Hockey Holidays Read online

  Hockey Holidays

  A Hockey Romance Holiday Anthology for Charity

  Jami Davenport

  Jaymee Jacobs

  Jean C. Joachim

  Jennifer Lazaris

  Kat Mizera

  Kate Willoughby

  Lily Harlem

  Lisa B. Kamps

  Mary Smith

  Melanie Ting

  Melody Heck Gatto

  RJ Scott

  Shannon Stacey

  Stephanie Julian

  Stephanie Kay

  Susan Scott Shelley

  Toni Aleo

  V.L. Locey

  Cedrona Enterprises

  Hockey Holidays

  Copyright © 2018 Toni Aleo, Copyright © 2018 Shannon Stacey, Copyright © 2018 Jami Davenport, Copyright © 2018 Jaymee Jacobs, Copyright © 2018 Jean C. Joachim, Copyright © 2018 Jennifer Lazaris, Copyright © 2018 Kat Mizera, Copyright © 2018 Kate Willoughby, Copyright © 2018 Lily Harlem, Copyright © 2018 Lisa B. Kamps, Copyright © 2018 Mary Smith, Copyright © 2018 Melanie Ting, Copyright © 2018 Melody Heck Gatto, Copyright © 2018 RJ Scott, Copyright © 2018 Stephanie Julian, Copyright © 2018 Stephanie Kay, Copyright © 2018 Susan Scott Shelley, Copyright © 2018 V.L. Locey

  First eBook publication: December 2018

  Cover design by Kim Killion

  ISBN: 9781386861461

  This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file-sharing peer-to-peer program, for free or for a fee. Such action is illegal and in violation of Copyright Law.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

  Contents

  Shannon Stacey - A Second Shot

  Jaymee Jacobs - Christmas Crosscheck

  Jami Davenport - A Wolfe Brothers Christmas

  Stephanie Julian - The Playboy

  Kat Mizera - Dmitri's Christmas Angel

  V.L. Locey - A Star-Crossed Christmas

  Lily Harlem - Red-Hot Trouble

  RJ Scott - Dallas Christmas

  Melody Heck Gatto - Icing isn't Only for Cookies

  Jean C. Joachim - The Final Slapshot

  Lisa B. Kamps - Christmas Interference

  Susan Scott Shelley - Holding On Tight

  Kate Willoughby - His Christmas Cinderella

  Stephanie Kay - All I Want

  Jennifer Lazaris - Lucky Holiday

  Melanie Ting - Her Best Worst Boyfriend

  Mary Smith - The Devoted Father and the Introvert

  Toni Aleo - How We Fell In Love

  Shannon Stacey - A Second Shot

  She was the one who got away, but when their paths cross once again, all he wants for Christmas is the chance to take another shot at love.

  Chapter One

  Erik Burke navigated the streets leading out of Boston easily, one hand on the wheel as he sang along with the upbeat Christmas song blasting from the big luxury car’s speakers. He couldn’t sing worth a damn, but he didn’t care. They’d won on the road against longtime rivals and now the Boston Marauders only had a couple of games at home and one short road trip before the Christmas break. The post-game media had stopped asking him about his sister falling for the opponent he’d dropped gloves with more times than he could count. Plus, they were in first place and he had the best left wing stats in their conference.

  Throw in some holiday spirit and life was good. Sure, he was forcing the Christmas vibe a little. He was used to being alone, but this year he was even more lonely. But he wasn’t going to sit in his house and feel sorry for himself. He was going to be jolly, dammit.

  A furry shadow flashed in his headlights and he jammed on the breaks, swerving to avoid hitting whatever it was. Heart hammering in his chest, he pulled over and put the car in park. He looked in his rearview mirror, hoping he hadn’t hit whatever it was. A raccoon, maybe.

  It hadn’t looked like a raccoon, though. It looked like a dog. And little dogs that could be mistaken for small raccoons shouldn’t be out alone on a night like this.

  “Shit.” He hit the button to turn on his four-way flashers and got out of the car. Then he whistled the way he’d heard people who had dogs whistle for them.

  He stayed next to his open door, though, just in case it wasn’t a dog. But after a few seconds, he saw it coming toward him and it was definitely a dog. It was tiny and filthy and some of its fur was matted, but he was sure it was one of those breeds of dogs people usually pampered and bought fancy pillows for.

  “What happened to you, little guy?” he asked as the dog got close enough for him to reach down and pick up. “Okay, so you’re not a little guy, then.”

  She just whimpered as he cradled her in his arms, and licked his hand as she trembled hard enough to make the non-matted fur quiver.

  He wasn’t sure what to do with her at this point, but he knew she was cold and he could at least solve that problem for her. After sliding back into his car, he pulled the door shut with his free hand before turning on the seat heater for the passenger seat.

