by Avon Gale
Isaac gave him a sheepish grin and stepped to the side.
The program finished the recap of the on-going scandal and moved on to the future of the Ravens. Isaac had declined to press charges against Tyler Simon, as long as the former player was banned from the league like Laurent’s father. Simon had issued a mumbled apology to Isaac, though clearly at the recommendation of his lawyer, and not in person. It was broadcast on television, and Isaac just made fun of the shirt Simon was wearing and changed the channel.
The next bit on the program was an interview with the new Ravens’ head coach, Troy Callahan. Callahan was not a fan of Laurent’s dad, and if anything, might hate him as much as Laurent. Callahan had been incredibly vocal about the situation since it all came to light in the spring, talked bluntly about playing with St. Savoy for the New York Rangers, and how Denis had been a reprehensible player and a thoroughly odious human being. The man certainly didn’t mince words.
He also wasn’t shy about coming out as gay either.
“I still think the Ravens hired him to look all queer-friendly,” Isaac said as the program mentioned how much trouble the Ravens were having selling season tickets. “Still wish Xavier had been traded, though.”
Instead of asking for a trade since he was free of St. Savoy’s blackmail, Xavier Matthews had become the Captain of the Ravens. Laurent wouldn’t want anything to do with that sinking ship if he were Xavier, but apparently the Ravens organization had hired a bunch of new staff, including a PR guy to come in and fix their image. That’s probably why they ended up with Callahan as a coach.
The program moved on the power rankings and predictions for the season that hadn’t started yet, and Laurent flipped the channel to one of Mrs. Bowen’s old movies. When she came home from the hospital, Laurent spent a lot of time with her because she couldn’t move around a lot. He ended up telling her everything about his father and his eating disorder, and that was probably why she was always bringing him cookies.
“Hux said he’ll be over for pizza, if that’s cool,” Isaac said and headed toward the kitchen. “Want a beer?”
“Sure.” Laurent rifled through his bag and pulled the comic book out so he’d remember to give it to Hux. He took out his sketchbook and pointedly ignored his finance text, choosing instead to grab a graphite pencil and his kneaded eraser. Thinking about Isaac as a sentinel had given him the urge to mess around with his current original comic project. It featured a tough, five-foot-eight, blue-haired warrior angel who saved the soul of a cursed man from being tormented for eternity by the devil.
Not very subtle, but Isaac sure as hell looked hot with wings.
Afterword
IF YOU or someone you know are struggling with an eating disorder, please know that there are resources available to help you and that you do not have to go through this alone. The National Eating Disorder Association has a website full of resources, including a hotline and other emergency contact information, at http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/.
If you are in need of immediate assistance, you can call the Recovery Connection and receive confidential help 24/7 at 1- 800-993-3869.
More from Avon Gale
A Scoring Chances Novel
Drafted to play for the Jacksonville Sea Storm, an NHL affiliate, twenty-year-old Lane Courtnall’s future looks bright, apart from the awkwardness he feels as a gay man playing on a minor league hockey team. He’s put his foot in his mouth a few times and alienated his teammates. Then, during a rivalry game, Lane throws off his gloves against Jared Shore, enforcer for the Savannah Renegades. It’s a strange way to begin a relationship.
Jared’s been playing minor league hockey for most of his career. He’s bisexual and doesn’t care if anyone knows. But he’s determined to avoid another love affair after the last one left him devastated. Out of nowhere a one-nighter with rookie Lane Courtnall gives him second thoughts. Lane reminds Jared why he loves the game and why love might be worth the risk. In turn, Jared hopes to show Lane how to be comfortable with himself on and off the ice. But they’re at different points in their careers, and both men will have to decide what they value most.
A Scoring Chances Novel
After last season’s heartbreaking loss to his hockey team’s archrival, Jacksonville Sea Storm goalie Riley Hunter is ready to let go of the past and focus on a winning season. His roommate, Ethan Kennedy, is a loud New Yorker with a passion for social justice that matches his role as the team’s enforcer. The quieter Riley is attracted to Ethan and has no idea what to do about it.
Ethan has no hesitations. As fearless as his position demands, he rushes into things without much thought for the consequences. Though they eventually warm to their passionate new bond, it doesn’t come without complications. For their relationship to work, Ethan will need to learn when to keep the gloves on and let someone help him—and Riley will have to learn it’s okay to let someone past his defenses.
A Scoring Chances Novel
A freak accident during the Stanley Cup Playoffs put an end to Max Ashford’s hockey career. Despite everything, Max gets back into the game he loves—only this time behind the bench, as an assistant coach of the Spartanburg Spitfires, the worst team in the entire league. But nothing prepares him for the shock when he learns the new head coach is Misha Samarin, the man who caused Max’s accident.
