Page 8 of Hot Shot
“Hi, Jenna,” I say, addressing the well-dressed blonde woman standing on the other side of the counter.
“Madison.” Her eyes light up when she peeks into the cake box. “Oh my goodness, it is perfect. Cole and Hannah are going to be thrilled when they see it tomorrow.”
“I’m glad.” I smile, happy that she’s satisfied with what I made. I was worried for a minute that it wouldn’t be good enough.
She pays for the cake and with a wave and a promise to send more business our way she picks up the cake and heads out the door.
“Holy shit,” Brandon mutters after Jenna is gone.
“What?” I spin around to face him. He’s standing with his mouth open, staring between me and the order sheet in his hand. “What’s wrong?”
“That was Jenna Cutter . . . Cutter.” He repeats her last name like it means something.
“Yeah, I know.” I glance over at Rachel who shrugs her shoulders and starts helping a customer.
“No, that’s Jenna Cutter. Caleb Cutter’s wife.”
“Okay sure,” I say with a shake of my head.
What is he going on about now? I’m going to guess that Caleb is some local celebrity I should know but don’t.
“You really are clueless, aren’t you?” Brandon chuckles as he runs a hand through his curly blond hair.
“Please fill me in on what I’m missing.” I cross my arms, resting my hip against the counter.
“Caleb Cutter is the captain of the Orlando Storm. He was part of the group that won three straight Stanley Cups. He’s basically a legend in the hockey world. Which means. Holy shit. That cake was for Cole and Hannah Ross. Cole plays defense for the Storm. He and Caleb have been playing together since the beginning of their careers and are close friends. You made a cake for an NHL player.” His eyes widen at the realization. I can’t help but chuckle at all the information he rattled off. Yep, definitely a hockey fan.
I shrug.What do I care?Jenna was nice. The only clues that she might be wealthy were the beautiful Louis Vuitton bag she carried and the way she didn’t flinch at the upcharge on the cake because it was a rush job. A lot of people have money around here so I didn’t think anything of it.
Brandon shakes his head, mumbling something that I can’t understand. Thankfully another customer comes in and he turns his attention to them.
Glancing at the clock, I see that my workday is over. The one perk of starting work before the sun is up is that I get done early. It gives me time to do all my errands during the day while other people are working. It also means I have time to take an afternoon nap, which is what I plan to do when I get home.
As I’m gathering my stuff to leave, my phone dings with a text. Assuming it’s my aunt, I pull my phone out of my pocket to see a message from my father.
Jake:Hi Madison. I never heard back from you. Would love to have coffee or go to dinner before the season starts.
Ugh.I shove my phone into my back pocket without answering him. I still haven’t decided what to do.
Part of me wants to ignore him. Part of me wants to meet up with him, see if we can have a relationship.
My mom left me with unanswered questions about my father. Questions maybe he can answer.
Yawning, I gather my stuff, ready to head home and take a nap. A voice out in the shop has me pausing midstep, my hand on the doorknob.
Could it be? No way. There’s no way he’s here.
Chapter four
Hunter
“Wherearewegoingagain?” I glance out the window of Wes’s Jeep as he pulls into a spot next to a row of stores.
“To Sugar and Crumbs. The bakery that Caleb was telling me about.” He cuts the engine and turns to me. “Did you not hear the conversation I had with him earlier?”
I shake my head because I was distracted by thoughts of a certain brown-haired, hazel-eyed beauty that I can’t seem to get out of my head. Someone I find myself thinking more and more about as the days go by.
The only times I can concentrate on something else is when I’m on the ice or in the weight room. Otherwise, she takes over my thoughts and has even made a few appearances in my dreams.