  Then he reached into the back seat and unzipped his hockey bag. After rummaging for a second, he pulled out a sweatshirt. “Okay, dog, this may not smell good, but it’s warm.”

  After making a nest for her in the passenger seat, he set the little dog down. She didn’t seem to mind the smell. She pawed it at for a second and then turned around twice before nestling down in the soft fleece.

  He rested his hand on her, feeling her tremble under his touch. “I think we need to have you checked out. You’re just a little peanut and it looks like you’ve been out here for a while.”

  She lifted her head to lick his hand some more before burrowing into the sweatshirt and closing her eyes.

  After using his phone to find the nearest animal hospital with an emergency room, he put on his seatbelt and put the car in gear. His passenger didn’t seem to mind—or even notice—when it started to move, but he kept an eye on her in case she got scared.

  When he parked near the entrance of the animal hospital and shut the car off, the dog lifted her head, but didn’t look concerned. When he got out and closed his door, though, she sat up and watched him walk around the car with obvious anxiety. As he opened the passenger door, he could hear her crying, so he scooped her out of the sweatshirt and cuddled her against his chest.

  The lights in the emergency clinic made him blink as he stepped up to the reception desk. There was a very young woman sitting behind it, and a woman he guessed was a vet by the white coat had her back to them, head bent as if she was reading something.

  “Aw, poor baby.” The receptionist’s face softened as she looked at the dirty, shaking bundle of fur in his arms. “Somebody’s had a rough go.”

  “I just finished up with a patient, so I’m available,” the doctor said, turning.

  Even before he saw her face, her voice knocked him on his ass. That voice used to brighten his days, but now he only heard it in dreams that left him feeling sad and lonely.

  Andrea Morgan was his one who got away and losing her was one of the very few regrets h
e had in his life. And by far the most painful.

  “Andie,” he said, voice cracking. "You told me you were moving."

  It was a stupid thing to say but his mind seemed hung up on the fact she'd been in Boston the whole time.

  "I was planning to, but then my sister told me she was pregnant and I didn't want to be that far away from her."

  It was probably a good thing he had an armful of filthy, trembling dog because all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms, bury his hands in that mass of dark curls and kiss her until neither of them could breathe. But he'd lost the right to hold her a year ago when she asked for more from him and he couldn't give her what she’d needed.

  God, he'd missed her.

  When she spoke, her voice and the coolness in her dark eyes killed any hope of a warm reunion. “What are you doing here?”

  He blinked, trying to kick his brain back into gear. “I need a vet.”

  “Do you know how many veterinary clinics there are in this city? What are you doing here?”

  He realized she thought he’d chosen her specifically, so he shifted the dog in his arms so Andie could see her a little better. “I asked my phone for the nearest doggy emergency room and this was it.”

  Her attention shifted to the dog and his stomach tightened as her face softened. She loved animals and at least he knew that no matter how much she hated him, she would take care of his scared little hitchhiker.

  The clinic was the one place Andrea Morgan thought she’d be safe from running into Erik because he wasn’t the kind of guy to get a pet.

  Her day had been going pretty well, until six feet and two inches of blue-eyed hockey player walked through the doors. And he had the beard again, damn him. All scruffy and dark blond to match the thick hair she’d loved to run her fingers through.

  Very aware that Jo was watching them as though they were a reality show filming in front of her desk, she tried her best to ignore the man as she looked over the pathetic looking dog shaking in his arms. It wasn’t easy, since Erik had obviously showered recently and he smelled utterly distracting.

  “I don’t think she’s hurt,” he said in a soft voice. “Just cold and hungry, probably. She’s been lost.”

  As much as she’d like to tell him to turn his ass around and get out of her life—again—she had a new little patient who needed her. “Bring her in here.”

  When she led him into a very small exam room, she cursed the lack of space they had. Not that the lobby of a grand hotel would be enough space to keep her body from being aware of his, but in here they’d practically be touching.

  “Not very big for an animal hospital,” he said with a chuckle.

  She would have preferred to leave the door open, but for the animal’s safety, it had to be closed before he could set the dog down. “I’m not sure what your phone told you, but we’re a very small twenty-four-hour clinic. Animal hospital is quite the stretch.”

  “But you can take care of her?”

  She pointed over her shoulder at her framed degrees without looking away from the dog. “Put her down so I can take a look at her.”

  He did as he was told and then backed up as far as the tiny room allowed. Doing her best to block out his looming presence, she did a thorough examination of her patient. The dog wasn’t hurt, as far as she could tell, and didn’t appear to have been mistreated. She was dehydrated, of course, and the pads of her paws were pretty beat up.

  “Her collar’s gone, and she’s not chipped,” she said matter-of-factly when she was done with her exam.

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means we have no idea who she is or who she belongs to, and it’ll take time to find out. Checking for lost dog reports and checking out the Facebook groups.”

  He frowned. “And in the meantime? What happens when somebody finds a dog and it’s hurt and nobody knows who owns it?”