After spending years guilt-ridden for his part in Max’s accident, Russian native Misha Samarin has no idea what to do when he’s confronted with Max’s presence. Max’s optimism plays havoc with Misha’s equilibrium—as does the fierce attraction that springs up between them.
Not only must they navigate Misha’s remorse and a past he’s spent a lifetime trying to forget, but also a sleazy GM who is determined to use their history as a marketing hook. But when an unwelcome visitor targets a player, Misha revisits his darkest days, and that might cost him and Max the beginning they’ve worked so hard to build.
It’s Valentine’s Day, and grad student—and male escort—Levi Barron expects to spend his evening with a client who’s paying him for his services in bed… not an assassin who needs to borrow the view from his hotel room in the morning.
With nothing to do but endure the company of his unwanted guest, Levi and the assassin, Sinjin, spend some time bonding over HGTV, minibar beverages, Flannery O’Connor short stories, terrible Valentine’s candy, and the necessity of lying about their jobs.
Their evening takes an unexpected turn when they decide to indulge in their mutual attraction, and in the morning Levi doesn’t know if he’s spent the night with a hired killer or a hydraulic engineer with a very specific fantasy. Either way, the two have enough chemistry—in and out of bed—that Levi isn’t sure one night with Sinjin will be enough.
And a message left in candy suggests the feeling is mutual.
Avery Hextall, a junior architect at a prestigious firm, is thrilled when his design is chosen for a new performing-arts center—even if it means working closely with his insufferably uptight project manager, Malin Lacroix. When a chance encounter in the boss’s office proves that Lacroix is anything but cold, Avery is determined to learn more about the real man beneath the aloof veneer.
Despite their growing attraction and their increasingly kinky encounters, the enigmatic Malin remains as emotionally distant as ever. Worse, Avery’s friends are convinced Malin thinks of Avery as a dirty secret and nothing more—a secret that might destroy both of their careers.
But the real secret is a single moment in time that haunts Malin and keeps him from committing to the life he wants with Avery. In order to move on, Avery must help Malin come to terms with the tragedy in his past before they can work on building a future together.
Readers love the Scoring Chances series by Avon Gale
Breakaway
“…a humorous and insightful, character-driven, sports contemporary, bisexual M/M romance.”
—Unquietly Me
“I’d seriously give this a 7 of 5 stars if I could…
it was really, really amazing.”
—The Blogger Girls
“…it was a pleasure to read about a relationship that didn’t depend on angst, and felt true to life.”
—Prism Book Alliance
Save of the Game
“…I can’t wait to see what Avon Gale comes up with to top this! I highly recommend!”
—Joyfully Jay
Power Play
“I highly recommend this excellent friends to lovers, hockey based romance! This gets all the stars in the universe!”
—GGR Reviews
“Great storyline, fantastic characters, brilliant witty and sharp writing, HOCKEY, and some pretty hot sex, too. This book is NOT to be missed.”
—Diverse Reader
AVON GALE wrote her first story at the age of seven, about a “Space Hat” hanging on a rack and waiting for that special person to come along and purchase it—even if it was a bit weirder than the other hats. Like all of Avon’s characters, the space hat did get its happily ever after—though she’s pretty sure it was with a unicorn. She likes to think her vocabulary has improved since then, but the theme of quirky people waiting for their perfect match is still one of her favorites.
Avon grew up in the southern United States and now lives with her very patient husband in a liberal Midwestern college town. By day, Avon is a hair stylist who loves her job, her clients, and the opportunity to spend her time being creative and making people feel happy and look fabulous.
When she’s not writing, she’s either doing some kind of craft project that makes a huge mess, reading, watching horror movies, listening to music, or yelling at her favorite hockey team to get it together already. Avon is always up for a road trip, adores Kentucky bourbon, thinks nothing is as stress relieving as a good rock concert, and will never say no to candy.
At one point, Avon was the mayor of both Jazzercise and Lollicup on Foursquare. This tells you basically all you need to know about her as a person.
Website: www.avongalewrites.com
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By Avon Gale
Conversation Hearts
Let the Wrong Light In
Old Acquaintance
SCORING CHANCES
Breakaway
Save of the Game
Power Play
Empty Net
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Empty Net
© 2016 Avon Gale.
Cover Art
© 2016 Aaron Anderson.
[email protected]
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
ISBN: 978-1-63477-584-7
Digital ISBN: 978-1-63477-585-4
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016909428
Published September 2016
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America