When I woke back up, I was able to force my eyelids up just a crack. There was Samara, smiling at me.
“Welcome back,” she said. “The surgery went well. You’re in recovery.”
I wanted to ask about Drew, but I couldn’t make my mouth move. I squeezed her hand.
“I won’t leave you,” she said, stroking her hand over the scruff on my face. “Your mom was here just a minute ago. She’s going to come let us know when Drew’s out of surgery. It’s going well so far.”
My eyes slipped closed again and I let sleep take over.
When I woke back up, my mouth was dry and my chest hurt like hell.
“Hey,” Samara said softly. “Want some water?”
I nodded and she reached for a pitcher on a table by the bed, pouring ice water into a cup. She lifted the straw to my lips and I drank.
“Drew’s out of surgery,” she said. “It went as well as they hoped it would.”
I tried to smile but everything was so foggy that I wasn’t sure if it worked.
“The hard part’s over,” she said. Her face was more relaxed now, and I realized just how worried she’d been.
I took another drink of the water she offered, its coldness bringing me out of my stupor.
“Drew’s okay?” I croaked.
“So far, so good.”
I looked down and saw the platinum band I’d put on her finger last night.
“Now we can get married,” I said, feeling my smile this time.
Samara
The sea of reporters in the street outside Diane’s house was unreal. The PR people for Orion’s team had helped us get him to her house in a van, holding up sheets so he could get inside without being on camera.
But that had been twenty-four hours ago and they were still there. Vans were parked on both sides of the road, with equipment mounted on top. The police were making them stay off Diane’s property, but still.
“How long will they stay?” I asked Victoria, the PR person standing next to me as I peeked out the living room curtains.
“’Til they get something,” she said, giving me a sympathetic look. “This is a big story.”
“He’s going to be in bed for a few days. Surely they won’t wait that long.”
“Not all of them, but some.”
I shook my head in amazement. “Wow. That’s crazy. We weren’t expecting this.”
“You know what would make most of them go away?” she said. “A statement. I could give one, but it’d be a lot better coming from a family spokesperson.”
“Hmm. I’m not sure who that would be.”
“You.”
“Me? But I’m not family.”
She arched her brows at me and smiled. “Family to be, judging by the rock on your finger.”
My cheeks warmed. Apparently turning the ring around hadn’t worked as well as I thought.
“The neighbors would all be grateful, I’m sure.”
I nodded. “And I don’t want Olivia and Drew hounded either, so if it would help … but I have no idea what to say.”
“I’ll write something and coach you through it. Short and sweet.”
“Let’s do it before I lose my nerve.”
Victoria dabbed concealer on my healing bruises while we ran through the statement.
“I’m telling you, the vans will be pulling out of here before you even make it back into the house,” she said. “Everyone but the crazy vultures will leave, and I can handle them for you.”
I’d surprised myself in many ways since meeting Orion, but I’d never imagined myself willingly standing in front of dozens of cameras with microphones in my face.
“I’m Samara Cross, the spokesperson for Orion Caldwell and his family,” I said, reminding myself not to look like a deer in headlights. “I’d first like to thank Orion’s team, the fans and the extended NHL family for all your well wishes and support during this time. It means a great deal to the family to know so many people care. Orion and his nephew are both resting comfortably after surgeries that went very well. We request privacy as they both recover. All requests for interviews must be made through Victoria Estevez. Thank you so much.”
Questions were hurled at me, but Victoria put an arm in the air. “No questions! No questions at this time, guys.”
A short man with salt and pepper hair shoved his way through the crowd.
“Ashton Colson,” he said, extending his hand to me. “I’m sure Orion told you about the documentary I’m working on. I interviewed him over the summer here in Henley.”
“He did mention it, yes,” I said. Victoria was guiding me toward the house, and Ashton reached out and grabbed my wrist to stop me.
“Listen, we just need a couple minutes with him. My cameraman’s here and we’ll be in and out.”
He followed behind me, crossing the invisible line between the street and the driveway.
“No,” Victoria said sternly.
“She can vouch for us,” Ashton said, nodding at me.
“No one’s going in the house but us,” I said. “Sorry for any misunderstanding.”
Ashton took another step toward me. “I’m not some random reporter showing up on his doorstep. He knows me. He’s working with me. We came a long way to be here.”
“Back off,” I said, my voice firm in spite of my pounding heart. “I said no one goes in. No one.”
Ashton crossed his arms and glared at me. “Ma’am, Mr. Caldwell agreed to open his life up for this documentary. You do realize we’ve already interviewed him on camera?”
I crossed my arms right back. “The answer is no. He is absolutely not being interviewed right now.”
“We wouldn’t need a full interview. Just some footage—”
I cut him off. “No.”
He took a step closer to me. “Do the words ‘breach of contract’ mean anything to you?”
I held my hand out. “If there’s a contract, let’s see it.”
“Why would I carry something like that around?” Ashton asked disdainfully.
The cameraman shifted uncomfortably, and I studied Ashton. Something was off here.
“Did Orion sign a contract with you?” I asked.
