Sincerely, The Puck Bunny (Totally Pucked #2)(15)

Her hair is lighter and cut close to her shoulders, curling outwards. She’s grinning at the camera with a lopsided, toothless smile. She’s fucking adorable.

“Ah, that was Maddison when she was about six years old, and convinced she was the next all-American fisherwoman.”

Margaret, Maddison’s grandmother, says as she comes to stand next to me, admiring the photo with love in her eyes. Her glasses sit far down on her nose, and she looks over the top of the frame.

“That girl, I swear. Ever since she was just a little thing, she’s been ready to take on the world. Didn’t matter what it was, she was convinced that if she put her mind to it, she could achieve anything.”

I nod. I was like that too when I was young. Fresh. Had stars in my eyes. The second I stepped out onto the ice, I felt unbeatable. Like a king, overlooking his castle.

Funny how life knocks you down when you feel like you’re at your highest. Its own way of humbling you.

“Anyway, breakfast is in here, sweetheart.” She gestures to the end of the hallway.

“Thank you.”

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I walk to the dining room. Entering, I’m taken back with how spacious it is. The inn doesn’t look tiny from the outside, but it definitely is ten times bigger than it looks. The room is elongated with a huge, dark oak table set with individual place settings and the middle is filled with every breakfast food you could possibly think of: eggs, bacon, hash browns, muffins, biscuits.

Hell, just looking at it I know I’m going to have to work out twice a day when I get home or I’ll find my ass flat on the ice.

With perfect timing, my stomach grumbles as my appetite flares.

I’m a growing boy, what can I say?

My eyes scan the room for Maddison, and I find her at the very end of the table. She’s chatting with an older man who sits to her left, and as luck would have it, the chair across from her isn’t taken. I walk over and slide the chair out before taking a seat.

When her eyes flare up and meet mine, she grins shyly. I want to tell her, after having her pussy on my tongue less than an hour ago, there’s nothing to be shy about, but I’m guessing her grandmother’s breakfast table is not the place to say it.

“Hi.” I smirk.

Her honeydew eyes glimmer. “Hi.”

Neither of us says anything else, but it’s one of those moments where it doesn’t have to be said. I can feel it.

Her eyes tell me everything I need to know.

Seconds later, her grandmother walks through the double French doors then closes them behind her. Even though it’s hardly eight a.m., her apron is already covered in flour and there’s a smear of it across her cheek. Something I didn’t notice earlier.

“Good morning, everyone. Feel free to dig in!”

I can tell she’s the kind of woman who enjoys hosting and feeding everyone. A lot like my own grandmother was. She loved to have us guys over after hockey practice, so she could feed us and complain about all the dirt we tracked in, even though we all knew she lived for those days. She passed away when I was a teenager, and I still miss her every day.

Everyone begins making their plates, including myself. I load it down with eggs and pancakes and extra bacon because I’m a meat kind of guy. All while sharing secret, heated glances with Maddison.

I smirk when she misses the sausage she’s trying to stab with her fork because we’re eye-fucking each other at the table. We’re like teenagers right now, but fuck, I’m so into her I don’t even give a shit.

After our plates are made and everyone’s seated at the table, lost in conversation, Maddison’s grandmother joins us at the head of the table with her plate and begins speaking.

“Maddison, darling, did you have a good sleep last night?” she asks.

Maddison’s eyes fly up to meet mine, and we stare at each other for a moment. Rolling her lips together, to stifle the smile, we lose it. Both of us laughing so hard, the entire table shakes in front of us.

Her grandmother looks alarmed, her eyes flicking between the two of us.

“Yes, Grams, I had a wonderful night. Very pleasurable.”

Having just taken a bite of eggs from my plate, I choke on them mid-swallow and almost fucking die.

Jesus Christ.

She’s truly my dream girl. In the fucking flesh, sitting right here in front of me.

Somehow, I dislodge the eggs from my throat and clear it before taking a swallow of the orange juice in front of me.

“You have a lovely inn, Margaret,” I tell her grandmother, putting on my most charming smile, determined to win her over as well.

Her eyes crinkle as she smiles. “Oh, you are just a doll. Thank you so much. Henry, my husband, and I have worked on this old place since we weren’t much older than Maddison. It was my mama and daddy’s place, and when they were ready to retire, they passed it on to Henry and me. Lots of love in these walls, that’s for sure. Now that Henry’s gone, it’s just me but still full of love. Even if everything does constantly keep breaking and costing me money.” She laughs quietly.

Maddison nods. “I love this place. I don’t get a chance often to leave school and come down, but when I do, I head straight here for a relaxing, stress-free weekend.”

Her grandmother pats her hand, smiling. “And we’re so proud of you, honey.”

“Thanks, Grams.”