  “She’ll stay in the kennel until she recovers and, if we still haven’t located her owner, we’ll try to find a foster home for her or a shelter. She might have been abandoned, in which case there’s nobody out there to claim her.”

  “But you’ll still take care of her?”

  “I’m not tossing her back out on the street, Erik. Sometimes the clinic can donate care and there are crowdfunding options. Once the dog’s recovered, it can be sent to a shelter, but dogs with medical issues are…” She let the thought die away and shook her head. “If the injuries are more severe and it looks like the animal will need care beyond what shelters or a foster family can provide, it’s often more humane to let them go.”

  He stared at the dog for a long moment and she watched his throat work as he swallowed hard before giving her a tight smile. “That’s very sad. It’s a good thing Peanut isn’t a stray, I guess. Right, Peanut?”

  The dog, reacting to the change in his voice as he spoke to her, looked up at him adoringly and licked his hand.

  Andie wasn’t sure what to make of this Erik—the version of him that cared about anything but hockey. Peanut wasn’t his dog. She’d bet money Peanut wasn’t even the dog’s name. He’d found a dog injured on the side of the road or something and he couldn’t bring himself to abandon it.

  But, even though it had been a year since she saw him, she’d gotten to know him well enough to see the glimmer of panic in his eyes. He might not want to drop Peanut with her and run, but he also didn’t know the first thing about taking care of a dog. He’d never wanted a pet because of his schedule. Hell, he hadn’t even been able to make room for a woman, never mind a dog.

  Despite getting a perverse satisfaction out of watching him squirm, there was Peanut to consider, so she offered Erik an out. “Sometimes we can find a donor who’s willing to fund the animal’s medical expenses, even after they go into a foster home. Or even their forever home. It’s easier to place a pet with medical needs if the family doesn’t have to take on the financial burden.”

  He sighed, watching the dog lick the back of his hand. Andie knew he was considering her words because he always got worry lines between his brows when he was deep in thought. But then Peanut tried to burrow under his big hand, as if to find shelter there.

  Andie didn’t blame the dog. She knew all too well how much comfort those hands could offer. And how much… She cleared her throat and it sounded harsh in the quiet room.

  Erik let out a long sigh. “I should have my business manager look into helping fund stuff like that. Right, little Peanut?”

  “I’d like to keep her overnight. They can keep an eye on her, get her cleaned up and do some blood work. You can come back in the morning.”

  He’d push back now, she thought. It was one thing to invest time and energy into a dog during the evening hours. But not if his so-called Peanut was going to start messing up his daily schedule.

  And he did hesitate for a long moment. Here it comes, she thought. The truth would come out because it was more convenient for him. But then he nodded. “Okay. Will you be here in the morning?”

  She was so surprised he hadn’t balked at giving the dog more of his time, she didn’t have time to emotionally brace herself when Erik turned all of his attention back to her. “I… Yes. I’ll be here tomorrow.”

  “Good.”

  Had his eyes always been that intense shade of blue? She knew they had, but for some reason they seemed extra potent today. “I have stuff to do, so say goodbye and then you can stop at the desk on your way out. They’ll need all of your information to go with Peanut’s records. And for billing, of course.”

  “Be a good girl, Peanut, and get stronger,” he said, stroking the dog’s head. She thought he’d walk out then, but he remained silent until she looked up at him again. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  After he’d gone out the door and closed it behind him, Andie looked at the little dog. “Look what you did, Peanut.”

  The dog just rested her chin on her paws and watched her. With a sigh, Andie picked her up and went out the back door of the exam roo
m to the hallway that ran to the kennel area so she could find Peanut a warm bed. And they needed to get her cleaned up and push some fluids into her.

  Chelsea, the other vet who worked during the day, practically fell through the open door of the exam room when she went back to clean it up for the next patient. “Tell me that wasn’t Erik Burke.”

  “Okay, it wasn’t Erik Burke.”

  Chelsea’s eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.”

  “I’m not lying. Just doing what I’m told.”

  “Andie! Was that freaking Erik Burke or not?”

  “Yes, it was freaking Erik Burke.” She pointed her finger at Chelsea. “You are not allowed to make a big deal out of him being here.”

  “I have a signed picture of him hoisting the Cup hanging on my living room wall, Andie. It’s a very big deal.”

  Andie wasn’t big on personal sharing in the work place. In her experience, it led to drama and gossip and she preferred to keep her focus on their patients. And if she told Chelsea the truth about her history with Erik, it wouldn’t be kept quiet. Everybody in the clinic—and possibly everybody knew Chelsea had ever met or friended on Facebook—would know Andie had dated the city’s favorite left winger.

  “The animals are our patients, but their owners’ information is confidential,” she reminded Chelsea. “And he’s coming back in the morning for Peanut. Don’t make a fuss or he’ll be uncomfortable.”