Sincerely, The Puck Bunny (Totally Pucked #2)(66)

Twenty Four





“Are you going to tell me what you have planned?” Maddison asks. She’s putting things in Olive’s bag for her very first overnight trip. Her first trip away from her mama, and I know Maddison’s nervous.

I know her well enough now that I’ve learned the little things about her. Like when she’s anxious, she fidgets. With her nails, a loose string on her sweater, or in this case, by taking everything out of the bag she’s just packed to make sure she hasn’t missed anything.

I get it, I’m going to miss my Olive girl, too, but Maddison and I need this night.

My phone rings in my pocket, and I pull it out to see my mother’s name on the screen. Pressing the side button, I silence it then slip it back in my pocket.

When I look up, Maddison’s paused packing and is looking at me with soft eyes.

“Your parents?” she asks quietly.

I nod. “My mother. I’m not ready yet.”

“Okay.”

I don’t want to put a damper on the mood, so I quickly change the subject, shelving the conversation about my fucked-up family. “I’m going to get Olive dressed and spend some time with her before your grams gets here. Then, I’m leaving, and I’ll pick you up at seven for our date.”

She blows out an exasperated breath. “Can’t you tell me something? At least tell me what I should wear.”

“Babe,” I laugh, walking over and wrapping my arms around her waist, “wear something comfortable, but feel free to wear heels.”

She groans against my chest then looks up at me with her wide, gold-flecked eyes that always disarm me, so fucking easily. “You are driving me crazy.” Her fingers skim along the expanse of my chest, and I almost shiver.

I’m gone for her.

Everything about her sets me on edge.

I drop my lips to her quickly, giving her a kiss that’s hard and demanding, but tear myself away before I forget about the entire night that I’ve got planned. Which I’ve spent the last week planning, although she has no idea what’s in store.

“Later,” I mutter against her lips.

“Fine.”

She steps back and walks over to the bag of Olive’s things on the bed, and I can’t help but laugh. Just weeks ago, we said we were going to take things slow, and it’s a pace neither of us has seemed to be able to keep.

I walk into the living room, where Olive is in her exersaucer, playing with the toys on it. She babbles in baby until I pick her up from it and hold her over my head like a mini-baby airplane.

“You are such a big girl, Olive. What’s Daddy gonna do when you get bigger? You know that even when you do get big, you’ll still be my baby girl, right?

I can’t wait for the day that she talks back. I can’t wait to see her grow.

“Briggs, Grams is here,” Maddison calls from the bedroom, appearing moments later with Olive’s pack and play tucked under one arm and her bag slung over the other.

“Woman, I told you to let me lift the heavy stuff.”

“I’ve got it. You’ve got Olive.”

We meet her grams downstairs to load the things into her car, and her face lights up when she sees Olive.

“Oh, darling girl, how big you’ve gotten since I’ve seen you last.” She walks over and gently takes Olive from me, giving me a pat on the cheek. “She looks even bigger than in the photos you’ve been sending, Maddison.”

It feels like every time I blink, Olive is doing something new, like rolling over from her back to her belly and her belly to her back, which caused Maddison to scream out loud and video it then she proceeded to send it to Juliet, Holland, Ty, Kyle, Grams and then Emery.

“She’s growing like a weed, that’s for sure. Thanks for letting her stay over tonight, Grams. I’m a little nervous,” she admits.

Grams scoffs. “I raised you, didn’t I, Maddison? She will be fine. We’re going to make some cookies for the guests and then we’re going to go through all of your old baby things to see what I can pass down to her. Isn’t that right, Olive?” Turning to face me, she says, “Nice to see you again, Briggs. Not that I’m surprised.”

Her eyes twinkle, and she winks.

“Nice to see you too, ma’am. Thanks for being here for Maddison, you know, when I wasn’t able to.”

Grams nods. “I knew you two would find your way back to each other, one way or another. Life has a way of making things more complicated than it should be sometimes.”

Isn’t that the truth.

It makes me think of my own family and how disconnected and divided we all are.

“Alright, we’ve got to get back, sweet girl, say bye to Daddy and Mommy.”

We each take turns giving Olive kisses, then help Grams get the car seat into her SUV then she pulls out of the parking lot, both of us watching as she goes.

“That was way harder than I actually thought it would be.” Maddison mumbles, swiping away a tear that’s fallen from her hazel eyes.

“Fuck, baby, don’t cry. Please.” I put my arm around her shoulders and pull her into me, kissing the top of her hair. “I promise she's going to do great. Plus, I have something planned that you’ll love.”

“I know, it’s just hard being away from her.”