Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 115763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
NHL enforcer Griffin Mahoney has spent years protecting his team on the ice—and his heart off it. The one woman who makes his stone-cold exterior melt? His best friend’s sister, Penny Lee. But when a stolen ring entangles her with the Mob, Griffin’s protective instincts override his promise to stay away.
As a custom jewelry designer, Penny transforms family heirlooms into modern treasures. She’s always thought her brother’s best friend was grumpier than a bear with a hangover—until she discovers the brooding hockey player’s hidden soft side. Their undeniable chemistry catches them both off guard, even as danger circles closer.
With Stanley Cup playoffs looming, Mob threats escalating, and her overprotective brother ready to cross-check them both into the next season, Griffin and Penny’s path to happiness is anything but smooth. Together they’ll discover that true love, like diamonds, can withstand any pressure—and shine even brighter for it
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter 1
Penny
This day could not be more perfect. The sun is high and bright in the blue sky, it’s just on the warm side of chilly, there’s not a hint of wind in the air, and the hike to the hillside photo spot was easy to the point of being more of a stroll than a workout.
I sit down carefully on a flat rock and take a sip from my favorite water bottle, noting the vinyl stickers from various towns and concerts I’ve been to, plus my favorite one, an ostrich on ice skates that says, “She is beauty, she is grace, she will not fall on her face.” My bestie-slash-roommate, Talia, bought that one for me as a joke when I first made the Ice Hawkettes, our local NHL hockey cheer team, because on the ice is the only place I’m not likely to fall. Slippery, slidey, hazardous? I’m as solid as can be. Flat, smooth, even ground with full focus and attention, and sensible shoes? This girl’s going down. It’s happened too many times to argue to the contrary.
Thankfully, I stayed vertical today on the way up the hill, though it remains to be seen if my unusually good luck will stick with me for the return trip down.
Trying my best to be discreet, I catch glimpses of the group around me. It’s not an organized hike, but this is one of the most popular trails in the area and spring is known to be the best season for scenic outlooks, so there’s at least a dozen other people here with me, if you count the mom with the toddler strapped to her in some sort of backpack situation as two people. Damn, lady, your legs must be pumped as fuck, and I say that in full jealousy despite being someone who spends hours dancing and skating every week.
But mostly I’m trying to watch Lance, my client in the navy-blue pullover to my right. He looks a bit sweaty, more than you’d expect with the cool air, and he keeps nervously touching his pocket like he’s afraid he might’ve lost his wallet on the trail.
Actually . . . I pat my fanny pack, making sure I feel the chunkiness of my keys, because it’d be just my luck to have dropped them somewhere over the last two miles.
Lance glances around, and I catch his eye, giving him a supportive smile. You can do it, the smile says. But I don’t think he understands the message, because he frowns and jerks his gaze back out over the horizon. I watch with bated breath as he lowers himself to kneeling and clears his throat.
Suddenly, everyone realizes exactly what’s happening, and there’s a chorus of gasps and “aww”s. A kid asks, “What’s going on?” A quick look shows that the mom has clapped her hand over her older child’s mouth and is telling him “shh” meaningfully while simultaneously bouncing herself to keep the toddler on her back quiet. She’s a superwoman, I decide, and then return my attention to Lance so I don’t miss the Big Moment.
“Elaina Marie Wilcox, you are the love of my life. You give meaning to the sunrise and the sunset, and every moment in between. You make me see beauty in a world that desperately tries to highlight the ugliness. You bring happiness to my life, and I want to do the same for you with every day that I’m given . . . as your husband, your soulmate, and your best friend. Will you give me that honor and be my wife? Will you marry me?” He holds up a ring, offering it with hope-filled eyes.
You could hear a pin drop. Not even a bird caw breaks the sanctity of the moment.
Which is precisely when I unceremoniously slide off my rocky perch and land on the hard dirt with an unladylike grunt. Another round of gasps sounds out, but these are in horror as a dozen pairs of eyes find me—yes, including the baby, plus Lance and his still-to-answer fiancée.
Shit!
Thankfully, that’s an internal thought, not an out-loud one, but even so, my grimace from the impact is enough to make a few people step toward me to offer assistance.
“Sorry! I’m okay! Carry on,” I tell Lance, waving a hand to let him and everyone else know I’m fine, though my ass really hurts despite the fair amount of cushion I’ve got back there. I also suddenly realize that I’m dangerously close to the edge of the sloped hill, and knowing my luck, there’s a very real chance the dirt might give way and send me careening down to my death, or at least a broken bone or twelve.
Lance clears his throat again and pulls on Elaina’s hand to get her attention once more, and finally . . . finally she starts nodding wildly.