The Muse and the Fairy Tale (New Hampshire Bears #1)

by Mary Smith

  What about you?

  I’ve recently taken up reading. I joked with her. I hadn’t told her I was almost done with a second book of hers.

  LOL. Any authors I might know.

  Just one with a kinky shed, I chuckled as I pressed send. I knew I was ruffling her feathers. Will I see you in your dominatrix leathers tomorrow?

  Yep, I’ll be in the black corset, crotchless panties, and holding a riding crop.

  I really did laugh out loud picturing her in them.

  I’ll hold you to it. Goodnight, Meadow.

  Goodnight, Kyson.

  Kian double-checked to make sure I had the clothes I was supposed to wear for the shoot. Meadow had emailed the list to each of us twice to make sure we wouldn’t forget.

  We loaded up the truck and headed to the arena where Meadow had gained permission to use the ice for the photos. Kian went over the list of shots that would be taken and it still surprised me how detailed she was. I changed into the hockey jersey she’d provided, with her fictional team logo on it, and I laced up and headed out toward the ice.

  And there she was.

  Meadow Hylton stood by the player’s bench, in tight jeans, which hugged her perfect ass. She giggled and flipped her blonde hair as she talked to the man with a large camera around his neck. My eyes searched her body again. She was thick, and I liked it. My gaze stopped at her D-cup breasts. I could already imagine them in my mouth.

  “Kyson,” Kian hissed. “Get moving.” He pushed on my shoulder and my legs began walk.

  “Ms. Hylton,” Kian gained Meadow’s attention.

  “Hello.” She held out her hand, and my brother shook it.

  “Let me introduce you to your cover model, Kyson Wick.” Kian stepped back, and I was drawn into her crystal blue eyes.

  “Kyson, you’re much taller than you look on Facebook messenger.” She held out her hand to me.

  I smirked, able to regain my composure. “I can’t say I approve of the outfit; I expected something else.”

  Meadow scoffed and ignored my comment. “This is Michael, and he’ll be taking the shots today.”

  After a moment or two of pleasantries, Michael and I skated off onto the ice. Kian remained next to Meadow on the bench. Michael told me my first position, and I did my best to listen to him and face the camera, but my eyes kept wandering back to Meadow.

  “Look this way please,” Michael repeated several times.

  Finally, I pulled my eyes away from her and became a cover model. I followed all Michael’s directions and soon I felt like I got the hang of it.

  I changed into my second outfit: dark jeans and a polo with the fake team’s emblem on the right side. This time I was up in the stands, seated in one of the arena chairs.

  My last outfit was the fictional teams practice gear, and I was on the player’s bench. Like the others, they were more casual shots. And after three hours, I was finished and tired. I’ve done photo shoots before, but this way beyond anything else.

  Kian and I had packed up everything in the same duffle bag she’d sent it over in.

  “I’ll take—”

  “No,” I cut Kian off and took the bag. “I’ll run it over to her.”

  He didn’t say anything, but he had a small smile on his face as I walked back toward Meadow, where she waited down the hall.

  “Here you go.” I handed her the bag. “Where’s Michael?”

  “He left already. He wanted to get started on edits. I’m really on a deadline, and I hate I’m so far behind.”

  “Listen.” I stepped up to her. “Are you coming to the game tonight? Maybe we can grab a bite afterward?”

  Meadow blinked a few times. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

  “Did you hear me?”

  “No. Yes. No, I mean, yes I heard you, but I really can’t tonight. I’m sorry. Maybe another time.” She gave me a quick smile before she practically sprinted away from me.

  Chapter Five

  Meadow

  I locked myself in the house for the next week and worked on my manuscript. Lack of sleep, lots of caffeine, and way too many carbs, but I finished. I hated pushing myself this badly, and I shouldn’t have waited so long to start.

  “Harlow, you have it; I’m done.” I lay back on my bed and Puckhead curled up by my feet.

