Deflect.Deflect.Deflect.
The stunned expression that crossed the rookie’s face almost made Wolfe smile.
Almost.
“Oh, um, I stopped by the bakery for a quick cup of coffee,” Matt rushed out.“The coffee was to go.I didn’t stay.Anyway, Mia and Aspen were talking about the dinner and that it didn’t go so well.”
Fuck a duck.
Wolfe normally kept all of this shit in, but he was stumped as how to proceed in hopes of landing back into BB’s good graces.He longed for the internal sun that lit up her beautiful face and spread to others around her.A light that Wolfe not only desperately wanted but began to crave.And a light he was responsible for dimming.
“And?”Wolfe asked blandly, as if he wasn’t holding his breath to see what intel the kid might have about the situation.
“And nothing.It sounds like it was a weird night and she was just sharing with Mia.”
“Weird how?”Dante jumped in before Wolfe could ask for clarification.
“I don’t know, it sounds like some superfans basically offered Wolfe sex, by the way Aspen was talking about it, and she sounded more jealous than anything.But then they stopped talking.”
Both men looked to Wolfe, expecting him to fill in the gaps.
“What?”Wolfe questioned, then continued flatly.“Some bunnies came to the table to chat and get autographs while we were eating dinner.I shut them down and moved them along, but not before one of them shoved her tits in my face to sign her skin.”
“Damn, bro,” Dante shook his head, then leaned his chin against his gloves resting atop the knob of his hockey stick.
“Needless to say, the night didn’t end well with the boss baker.”
“So what are you going to fix around her shop to get back in her good graces?”Matt said with a laugh, and began batting a puck lightly against the taped portion of the blade of his stick.
Wolfe thought long and hard about that.He didn’t want to show up and do a shitload of work to make her feel even worse, like she owed him even more in materials and time.
This whole situation was laughable.Wolfe was certain he could pay off her loan with his salary from one month of games.Although her shop needed every bit of extra TLC Wolfe offered and more, he knew Aspen’s pride and need to avoid taking handouts brewed beneath the surface between the two of them.
“Maybe you could bring her a gift,” Matt’s voice interrupted Wolfe’s wayward thoughts about how to proceed in this unclear situation.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.I accidentally broke...a friend’s tablet, so I went and bought her a new Kindle.She seemed cool with it.”
“Sounds like a plan.Maybe instead of bringing her a gift, you could take her to Chick-fil-A for a shake,” Dante offered.
Wolfe shook his head in disbelief at Dante’s lame recommendation.He was also certain that the new tablet went to Mia based on the way the rookie loitered at the bakery during Mia’s shifts.Wolfe would save that bit of info for another time.
“Cap, I swear, you’re one day shy of wearing plaid pants pulled up to your sternum and eating dinner before four in the afternoon based on how old you act.You’re such a grandpa.”
A serious look crossed Dante’s face.“There’s nothing wrong with eating early, Wolfe.It’s good for digestion,” Dante retorted, unaware he was being dinged for acting insanely older than he was.“Okay, smarty, you tell me what she likes.”
The problem was Wolfe didn’t know exactlywhatshe liked.He didn’t know the first thing about what BB enjoyed since their dinner mostly involved an argument over who was going to pay and an interruption from the busty bunnies at their table.
From her work at the bakery, he knew Aspen loved her business and making sweet treats.
“We know she likes to bake,” the kid offered.
“Yeah, but wouldn’t she have everything she needs since it’s her job?”Wolfe countered, taking his hockey gloves off his hands and tucking the padded holders under his arm since it seemed they weren’t going to be practicing anytime soon.“I mean she has pans, ingredients, that kind of shit.”
Wolfe was at a total loss.
“You could google fancy cupcake baking supplies and see what comes up,” Matt spouted.
