Blurb
Hockey star Ben Kelly has retreated to
his mountain cabin in the ski town of Cascade, BC, to recuperate from a
season-ending knee injury and contemplate his future in the NHL. He never
expects to run into the one woman who got away. Nine years may have passed, but
nothing has dulled the explosive chemistry between them. Now he wants more than
just one night.
Hailey Eriksson had Olympic-sized dreams until an accidental pregnancy from a one-night stand halted her ambitions. Her life was shattered when her son died. Nothing will keep her from fulfilling her promise to him to make the Olympic team, especially not the charming Ben Kelly. Unfortunately, he's out of sweep her off her feet this time, and she finds him harder and harder to resist with each passionate kiss. But when he learns about the child he never knew, will their rekindled romance be on thin ice?
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Excerpt
The ice called to him.
After he’d torn up his knee, Ben had
sworn he’d never go near a hockey rink again.
And yet there he stood in the shadows,
holding on to his cane with white knuckles while he watched some teenagers
scrimmage, wishing he could go out there and join them.
“Come on, guys,” the coach barked.
“Erikson’s tearing you to shreds out there.”
He followed the coach’s finger to the
player with puck. The kid was tall and thin, probably a junior member of the
team judging by his lack of muscle mass. But what he lacked in size, he made up
for with speed and skill. He handled the puck as well as any player Ben had
faced in the NHL, shifting left and then right, throwing his opponent off guard
with a deke and slipping past him into the breakaway. One slap shot later, the
puck was in the net.
A groan came up from the team as Erikson
raised his hands in the air and skated a small victory lap around the rink.
The coach mumbled something under his
breath and stared at his clipboard before scribbling a note on it. “That’s six,
guys. You’re embarrassing me.”
It wasn’t until Erikson came closer that
Ben knew the reason why.
Erikson was girl.
The helmet had concealed her hair, but
there was no mistaking the feminine curve of her lips or the thick fringe of
her lashes. A pair of matching dimples cut into her cheeks as she gave one of
the guys a playful hip check, and an odd feeling of déjà vu washed over him.
She looked familiar, but he couldn’t remember why.
His curiosity propelled him from the
shadows and down the stairs toward the coach, his knee no longer protesting
each step. He waited until the coach finished calling the next play before he
asked, “Local team?”
The coach jumped, then gave him a
narrow-eyed once over. “I haven’t seen you before.”
Ben smothered a laugh. After years of
being recognized everywhere he went, the anonymity was nice for a change.
Amazing what losing a playoff beard and getting a haircut could do. He hadn’t
worn his hair this short since before he was drafted. “I’m new in town.”
The coach peered closer, and for a second,
Ben feared his secret was out. “I know I’ve seen you before. Ever play hockey?”
Ben grinned. “Yeah, just a bit.”
“I thought so. You’re built like a power
forward.”
He wasn’t the first coach who’d said
that. At six-four and two hundred and forty pounds, he’d always been one of the
biggest players on the team, but he lacked the aggressive nature to play that
position. Instead, he’d made a successful career of playing goalie. All-Pro
teams, Olympic medals, even trips to the Stanley Cup finals.
Until one bad collision twelve weeks ago
had ended all that.
He’d retreated to the resort town of
Cascade, British Columbia, to lick his wounds, but after a week stuck in his
home, the solitude became unbearable. He came down the mountain and drove
through the small town where most of the locals lived, winding up at the only
thing he knew.
The ice rink.
He stood quietly by the coach and
observed the next play. Erikson was on the defensive now. She bit her blades
into the ice, catching up to the player with the puck and passing him. With a
quick half turn, she was in front, skating backward, and she snatched the puck
away as the player stumbled and skidded into the boards. She took it coast to
coast, and the puck soared through the biggest five-hole he’d ever seen on a
goalie.
The coach threw his clipboard on the
bench. “Aw, come on, Watson! You can’t leave a hole like that, especially with
her. You want to make amateur league or not?”
Erikson plowed to a stop and helped the
goalie up. “Give him a break, Gus. I caught him off guard.”
“You caught him sleeping in his skates.”
He paced back and forth, running his fingers through his sparse hair. “All
right, that’s enough. Hit the showers.”
“You’re letting them off lightly,” Ben
murmured. “My old coach would have had us skating sprints after practice.”
“Yeah, but my boys just took on Erikson,
so they’ve been punished enough.”
Ben watched her joke with the boys and
give them a few words of encouragement as they skated toward the bench. But
when her gaze zeroed in on him, her smile faded, and her blue eyes turned
frigid.
His heart thudded from the palpable
tension in the air. He racked his mind, trying to remember where he knew her,
but drew a blank. Frustration knotted his gut. The docs had warned him that the
number of concussions he’d sustained over the years could affect his memory,
and this was proof of it.
She turned away. “I’m going to make sure
the back door is locked, Gus.”
