Page 8 of Grudge Puck
Beau extended his hand to Piper over the counter, with his eyes not-so-subtly going straight to her cleavage.Ugh.
“Hi, I'm Beau Bradford,” he said, speaking smoothly and confidently. “I play hockey for the Colorado Blizzard.”
“And he's veryhumble about it, too,” I remarked cynically.
But Piper's jaw dropped.
“Like, pro—professionalhockey?” she stammered. “In the NHL?”
“Yup.” Beau beamed proudly. “And this here's my captain, roommate on the road, buddy, and all around good guy, Hunter Rockwell.”
“Hi ladies,” Hunter said, and he extended his hand for us both to shake. For his part, he looked like he had a case of some mild regret—like he didn't want any part of this.
Beau butted in. “Hunter's a happily married man with a beautiful daughter, so don't get any ideas, Rach.”
I rolled my eyes. “Good to know you're still just as annoying as you were in middle school, Beau.”
Beau took a look around our shop, and waves of hot embarrassment rushed over me. I hated that he was here. I felt so exposed, so naked and embarrassed. This shop represented my hopes and dreams—in some way, it was a private part of myself that I didn't want toshowto anyone who knew me outside these walls.
But who waltzed right in? Beau Bradford. Just so he could take delight in casting his eyes over something I never wanted him to see in the first place.
“Nice little shop you got here, Rach,” he said at last.
“Camille,” I corrected him curtly.
“Right.” He grinned at me. “So, a vegan bakery, huh.”
“Yep.”
“I had no idea people even put meat in cakes in the first place.”
I tittered at his expense. “You're such an ass. Vegan implies no animal products, not just meat. No eggs, no dairy.”
“So what do you bake with? Tree bark and mud?”
My patience was beginning to run thin. “Yeah, exactly,” I said with an eye-roll.
I stared at him while I waited for whatever dumb remark came next. His blonde hair was kept neat and tidy, with just a small swoop at his bangs. As much as it pained me to admit it, he'd filled out since our high school days and really grown into a man. A handsome man with all those classic good-looking features: the strong jawline, the rugged chin, the lovely cheek-bones.
Because ofcoursea guy that was a total dick also had to be sinfully attractive. And mega successful in life.
I shook my head. “What did you come here for, Beau?”
“To get a taste,” he answered, and his eyes swept over my cleavage. Just a coincidence, I'm sure.
Ugh. Ew.
“… I'm going to ignore the creepy subtext and assume you meant a taste of cupcake,” I mumbled.
I slid the display door open, grabbed a cupcake, and set it on the counter in front of him.
Beau scooped the cupcake up in his giant hand and scarfed it down in practically one bite.
Gross.
But I guess the guy's gotta have a big appetite. Pro athlete and all.
I watched him chew and waited for the verdict. Even though Iknewhe'd act like it was the worst thing ever, even if he truly didn't think so. So why did I care at all?