“Ma’am, that’s not something I’d be able to discuss with you.”
Now the cameraman was staring at the ground, and I realized Ashton was hoping to bluff his way into the house without actually lying.
“You’re full of shit,” I said. “And the team’s lawyers will have a heyday over this.”
He raised his hands in mock surrender. “It’s my job to go after the story.”
I leveled my eyes at him angrily. “If one cell of either of your bodies touches the private property this house sits on, I will thoroughly enjoy having you arrested for trespassing. You’re last on the list of people Orion will ever grant an interview to.”
Ashton sighed and stepped back. I turned, my blood still pumping. Who was this woman I’d become? I’d never stood up to anyone this way. Matt wouldn’t have had a chance of scaring the shit out of this Samara.
“Damn, girl,” Victoria said under her breath. “Nice job.”
I paused, nearly stopping in my tracks when I realized what had come over me. Orion was a protector by nature. He’d fought for me. He’d put me first. And now it was my turn to do that for him.
Resting in his childhood home in front of me was a man who’d risked his life to save his nephew. A man who wasn’t just willing to sacrifice for those he loved – but was eager to. A man who owned me, heart and soul.
I owned him right back, and I’d stop at nothing to protect the love I’d never dared dream of finding. It wasn’t just because he was worth it, but because we both were.
Six months later
[Olivia squeezed my hand and smiled, about to walk away for her trip down the aisle.
“Love you,” she said.
“Love you back.”
She was my matron of honor. Kate, Dell and Sadie had already taken their trips
down the aisle of the Henley Presbyterian Church, where Diane was a member. My bridesmaids were waiting and so was half of Henley.
The church was bursting at the seams, every pew filled when I walked to the end of the aisle and stopped. Everyone stood and all eyes turned my way.
But my eyes only saw one person. Orion was breathtaking in his tuxedo. His dark blue eyes were filled with happiness as I stepped toward him. The closer I got to him, the harder it was to go slow like the wedding planner had told me to. I couldn’t wait to be his wife.
My strapless dress was inlaid with shimmering beads. I’d seen it and fallen in love, but thought I couldn’t wear it because of the scar on my shoulder. When I told Orion, he took me to a plastic surgeon who faded the scar to nearly nothing with laser treatments. What remained was hidden under a light layer of makeup.
Nothing was impossible with this man. I loved him down to my bones, and knew he loved me back the same way.
I reached him and he took my hands in his, mouthing ‘I love you’. I smiled through the entire ceremony, but most of all during the vows he’d written.
“Woman is sacred; the woman one loves is holy,” he said with a boyish grin. “A woman made me fall in love with her when she recommended the book I read that in. And now she is holy to me. Samara, I will love you and honor you forever. I’ll support you, protect you and put our marriage first. I know how you love books, and I promise you a love story as epic as the ones you read about. Only ours will never end.”
I accepted a tissue from Olivia and wiped my eyes, turning back to Orion and slipping my hand back into his.
“Orion, you’re everything I could ever want and so much more. You’re strong and honest and loyal. You’re my partner in every way. You don’t just accept my flaws, you embrace them. You’ve helped me overcome so many things with your love. When we were dating, I started to think you were going to be the man who saved me. But you did something so much better. You gave me the strength to save myself. I’ll love you every day for the rest of my life.”
When the pastor told us to kiss and we did, there was a collective sigh followed by a roar from the crowd. Orion took my hand and led me down the aisle.
It was official. I had a family. And I’d never take it for granted.
One month later
Orion
[Players circled the rink, snow flying up from their skates. Their faces were red and their shirts were soaked through with sweat. I almost felt like an asshole for working them so hard this morning. Almost, but not quite. I’d been them once.
Because of our long, tough practices, the Fenway Flyers were looking a little less fucked up every day. When I’d accepted this minor league coaching job, I’d been intrigued by the challenge. They were the Bad News Bears on ice. Losing record for the past three seasons. A captain who’d recently been arrested. And a fast and loose concept of hard work, at least until I arrived.
Bruce Pagliaro, a beefy defender who’d lost ten pounds since I got here and still needed to lose ten more, glared at me as he made a turn.
“You need me to get the defibrillator, Brucey?” I called, laughing.
Killian Bosch cruised by and lapped Bruce, not even looking at me. Fucking hell, that guy was a thorn in my side. The team captain, he’d been arrested for fighting at a bar right before I came. He had a hot temper and was stubborn as hell. But damn, could he play, and I couldn’t afford to give his skills up right now just to teach him a lesson.
My assistant coach gave me a sideways glance and I looked at my watch. We were almost an hour over our usual practice ending time.
“Okay, ladies, bring it in,” I yelled.
I did what coaches do – told them they’d better work this hard every day or find the door. These guys needed tough love or it’d be another losing season.
“Bosch, clean up the pucks for me,” I said, winking at him. He scowled, but said nothing. It was considered bad form to ask that of the captain, but I wanted to remind him who was boss.
I deliberately did nothing, pretending to review something on my clipboard so he’d have to get all the pucks.