She skated to the other side of the rink
like she was chasing after a free puck.
Gus narrowed his eyes at Ben again. “You
two know each other?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“She looks familiar, but you know how
hockey players’ minds can be.” Ben tapped his skull and nodded in the direction
Erikson had gone. “She’s good.”
“No kidding.” Gus lifted a bucket of
pucks with a grunt. “If she’d been a boy, she’d be playing in the NHL right
now.”
“The next Sid Crosby?”
“Ha! More like the next Gordie Howe,
complete with the fisticuffs. The girl’s got a temper on her, and if I were
you, I’d steer clear of her. She’s not someone you want to dance with.”
“What makes you think I’d be in
trouble?”
“I saw that look she gave you.” Gus
stepped out onto the ice with the bucket and headed toward the Zamboni. “I’ve
known her since she was yay big, and I’ve seen the crap she’s been through. If
you’re here to cause her any trouble, then she’s not the only person you need
to worry about. We look out for our own.”
Ben stopped short of the ice, staring at
it like it was an old nemesis. He wasn’t about to follow Gus. “I’m not here to
do that. I can barely remember if I’ve met her before or not.”
“Well, you’re sure asking a lot of
questions.” Gus set the bucket down behind the wall with another grunt and
climbed up on the Zamboni. “What are you doing here anyway?”
He sighed and stared at his reflection
in the ice, barely recognizing himself. “I’m not quite sure.”
“Yeah, well, you need to get going now.
I’ve got to do a few laps with this before locking up, and I don’t want to have
to worry about you spending the night here.”
“No worries. Just one question—do you
know where I can find her?”
“Can’t take hint, can you?” The Zamboni
roared to life, and Gus drove it out onto the ice. “If you’re looking for
trouble, then you’ll find her at the Sin Bin downtown. Just make sure you’re
wearing a cup before engaging her.”
“Will do, and thanks.” Ben turned around
and climbed the stairs one by one, leaning on his cane all the way up. He
wouldn’t know any peace until he figured out how he knew her.
Next stop: the Sin Bin.
***
Hailey gripped the steering wheel and
took a deep breath, but that didn’t steady her rattled nerves like it normally
did.
Who’d have thought coming face-to-face
with Ben Kelly after nine years would affect her like this? Worse, she had no
idea why he was here. It wasn’t like he’d wanted anything to do with her when
she’d actually needed him. And now when she was finally getting her life back
together, he’d shown up her in her small town.
“Probably schmoozing up at the ski
resort,” she muttered and started her beat-up Ford Bronco. After all, that’s
where celebrities like him hung out, not down here in the actual town. “I
wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t have a little harem of puck bunnies to tend
to him while he recovers.”
She’d seen the collision that had taken
him out for the rest of the season. Most of Canada had, since the game had been
broadcast nationally. The opposing team’s grinder had charged at him, hooking
his skates with his stick, and had knocked Ben to the ice. Despite their
history, she’d held her breath as he lay there, not moving, his leg bent at a
sickening angle. Once he’d finally come around, he’d skated off the ice with
assistance, but that was it for him.
The news the next morning listed all the
injuries he’d sustained. Concussion. Torn ACL, PCL, and MCL. Tibial fracture.
Then the bets had started rolling in on whether or not the starting goalie for
the Vancouver Whales would be returning to the team next season, if at all.
Hopefully Gus had given him a get-lost
speech and that would be the end of it. Ski season was almost over, and summers
in Cascade were usually quiet without the influx of outsiders. He’d probably
leave in a couple of weeks, and that would be the last she ever saw of him.
But a squirm deep inside her stomach
reminded her she wanted to see him again, if only to give him a piece of her
mind after all the shit he’d put her through.
Don’t let him distract you from your
goal. Remember your promise to Zach.
She pulled into the parking lot of her
dad’s bar and took another cleansing breath in through her nose. This time, it
worked. All her anger, her hatred, her frustration flowed out with the air from
her lungs. She’d wasted too much time and too many tears over Ben Kelly, and
now was not the time to lose focus.
Erikson’s Sin Bin sat right in the heart
of town, on the main drag. Complete with a half dozen plasma screen TVs showing
the latest games, it was the favorite watering hole for the locals. The Stanley
Cup playoffs were in full swing, so the place would be packed tonight. The
Whales were also playing, which meant the crowd would be that much more
invested in the game. And if the Whales won, then her tips would be up.
She went in through the kitchen and grabbed
her apron from under the bar. “Hey, Pop, you ready for tonight?”
“Got seven cases of Labatt.” Her father
leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. She was built like him, tall and
lean, with the same bright blue eyes and blond hair. “How was practice today?”
Besides the fact the man who’d refused
to acknowledge my existence two years ago had showed up?
“I roughed them up a bit,” she said
after a moment’s pause. No need to tell him about Ben. Her dad would probably
roll up his sleeves and beat the crap out of him if he knew.