  “I’ll look through it this week. I sent you back what I finished. Meadow, it’s good, but not great. Really look over it because I left lots of notes.”

  I closed my eyes. I had hoped I wouldn’t hear those words from her. Harlow was the best, though, and knew what she was talking about.

  “I’ll get on it in a bit. I just need a rest tonight.”

  “I know. Go out in public and have some fun.”

  Fun?

  What does the word mean anymore?

  When I hung up with Harlow, I went to the kitchen. I thought a bottle of wine and Netflix would be a good distraction before I began my edits in the morning, but I put the wine back.

  “I need a clear head for those.”

  I stretched out on my couch and scrolled through the menu to find something to watch. There was nothing on I’d not already seen. I was bored out of my mind. I picked up my phone and mindlessly skimmed Facebook. I stopped at the New Hampshire Bears post. It was a picture of Captain Hamilton Baer and a post about the game tonight.

  A game.

  I checked the time, and I knew I could get ready and make it before the puck dropped.

  Ah, I love hockey.

  I had my large pop in one hand and nachos in the other and was already comfortable in my seat. I loved my seat. It sat directly behind the home goalie, Teo Elgin. He used to be a great goalie for the Bears, but trading rumors had hit him hard and he hasn’t been what he once was.

  I searched the ice until I saw number sixty-five skate by. Kyson. My eyes stayed on him as he stretched, skated around, and shot the puck. His green eyes seemed brighter under the lights reflecting on the ice.

  He was focused.

  As the team left the ice, I began chomping on my nachos and listened to the conversation around me. It was mostly about the Bears and the players. When the lights dimmed as the announcement of the Bears boomed from the speakers, my heartbeat kept up with the thumping music. The team’s first line did a quick lap and my gaze went to Kyson, on the bench. The brown helmet was ugly on him, but he wore it with pride.

  The thrill of the game was what I loved about hockey; and as the puck dropped, I held my breath. The hits, the sounds of the blades slashing the ice, and most of all, the puck hitting the back of the net and the red light going off, were sounds that stuck with you. There was no other sport like it.

  I cheered loudly when Remington scored and Kyson had the assist. I bellowed out the New Hampshire Bear growl when the ref made a bad call. I was having a blast, and I’d almost forgotten how much fun I had at the games. Even though I’d been here for the home opener, I had been thinking about my story the entire time, and I didn’t have any fun. It was nice to forget about the real world every once and a while.

  We lost two to one, but my cheeks hurt from my smile plastered on my face. This had been a great night for me and exactly what I needed to get my ass in gear about edits and rewrites for my book.

  I wrote hockey romances because I loved hockey and the fairy tale the story brought into my life. Reading is a love of mine and I still make time to read because I don’t want to lose that passion. It was also the fuel to the fire in my search for Prince Charming.

  “Meadow.”

  I turned at the sound of my name through the crowd and saw Kian.

  “Hi.” I waved at him as he walked up to me.

  “What are you doing here?”

  I wasn’t sure why people ask this question. Wasn’t it obvious? “My knitting class meets here twice a week.”

  Kian laughed. “Sorry, I just meant I’d not seen you here before.”

  I smiled. “When I’m able to come, I do.”

&nb
sp; “Did you enjoy yourself?”

  “I always do.”

  “Why don’t you come out with Kyson and me? We’d loved it if you could join us.”

  “Aw, thank you, but I need to get home. Let Kyson know I’ll have the pictures back soon.”

  “Are you sure? I know Kyson would enjoy your company.”

  I was taken aback for a second. Why would Kyson want me to come? Had he seen me? Surely not, because he was too busy playing. Was this because Kyson asked me out the last week? I still thought he was just being polite.

  “How about a rain check?” I brushed his offer away.

  Kian smiled and nodded.

  I quickly rushed off and made my way home. I pushed Kian’s comment about Kyson away and flipped on my computer. I pulled up Harlow’s email and went straight to work. I’d planned on waiting until the morning, but I couldn’t go to sleep right away.

