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Charlie's smile got bigger. "Thanks for the approval."
The door opened and more people came in, breaking Maggie out of her shock that the owner -- the owner! -- smashed her cake. But she didn't have time to worry about her bad first impression now.
Charlie waved at the people coming in and then leaned over, putting a reassuring hand on Maggie's shoulder. "I am really sorry about the cake, but I know you're going to do great with this."
Then he walked away in those damn good-looking jeans that looked even better as he started taking off that vest and she could see his ass in them.
But Maggie had to look away and focus on her desserts.
She could talk to him later, maybe give him a piece of her mind about his piece of her cake when he wasn't talking to other people. But until then, she had work to do.
Chapter Three
Charlie was the team owner of the Chicago Otters. The guy who was currently dealing with his cousins trying to steal the team he inherited while juggling a hockey team lineup that would need some changes.
It was a mess, but not as much of a mess as a chocolate cake that was probably really beautiful before he smashed it.
Charlie sucked and he knew it.
Maggie was trying to be polite about the cake thing, but he could tell by the way she was staring daggers at him in the elevator that he had really screwed up. That's probably why he didn't feel comfortable introducing himself until it was even more awkward in the suite with all eyes on him.
He needed to get used to this. The stares and people watching him. After all, he had been getting a lot of attention for the past three months as the team owner of the Otters.
Charlie wondered what his Uncle Tony would be doing right now. Worrying about another team trading for the defenseman he wanted? Dealing with a potential hostile takeover?
He probably wouldn't be cleaning out the ice drain to calm his nerves or sitting in a suite testing lemon bars.
But Charlie wanted to help the team even if it meant pulling on a high-vis vest that felt more comfortable to him than the fancy suits he had to buy to wear to games with the billion dollars he inherited.
It also meant humoring one of the players who was a co-owner of a bakery insisting that the desserts in the suites sucked and Charlie needed to try a new vendor.
"OK, next we have..." Charlie watched Maggie's eyes look forlornly at the cake. "This is a black cherry chocolate cake that had a bit of mishap on its way here."
Joann, the head of the arena's catering, scowled at the box. She was probably wondering why the baker invited here couldn't avoid professional problems with delivering one cake.
"It was me. I was the mishap," he admitting, hoping to would ease Maggie's pain.
It seemed to do the trick as Joann's face softened as she turned to look at him. He knew what would come next. She would probably say something nice to him in a superficial way that would remind him that everyone was nice to him just because he was the team owner.
"It can happen," she said super sweetly. "Maybe we could at least taste it to see how it turned out?"
Maggie had a look of dread on her face as she brought the box over and set it down in front of everyone.
"Imagine this cake with a much better looking outside but the same amazing taste inside."
Charlie had to give her credit for sounding so cheerful and professional even though he had probably broken her heart.
He watched as Maggie opened the top of the box and undid the sides of it. One side slapped the table, heavy with chocolate frosting that had come off the cake. A bit of cake collapsed exposing the moist chocolate center.
Then a cherry came rolling off and hit Charlie's hand.
Charlie looked up sheepishly to see everyone staring at him, but no one was staring as harshly as Maggie and her fiery green eyes. There were the daggers again that he first saw in the elevator. He deserved it.
Joann peered at the pile of cake and Charlie hoped she could imagine what it probably looked like before he got his hands on it.
"Did the chocolate shavings shift from the sides or did you purposely put them on top?"
Maggie turned and Charlie could see the excitement return on her face. Finally. "We actually put the shavings on top of the cake. It's not traditional, but it gives you a little bit of crunch in each bite instead of waiting until you get to the outside of the cake. It's similar to what we do with the classic sprinkled vanilla cake we're know for."
