The Puck Secret (Fairfield U Book 1)

Nova Darkmore is an asshole. I swear there is a special place in hell for people like him. That cocky and arrogant sort of prick who thinks he is god’s gift to women, yet has the personality of a damn goldfish. I honestly don’t understand what half of Fairfield U’s female population sees in him. I mean, sure he’s attractive with all that dark inky, black hair and broody green eyes, and of course he towers over me at around 6 ft 3, and is ridiculously cut from playing hockey, but did you miss the part where I said he was an asshole?

I stare after him until he disappears, and then I turn back to Josh and force my face back into a smile. “So lunch?”

Josh continues to stare at the now empty door that leads into the locker room until he sighs, “Yeah, that would be great, Mads, just give me ten minutes.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond, just rushes off into the changing rooms and I head outside to bring my car around front.

When I pull up I notice a new message I had missed earlier because my battery was dead, after I forgot to plug in my new phone last night. I quickly rectified that when I left the house this morning, putting it on charge in my car, and now the backup is finished I notice the unread text.

I can’t keep the surprise off my face when I unlock it and read.

The Lonely Charm: Maybe we aren’t lonely.

The Lonely Charm: Maybe we are just alone and peaceful

*Image attached*

The words give me something to think about, but it’s the image that captures my immediate attention. It’s a picture of a lake, but not just any lake, it’s a lake I recognize almost instantly. It’s the lake that runs right by the back of my house. I take a walk along it almost every night. Butterflies start to swirl through my stomach that I now know this wonderful stranger lives in Fairfield. Is it fate?

No, wait, maybe it really is a stalker?

No, Maddie, we are not being neurotic today, I tell myself, trying my best to calm my anxiety, but it doesn’t seem to work. Did I remember to take my meds this morning? I read the message again, and despite my worries I can’t help but take comfort in his words. Do I feel lonely? I don’t know. I like spending time alone, I love Josh and Hallie, and most of the time my parents, but there is nothing I enjoy more than being able to kick my feet up and relax with a good murder documentary. But so does every other girl, that doesn’t make me special, it doesn’t make me lonely. It could mean I have a stalker though.

I quickly fire off a reply.

Maddie: Are you a stalker as well as a charmer?

The message changes to read almost instantly, as if he was waiting for my response, which doesn’t do my stalker theory any favors, but still I smile in anticipation when the little typing bubbles appear.

The Lonely Charm: I accept the role as charmer, but I have yet to make it to stalker territory. Care to elaborate?

His response makes me smile more than it should, and I bite my lip as I look around the lot to see if my brother is coming yet. No luck, the only person I spy is Nova, head buried in his phone with a smile. I bet he’s never been lonely a day in his life, he’s probably texting one of those puck bunnies of his right now. Rolling my eyes I focus back on my text message and tap out another response.

Maddie: That picture you sent is of Lake Spring, it runs right by my house.

Again he reads it almost as soon as it’s sent, and straight away bubbles appear and disappear a few times, before a message finally comes through.

The Lonely Charm: Interesting, so that must mean you go to FU then?

The question about school throws me a little, but before I can respond my passenger side door opens and Josh climbs inside. “So where are we going?” He heaves his bag into the back seat with a huff, and then looks at me expectantly.

I know how exhausted he is after games and practice, so I focus on him with a smile. “Tacos on fifth?” I ask, suggesting his favorite place, making his face light up.

He leans over and ruffles my hair, kissing my head as he says, “You know you’re my favorite sister, right?”

I roll my eyes, turning my engine on and getting ready to leave “I’m your only sister, douchebag,” I remind him, but he just shrugs as we move on our way.

The drive to the restaurant is mainly filled with Josh telling me about last night’s game, and what I missed, and asking if his favorite sister enjoyed dad’s party. Again, I roll my eyes listening to him, letting him go on with himself until we are at the restaurant and settled in a booth waiting for our order.

While he continues to talk about some fight that broke out last night, I pull out my phone and reply to my maybe stalker.

Maddie: If you are a stalker you should already know that, but for the sake of our truth pact – yes I go to FU.

Josh distracts my attention with a question, “So how was the party really?” I take a deep breath, thankful for the few second reprieve as the waitress brings our order.

I want to tell him the truth, but I’m not sure he could handle it or understand it. Yes, we grew up in the same house with the same parents, but we did not have the same childhood as I’m sure most siblings can relate. I know if I told him what our dad said that he would have my back, but at the same time he would also try to defend him, it’s what he does. Josh always tries to see the best in people, it’s one of the many reasons I love him, but right now I can’t take it.

So instead I smile, reaching for my food. “The party was fine, you know how they are. Too much champagne and not enough people our age.” He eyes me coolly as if he can pick up on my lie, so I quickly add, “I got cornered by creepy old guy again, he tried to grope me. Wanted to know if I was twenty-one yet so he could make me wife number seven.” I take a sip of my drink and force a laugh. “Luckily, Mom saved me before I could give him an answer and he could get a handful.”

Josh shakes his head. “Only you would call the CEO of a fortune 500 company a creepy old guy.”

I shrug as my phone vibrates in my lap and I look down at it as I respond to him. “What? It’s true. I don’t care how big his bank account is, consent costs nothing, Josh.”