  She was right, as always; my work wasn’t great. I began to fix this and that to make it better. As much as I wanted this book out for my fans, I wouldn’t publish crap. I’d rather push back the release date.

  I realized, as the sun began to rise, I’d pulled another all-nighter, but it was worth it, because I’d changed a lot, and I truly thought it was better. Then again, I may have been delusional and sleep deprived.

  I stretched my arms over my head and patted Puckhead before I crawled into bed with my New Hampshire Bears t-shirt still on.

  Harlow sat across from me at The Latte Bean sliding her finger across my tablet.

  “You can only pick six?”

  “Yep. One front cover, one back picture, and four teaser photos,” I informed her while eating my scone.

  “Wow, these are incredible.” Harlow ooh’ed and ahh’ed over Kyson’s photos. “You’ve got to sleep with this guy.”

  “What? He’s a kid.”

  “He’s of legal age, and at the look of his thighs, he’s pumped more than iron in his adulthood.”

  “He’s ten years younger than me.”

  “Which translates to he has stamina.”

  “Would you date someone younger than you?”

  “Does he have a penis and know how to work it?”

  I couldn’t help myself, I laughed so loudly, I snorted, causing people to look over at us. “Oh, Harlow, you always make my day better.”

  “I know.” She sipped her coffee. “But, listen, we need to have a serious discussion about the book.”

  “I know it’s crap.”

  Harlow shook her head. “No, it’s a rough draft, and I know your potential. Fix it and get it back to me.”

  “Okay. I’ve been working on it.”

  “Now, that’s over, let’s get down to this hot cover.”

  Chapter Six

  Kyson

  Meadow Hylton has been on my mind since the photo shoot when she ran away from me. I couldn’t get her blonde hair, blue eyes, and her sexy curves out of my head.

  Oh, those curves.

  I’ve turned into some teenage girl who can’t get her mind off her crush. Not to mention, Kian saw her at the game. Damn, why didn’t I search for her in the crowd?

  “Be a man,” I told myself in the hotel mirror. I’ve been on the road for games the past three days.

  “I want to talk to her,” I said aloud.

  “Then do it,” I answered myself.

  Great! I was officially talking to myself and answering my own questions.

  I opened the new laptop I’d just bought myself last week and brought up Facebook messenger. I’ve never had trouble talking to woman before. What was the big deal now?

  “Start small,” I said and then growled because I was still talking to myself.

  Did you get the pictures for the cover back?

  I wondered if she was home. Does she have a boyfriend? I’ve never asked her. I bet that was the reason she blew me off.

  Yes, I finally narrowed them down. Want to see?

  Sure. Play it cool, Kyson, I repeated in my head.

  I waited as she sent each photo and told me what they’re for. She chose the one of me leaning on the net posts for her cover. I looked mean. The one of me casually sitting back in the stadium chair would go on the back of the book. The other four were of me on the bench and she said those would be posted for her readers as teasers.

  They look great. Even though I wasn’t sure they’d look so great on a book cover.

  I’m thrilled.

  How have you been? Kian said you were at the game.

  I was. I needed a break. And I’m doing fine. How are you?

  Good. All right, let’s pull out the big guns. I was wondering why you rushed off after the shoot.

  I’m on a deadline, and I had a lot of work to do.

  I figured your boyfriend would have been upset if I took you to out.

  I held my breath as the bubbles showed she was typing.

  No boyfriend. I was busy. Promise.

  Husband? I wanted to make sure there was no one.

  Nope. Just my cat and me.

  Puckhead, right?

  LOL. I see someone is stalking me.

  Okay, Kyson this is your chance, I gave myself another pep talk.

  I only stalk pretty girls I like.

  There was a long pause. Facebook showed me she’d seen the message, but nothing alerted me she was typing. I hoped I didn’t push her away; it was simple flirting.

  Pretty? Girl? I’m much older than you; therefore, not a girl and pretty wouldn’t be a way I’d describe myself.