“Anything else, Coach?” he asked, sliding to a stop near me when the job was done.
“Nope, that’s it.”
“I think I should see if that hot chick in the stands wants to see my stick.”
I looked up and the stands and scowled at him. “That’s my wife, you fuckin’ moron. Don’t look at her.”
“Huh. She was looking at me during practice.”
“Get the fuck out of here,” I said, waving a hand in disgust. I skated over to the announcer’s box and Samara climbed down the concrete stairs of the stands, meeting me there.
“This is a nice surprise,” I said, kissing her.
“You’re sweaty.” She smiled and brushed a wet lock of hair away from my forehead.
“Yeah, that was a tough practice. I’m wondering if I took on too much, trying to turn this team around.”
“It’s still early,” she said, arching her brows at me. “Be patient.”
She grabbed the lanyard holding the whistle around my neck and tugged on it, pulling me down for a kiss.
“Do you love me?” she asked softly.
“Like Romeo loved Juliet.”
She smiled, her hazel eyes bright with happiness. “I love you, too. And I couldn’t wait to tell you that … I’m pretty sure, anyway … that I’m pregnant.”
I just stared for a second, and then I lifted her from the ground in a hug, my heart surging with happiness I couldn’t even put into words.
“I’m a little more than a week late,” she said, hugging me. “And I took two pregnancy tests this morning, and they were both positive. I’ve been dragging my feet about getting on the pill, but I guess it’s too late now.”
I set her feet on the ground and cupped her face in my hands, kissing her. I tasted tears on our lips, though I didn’t know if they were hers or mine.
“You’re happy?” she asked hopefully. “We said we wanted to wait.”
“I’ve never been happier.” I thought back to our honeymoon and gave her a knowing look. “That time on the couch.”
“That has to be it,” she agreed. “I thought you pulled out, but …”
“Apparently not soon enough,” I said, smiling at the memory. “Or it could’ve been the time I bent you over the breakfast bar and creamed all over your ass.”
Her cheeks flushed and my cock stirred to life.
“So we’re having a baby,” I said, unable to stop smiling. “And now I can come inside you.”
She rolled her eyes and gave me a look.
“Most importantly, we’re having a baby.”
“I love that. I’m really excited. But it’s a long way away, and in the immediate future – I can come inside you.”
She shook her head and laughed. “Yes, you can, baby.”
“In that case, I think it’s time for us to go home.”
“Right now?”
“Right now. Give me five minutes to get my stuff from the locker room. We’ve got some celebrating to do.”
My life had changed drastically over the course of the past year, but everything felt right. I was where I was supposed to be. Like my dad always said, everything happens for a reason. And Samara was my reason.
** Follow the stories of Killian Bosch and two other players on Orion’s new team in a brand-new hockey series from Author Brenda Rothert. On the Line – coming in Feb. 2015. **
Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading Release! Your support of not just this book, but the entire Fire on Ice series means the world to me. Bound was the start of great things in my writing career. It wasn’t until readers began discovering that book that I really started gaining momentum as an author. And that was the fifth book I’d written. So whether you’re a writer or have other dreams and passions — never give up.
As always, I’d greatly appreciate a rating or review at the place you purchased th
is book. I’m not allowed to list the name of a website here, but if you used my first and last name, you’d find mine. It has trailers for my books, excerpts and a sign up button for my newsletter to be notified of my new releases.
You probably know this by now, but I’ll say it again anyway – I’d love to connect with you on social media! Messages and friendships from my readers are truly the best part of my job. In the vast sea of books you could be reading, you choose this one and I am ever so grateful to you.
Acknowledgements
I knew almost nothing about hockey when I started writing Fire on Ice. I couldn’t have done it without the support of a minor league team, its staff and players. I won’t name them, because the interviews I did to research the books were all confidential. But from the ins and outs of the game to life as an NHL player to the mindset of a 20-something man, they shared their time and knowledge with me graciously.
Fellow authors Stephanie Reid and M.E. Carter are the best author friends a girl could ask for. From critique to encouragement, they are both there for me in every way and I appreciate it so much.
My assistant Pam Million also provides critique and encouragement, in addition to daily laughs. She is an amazing friend to me, and I’m so grateful to have her in my life.
Beta readers Denise Sprung, Michelle Tan and Janett Gomez helped me decide what was and wasn’t working in this story. I know all three of them could be helping countless other authors, but they gave me their time, their honesty and their support. Many, many thanks.
Editor Gayle Evers gave me developmental advice that strengthened this story. She is awesome to work with because she respects my voice, but knows when I need guidance. She is also an outstanding line editor. A book Gayle has edited is a book I feel more confident about releasing.
The team at Chatter PR is a constant source of enthusiasm and support for my work. I’m so grateful for their tireless efforts to spread the word about my books.
My friends and fellow authors in Random Moon Books are always there for me. They give me advice, encouragement and sometimes a safe place to vent when I’m worn out and feeling not quite good enough. GP Ching, Laurie Larsen, Laurie Bradach, Leta Curtis, Kathy Tosh and RT Wolfe & Katz – thank you.
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