PUCK (A BAD BOY HOCKEY ROMANCE) by Jessica Marx

I’m very jittery, and have to recheck to make sure I have everything I need several times.
    As I’m driving to the estate, I listen to my voicemail from yesterday. I was happy to get a message from Joanne that her and my father will of course be in attendance. It will be nice to know they will be there for some extra moral support and to cheer me on while they also support Puck. I also haven’t seen them since I started working with Puck, so hopefully I’ll have some time to spare that I can spend with them.
    My train of thought leads me to Puck again. I think about all of the trust he has put in me to man this event. I’m sure other people on his team besides Steven tried to talk him out of using me, but he stood his ground, and I respect him for that. I’m going to try and keep this in mind when I see him today.
    I still have no clue what the deal is with him and Amanda, but I have to assume their relationship goes beyond professional. Today is not the day to get into that conversation, but depending on where things lead us, I’m going to ask him at some point, especially if I decide there’s any chance we’re going to get involved.
    The sun has barely risen and there are cars parked down the long drive as I pull in. The circular driveway is crowded with delivery trucks so I squeeze my own car in where I can. I know we will all have to move later anyway to make way for the valet.
    I give a polite smile to each person I pass as I make my way to the kitchen. There is so much that has to be done today so I’m glad some of my crew is already here working on the list I left for them last night.
    I greet them good morning and lay out the boxes of donuts and coffee I picked up on my way over. There’s no time to make breakfast today. I quickly put my things down and reach for my binder. I need to go over my checklists for today and get everything in order before I begin. I notice a folded piece of yellow note paper with my name on it. I assume it's a note from Steven reminding me to do something or other, even though he's been sending me texts at all hours for the last few days.
    I'm pleasantly surprised when I open the paper and see it's a note from Puck:
    Dani-
    I've missed you the last few days. I look forward to spending some
    time together after this weekend. Good luck tonight - I know you'll be a big hit. More than anything, I'm glad you will be a huge part of tonight's success. See you this afternoon.
    -Puck
    I'm grinning ear to ear after finishing his note. I was so upset last night thinking that Puck was with Amanda that I was not expecting this at all. Maybe I was wrong after all, there could be nothing going on between them. Then again, maybe he’s just playing me, not knowing I have any knowledge of Amanda. Although it's a small gesture, I don't think he would have bothered writing to me if there was someone else in the picture. Why bother?
    I tuck the note into my back pocket and pick up my lists for today. As long as we stay on schedule, we will be done in plenty of time. I tape each list onto the refrigerator and call my temporary staff over. I explain everything that needs to be done and the time frame in which it needs to be completed. We'll have to move into the outside kitchen by early afternoon, so I want to finish up most of the prep work before we do. They seem excited for the day ahead and I'm feeling pretty confident myself.
    The crew helps themselves to some coffee and donuts and quickly get back to work. I peer outside into the backyard - it looks incredible. There are black tablecloths laid out on the tables, the chairs are covered in a white fabric with a teal accent bow on the back. There are tall, elegant floral arrangements displayed in the center of each table. The faux crystal chandeliers are all in place, and right now they’re reflecting the day light.
    Steven and the people he hired have perfected every detail. They did an incredible job. I can't wait to see it tonight when