  You can’t be much older than me. Plus, I think you’re pretty. How would you describe yourself?

  First, I’m ten years older than you. Second, if you saw me right now, I think frumpy would be the best description.

  Ten years isn’t a huge difference. Plus, frumpy is a bad word.

  Okay, if you say so.

  I do. I smiled at the screen. Are you coming to the game Saturday?

  I don’t know.

  If you come, I’ll take you to dinner afterward.

  No. Kyson, I’m too old for you.

  I rolled my eyes. She acted as if I was eighteen and never been with an older woman.

  Why do you like hockey? Maybe if I changed the subject she’d come around.

  My dad played in college and he took me to the Bears games as a child.

  Does he still go with you?

  He died in Desert Storm.

  My heart broke for her. She was quiet young when he died.

  I’m sorry for your loss. What about your mother?

  She died when I was college. Depression was a serious battle for her, but in the end, she couldn’t live without my father. She took a handful of sleeping pills and never woke up.

  I was shocked to see her words. She’s been through so much, yet she’d made herself a huge success.

  Meadow, I’m sorry to see how much pain you’ve suffered. I’m not sure what to say.

  There’s nothing you can say. It’s made me a different person, but a stronger one too. Since we’re on the subject, tell me about yours.

  My mother lost her battle with breast cancer when I was eighteen. I never knew my father. Kian has always been by my side though. He changed his whole life for me to help me make it to the PHL.

  Kian?

  He’s my brother. I thought you’d figured it out.

  I assumed, but didn’t have confirmation.

  He’s the greatest. I don’t know where I’d be without him.

  That’s sweet.

  Do you have any siblings?

  Nope. It’s just me.

  And Puckhead. I reminded her, hoping it would make her feel better. I couldn’t imagine no one in my life. Hell, I know I wouldn’t want to be alone. Not that I couldn’t do it, but Kian was my rock.

  I do have Puckhead.

  So, Saturday after the game, I was thinking somewhere quiet. I heard there’s a great deli on the east end. A few of team members have been raving about it.

  Again, several moments
went by and I knew she saw my message. I was practically biting my nails waiting on her response. I was about to give up all hope.

  Maybe. I’ll see how close I am to finishing the rewrites.

  The smile grew on my face. She didn’t say no.

  Here’s my number. Text me. I quickly type out my number and then she sends me hers.

  I got her number. Yeah, I felt like a teenage girl with her first crush.

  I was excited to be back in Manchester. It had been a long few days on the road, and Meadow had been on my mind more than anything.

  “Kian!” I yelled for him as I walked into our apartment.

  “In the kitchen.”

  I tossed down my bags before heading to the kitchen. “What are you doing?” The place was a wreck. There was flour, pans, butter, and God knows what else all over the counters.

  “This was my attempt to bake a cake.” He pointed at a very burnt and deflated cake.

  “Why the hell are you baking? You never bake.”

  “I was trying to impress—” he stopped. “I mean I was trying to see if I could.”

  I knew he was lying. Kian was a horrible liar. “Who are you trying to impress? Have you met someone?”

  “Kyson.” He turned toward the sink, and I saw it.

  “Dude, do you have a hickey?” I rushed to him. I yanked his t-shirt to get a better look. “You do have a hickey.”

  “Okay.” Kian pulled away from me and covered it with his hand.

  “You can’t hide from me, big brother. Tell me all about her.”

  “It’s not a big deal.”

  “Yes, it is. Where did you meet?”

  Kian hesitated. “At a bar.”

  “You went to a bar?” I couldn’t imagine him in a bar. “Great.” I quickly recovered. “When do I get to meet her?”

  “Let me…let’s just wait.” He started to walk away but I stopped him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. It’s only been one date, and I’m still feeling it out.”

  “Sure, you are. You’ve felt enough to get a hickey.” I ribbed him some more.

  He laughed nervously, and I realized I should let it go for now. “Hey, I talked to Meadow.”