.

“We’re heading out!” Marcus yelled from the front room.

“Okay!”

The door opened and shut, letting me know they were gone, and I moved quickly to get dressed. I’d just received a text thatmy ride was in route. The plan was to arrive early so I could get some interviews for the network before the red-carpet arrivals began. Once I was dressed, I decided to take out my blog camera and get some behind the scenes footage for my show. I set the camera up on the dresser. Flipping it on, I addressed my followers directly.

“Hey, everyone! It’s Lafayette Porter fromThe Porter Report.I’ve just gotten ready for the awards tonight, and I’m feeling all kinds of fabulous,” I said, showing off my outfit and makeup. “Tonight is going to be so much fun, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. I’ll be back!”

I finished my mini video just as another knock sounded at the door.

“That must be my ride.”

I gathered my things and made my way to the front door, throwing it open without looking.

“Jax?”

My breath hitched in my throat. He was standing there with a huge bouquet of roses, dressed to the nines in a sharp black suit. A handsome smile was displayed on his lips.

“What are you doing here?” I pulled him inside before someone saw him.

“I’m your celebrity escort for the night, Faye Baby. Surprise.”

“Ready?”I asked as the car stopped and the door was pulled open by a staff member.

Arrivals hadn’t begun yet, but the staff was already in place setting up. The lights from the television cameras outside flooded into the vehicle, and I took a deep breath. Contrary to popular belief, these things always brought me a level of anxiety. I was a hockey player. I didn’t really like doing the spotlight shit. I just knew how to turn on the charm when it was necessary.

“Do I have a choice?” Faye muttered, glaring at me with her arms folded over her chest.

She rode the entire way with that cute ass attitude. If looks could kill, I would have been a dead nigga when I first came toher door. She hadn’t even appreciated the roses. Just tossed them on the table and stormed out.

“Nah. I don’t think you do, shawty.”

“I just don’t understand how you conveniently left out the part where you’re the star athlete that’s accompanying me tonight,” she said, trying to pretend she wasn’t happy it was me. I knew the truth.

“It was a surprise,” I lied.

It wasn’t. I was supposed to tell her yesterday. I just didn’t want Lafayette pushing me away before she got to know a nigga. Had I told her last night that the network had enlisted me to escort her today, she never would have taken me back to her room. It was fucked up, but it wasn’t the worst thing I’d done in my lifetime to get some pussy. God was working on me, though. I knew it the moment He sent Faye to me. It was like the moment I met her, I became a better man.

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