The Lonely Charm: Truth pact? Wow sounds serious, we should shake on that. Tell me which house by the lake is yours and I’ll drop by. Or do I have to knock on every door and ask for the hot girl?

My words trail off as I read the message and smile, but with Josh still watching me he catches it. “Who are you texting? And did you get a new phone?” He reaches over the table to grab it, but I snatch it back before it can touch his hand.

“Yes, I dropped mine and it cracked, and I’m texting Hals, she is coming home early.” The lie is quick and almost true. I did talk to Hallie earlier, and she told me her parents are driving her nuts and that she is already on the way home.

Maddie: You’re ridiculous & most definitely a stalker!

I reply to the message and focus back on my brother, reaching for one of my delicious pork tacos and shoving it into my mouth. The flavors burst on my tongue, and I almost groan as the waitress comes back to top off our drinks, or should I say flirt with my brother? She’s been by four times since we were seated and he announced that his sister would have an iced tea. I swear he lives in a fantasy world where we aren’t the Mayor’s children, and pretty much everyone knows that. Not to mention that pretty much half the town watches him play at his home games.

The Lonely Charm: 🙄 Relax Grim, I go to FU too and run by that Lake almost every morning. Should I start doing it shirtless so you can watch?

Growing up with a brother means you learn quickly to deal with the opposite sex and their bullshit. Josh has played hockey for most of his life, which means I’ve been around hockey teams most of my life. You get used to their sort of banter and the stuff that goes along with it.

It’s why I know how to hit a man exactly where it hurts… his ego

Maddie: I doubt there is much to see so no thanks!

Going back to my taco I take another huge bite as another message comes through. Josh is still flirting with the waitress so I slide open the message to find a new picture waiting.

Then I choke on my taco.

The Lonely Charm: Oh yeah?

*Image attached*

Hot.

Shirtless.

Abs.

So many fucking abs.

Fuck.

Are guy thirst traps a thing? Because if so, I definitely just got one. The taco continues to be lodged in my throat as Josh jumps up to pat me on the back, and I choke it down as I whip my phone out of sight, knocking my drink over in the process.

Josh jumps back with a curse, “Fucking hell, Maddie, what is with you today?” The waitress is quick to grab the spill with a cloth stuck in her apron, and I am still trying to catch my breath so I can apologize.

A few more coughs and I ignore my heated cheeks as I rush out my words. “Oh my god, I am so sorry, really sorry, I’m such a klutz.” I grab some napkins and begin helping her clean up, but I can still feel Josh’s concerned stare burning into me.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Mads?” He hardly ever calls me that, so I know he is worried about me, and a part of me wants to pour my secrets out to him, but this isn’t his burden, it’s mine.

So instead of telling him the truth I end up blurting out, “Yeah I’m fine, dick pic!”

Oh my fucking god why did I just say that to my brother?

“Jesus, Maddie,” he groans, and I see the waitress hide her smile as she retreats with the soaking wet cloth.

“Hallie,” I quickly add in an attempt to defend myself. “Hallie forwarded it to me, some guy she’s seeing,” I quickly continue on with my lie, making a mental note to clue Hals in on it later.

Josh rolls his eyes as he mutters under his breath, “Of course she did.”

Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. It doesn’t matter that Hallie has been my best friend since we were nine, Josh has never liked her. We’ve had sleepovers, family vacations, dinner parties, years of time spent together and the two of them still don’t see eye to eye. Hallie tries, or at least she used to, now she just likes to annoy him at any given opportunity.

After my embarrassing outburst, I keep my phone firmly hidden in my bag so I can finish my lunch, and I absolutely don’t think about the six pack burning its way into my brain, and instead focus on my brother. The rest of our lunch is uneventful after my little post shirtless reaction, and Josh forgets all about it when the waitress slides him her number.

An hour later I am dropping him off outside of his house, and even though I have told him a million times that I am fine and nothing is wrong, he lingers as he opens his door to get out. “There’s a party at mine tonight,” he starts, and I look at him as if to say yeah and? “Why don’t you come, have some fun?”

He must think my life is a DEFCON 1 if he is inviting me to one of his parties. He gave me strict orders Freshman year to stay away from his friends, and I’ve had no trouble following that rule. Hockey players are not my type, but still I find myself mulling over the idea when I normally wouldn’t, because it would be nice to get out and have some fun, especially after last night.

I bite my lip as I ask, “Can I bring Hallie?” I know it’s a big ask, especially to him, but to my surprise he nods.

“Sure, fine, whatever,” he grumbles almost reluctantly, and I have to roll my eyes again. “Just keep her out of my face, Maddie.”

“She’s my best friend, Josh, not a monster, what is your problem with her?” It’s ridiculous how much he fights me when it comes to her, she is practically a member of our family at this point.

“Keep her out of my face and I won’t have a problem,” he snaps, before taking a deep breath. “I’ll just see you tonight, okay?”

He doesn’t give me a chance to respond, just slams the door as I toss a wave and maybe a middle finger to his back before I start to drive away. My weekend might have started out shit but things are looking up, and who knows what tonight will bring. Maybe it will even be fun. There’s only one way to find out I guess, but first I have to work on persuading Hallie to go with me.