“How bad?”
“Six to nothing.”
“That’s my girl. You keep playing like
that, and the Canadian team’s bound to offer you a place.”
“First I’ve got to convince them to give
me a tryout.” At twenty-seven, she was a bit older than the average player, but
she was still in fantastic shape and could outplay anyone she knew. “Gus forgot
his camera today, but he’ll record the next scrimmage.”
“And don’t forget Monday’s league game,
either.” He ruffled her hair, pulling some of it free from her ponytail, before
crossing the bar to see to a customer.
“Hailey, darlin’,” her stepmother,
Cindy, called from the kitchen in her thick Texas drawl, “do you mind getting
the drink order for the man at table twelve? I’m trying to get fourteen’s order
out.”
One quick peek into the kitchen revealed
the petite woman was carefully trying to balance four platters of wings and
potato skins. “Can I help you with those?”
“Nope, I got ‘em. Just get twelve
started, and I’ll be by in a few minutes to see if he wants anything to eat.”
The Sin Bin was a true family-run
business. Her father had opened it shortly after her older brother was born,
and the whole family pitched in to keep it running. Her brother had moved away
ten years ago to work in Toronto, but that was just about the time Cindy had
showed up in town to take over his shifts. On busy nights like tonight, they
were all there. Her dad stayed behind the bar while she and Cindy split the
tables.
Twelve was a small corner booth, usually
occupied by someone not entirely into the game since it had the worst view of
the TVs. A lone man sat there, his back to the rest of the bar while he bent
over his iPad. He was big, powerfully built with short black hair, and wore a
fine-gauge sweater that hugged his broad shoulders. Definitely not one of the
locals.
She approached the table and pulled her
pen and notepad from her apron pocket. “Can I get you started on anything to
drink?”
He looked up, and her heart kicked into
overdrive as soon as she saw his slate-blue eyes.
Ben Kelly.
Her throat tightened, which was a small
blessing. It was the only thing that kept her from calling him a dozen
four-letter words.
He held up the display card on the end
of the table. “You’re truly serving Labatt for a loonie?”
She swallowed, pushing the lump of anger
out of her throat and into her stomach, where it burned with more fire than
Cindy’s extra-spicy Buffalo wings. Two could play this nonchalant game of I
don’t know who the hell you are. “Yep, but only when the Whales are playing.”
A cheer rose from the other side of the
bar as the TV showed the the team skating out onto the ice.
“It looks like the game’s about to
start,” he said.
She squeezed her pen until it started to
bend in the middle. “So do you want one or not?”
He set the card down, his eyes never
leaving hers. “Sure, why not?”
“Fine. Cindy will be over in a few
minutes to get the rest of your order.” She shoved her pad and pen into her
apron and spun around on her heel. He had a lot of nerve showing up here, but
she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he got under her
skin.
She grabbed a bottle out of the cooler
and popped the lid off, leaving it on the bar. “Here’s twelve’s order.”
“Aren’t you going to take it to him?”
her dad asked.
“No.” As far as she was concerned, he
could rot in hell.
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My Review: 4 1/2 stars
I just don't know how to start this one. I loved the story, but had a real hard time with the not telling the truth right off the bat. I was glad that fate or coincidence gave Hailey and Ben a second chance to get things right. They seem to be made for each other, in a good way. They share the love of hockey, that's for sure. I was really happy that Ben helped Hailey the way that he did, when he did. I was also very glad that when Ben went home he didn't mess around with trying to find out what had happened. He got right down to business and got things squared away so that he could do what needed to be done. Christa did a great job with these characters and the story line. Christa always keeps me engrossed from the start to finish, it's always a pleasure to read her work.
Author Info
I just don't know how to start this one. I loved the story, but had a real hard time with the not telling the truth right off the bat. I was glad that fate or coincidence gave Hailey and Ben a second chance to get things right. They seem to be made for each other, in a good way. They share the love of hockey, that's for sure. I was really happy that Ben helped Hailey the way that he did, when he did. I was also very glad that when Ben went home he didn't mess around with trying to find out what had happened. He got right down to business and got things squared away so that he could do what needed to be done. Christa did a great job with these characters and the story line. Christa always keeps me engrossed from the start to finish, it's always a pleasure to read her work.
Author Info
Crista McHugh is a multiple
award-winning author of fantasy romance and paranormal romance with heroines
who are smart, sexy, and anything but ordinary. She currently lives in the
Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining
her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue
writing on nights and weekends.
Author Links
Twitter: http://twitter.com/crista_mchugh
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CristaMcHugh
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3035791.Crista_McHugh
Website: http://www.cristamchugh.com
Series website: http://www.thekellybrothers.cristamchugh.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CristaMcHugh
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3035791.Crista_McHugh
Website: http://www.cristamchugh.com
Series website: http://www.thekellybrothers.cristamchugh.com
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