Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
I swallow hard and exhale the breath I’ve been holding in. “Me too, baby. Me too.”
We mingle a bit with some of the players, but all I want to do is pull my girl into some dark room where we can be alone. The only person I’m interested in here is her.
Harris Sutton comes over and introduces himself. I know who he is. I used to have his jersey when I was a tween. He’s been the only good player on The Hyenas, but he’s well past his prime. But even at thirty-six, Harris Sutton is still a force to be reckoned with on the ice.
“Tell me the contract is signed,” he says with a smile. “Tell me that Sebastian Kemp is joining the dog pack this season.”
I smile as I look at the eagerness on his face. This man could have been a legend if he was in a semi-competent organization with some decent players around him. Instead, he got The Hyenas, which means he’s never reached his true potential.
But this year? Who knows? If I join the team along with Tucker McKinstry, the star rookie Austin Gambill, the goalie Nolan Barlowe, the Swede, and Coach Moss… Who knows how far we can go? Maybe he isn’t past his prime yet. Maybe Harris Sutton will have his best season ever.
“He’s joining the team,” Alina says as she looks up at me with a warm smile. “We just have to get that pesky contract signed.”
“The big man is over there,” Harris says, pointing to another bar set up on the opposite side of the lawn.
I spot the new billionaire owner, Brantley Van Morgan. He has about twelve people around him, hanging on his every word.
“Get that ink on that contract,” Harris says as he slaps my shoulder. “We’ll start something special.”
I can feel the fire roaring in my chest. I want this.
This is where I belong. I can sense it. I want a new start. New city. New team. New girl.
My life is finally falling into place.
This is my destiny. This is where I’ll become a legend.
And with Alina by my side, it will be a fairytale too.
“Should we go say hi?” Alina asks as she looks up at me.
I grip her hand and nod. “Let’s get this done.”
Chapter Nine
Alina
Ican tell that Sebastian is nervous as we walk over to the owner of The Hyenas. I slide my hand on his lower back and he smiles gratefully at me.
“You got this,” I whisper to him with a wink. “You can do anything.”
I know he can. I’ve watched him go from a skinny little kid to the best hockey player in the world. I’ve watched him make every dream he’s had come true.
I can’t let him down. We have to sell this well.
But really, what is there to sell? I’ve been in love with Sebastian for most of my life. There’s nothing to pretend.
Brantley Van Morgan stops talking when he sees us approaching. Not only does he look rich, but he has an aura of wealth surrounding him that all billionaires must have. It’s an aura of supreme confidence that you can only have when you’re able to get whatever or whoever you want.
“Mr. Kemp,” he says as he cuts through the crowd with his hand extended. “Thank you for coming.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Sebastian says as he shakes his hand. “Thank you for inviting us.”
Van Morgan smiles warmly at him and then turns those warm brown eyes onto me. “This must be the lovely fiancée you can’t stop talking about. Alina Hoover, is it?”
“Yes, Mr. Van Morgan,” I say, smiling as I shake his hand. “Soon to be Alina Hoover-Kemp.”
“I was excited to meet the woman who was able to steal the heart of the wild Sebastian Kemp. You must be a firecracker.”
“Oh yeah,” I say with a laugh. “I’m one hell of a bang.”
They both look at me with wide eyes. “I heard that the second it came out,” I say, trying to recover with a chuckle. “Not quite what I meant.”
“I like her already,” Van Morgan says with a gregarious laugh. “Come, let me give you both a tour of my home.”
“It’s beautiful,” I say as we walk toward it. I’ve never been in a house as large or luxurious as this and I’ve been in a lot of nice houses for work. I want to see it all, but I really want to see the closets.
“I’m glad you like it,” he says with a warm smile. “Win me five Stoney Cups and I’ll buy you one.”
“If anyone can do it, Sebastian can,” I say as I slide my hand into his. He gives my hand a little squeeze of gratitude.
“Congratulations on the engagement,” Van Morgan says as he opens the door and lets us in. “I admit, I was quite surprised to hear the news.”