Anaheim Stars Hockey Series by Susan Renee

I fell in love with a woman on her honeymoon. Sounds all sorts of wrong, right? I swear it’s not what you think though. I didn’t break up a marriage. It was over before it even started. She was all dressed up with nowhere to go when her fiancé ghosted her on her wedding day. I would have thought an experience like that would leave a woman heartbroken and sobbing into a tub of ice cream for days on end, but not Scarlett Dayne... moreI fell in love with a woman on her honeymoon. Sounds all sorts of wrong, right? I swear it’s not what you think though. I didn’t break up a marriage. It was over before it even started. She was all dressed up with nowhere to go when her fiancé ghosted her on her wedding day. I would have thought an experience like that would leave a woman heartbroken and sobbing into a tub of ice cream for days on end, but not Scarlett Dayne. After attending her reception and partying into the night on her fiancé’s dime, she posted to social media in search of a travel companion for her upcoming honeymoon. I don’t know why I let my teammate talk me into it. As if being set up on a blind date isn’t bad enough, a blind date with a jilted bride on her honeymoon seems all sorts of crazy. But from the moment I met Scarlett at the airport I knew she was someone special. She’s adventurously fun with a great sense of humor and I’m enjoying every moment with her. It’s way too soon to make a move, I know, but what if after one remarkably memorable day, my mind is made up? What if she’s it for me? Can two people fall in love in just one day? Is it wrong to fall in love with a bride on her honeymoon? #askingforafriend. It’s me. I’m the friend. WHAT IF WE DO was once published as GHOSTED, a Jilted Bride trope story introducing Oliver Magallan, team Captain of the Anaheim Stars hockey team. Under the title GHOSTED, this novella was included in a special Halloween themed Anthology in 2023. Now with a new title and updated story material, WHAT IF WE DO is now the first book in the Anaheim Stars hockey series! less

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes—. Whoa, whoa, whoa! Look, I don’t know who made up that stupid saying but I am not in love with Ella Montgomery. Sure, she’s my best friend and has been since we could walk. Sure, I offered to let her move in with me when she moved cross-country to apply for the open position as our hockey team’s new mascot... moreFirst comes love, then comes marriage, then comes—. Whoa, whoa, whoa! Look, I don’t know who made up that stupid saying but I am not in love with Ella Montgomery. Sure, she’s my best friend and has been since we could walk. Sure, I offered to let her move in with me when she moved cross-country to apply for the open position as our hockey team’s new mascot. That doesn’t mean I’m in love with her! Now, did I get a little antsy when she mentioned future relationships and bringing random men back to my home? Maybe. Did I completely panic when she met a man and went on a date with him? I mean, I might have. But when that date went sour, did I come to her rescue and kiss her the way she deserves to be kissed? Oh. Uh. .hmm…yeah, I guess I did do that. Actually, I did much more than that. I didn’t just cross the line with my best friend, I erased that line altogether. The line no longer exists. She enjoyed it as much as I did and now I can’t stop thinking about the next time will feel like, and the time after that and the time aft—oooh no,. I think I’m falling my best friend. First comes love, then comes…oh crap…I’m in so much trouble. less

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I slept with your daughter but I had no clue. I swear, it was an innocent mistake! Well, okay, maybe it wasn’t so innocent…nor was it really a mistake, but I can explain! You see, I didn’t plan on responding to the wrong-number text I received, but as a professional athlete, when someone calls me “Daddy” and I know that I’ve never fathered any children, I’m inclined to say something. My response leads to a purely textual relationship with a total stranger... moreRoses are Red, Violets are Blue, I slept with your daughter but I had no clue. I swear, it was an innocent mistake! Well, okay, maybe it wasn’t so innocent…nor was it really a mistake, but I can explain! You see, I didn’t plan on responding to the wrong-number text I received, but as a professional athlete, when someone calls me “Daddy” and I know that I’ve never fathered any children, I’m inclined to say something. My response leads to a purely textual relationship with a total stranger. Her name is Corri. She’s friendly, kind, and has a great sense of humor. We can tell each other anything. In fact, when I reveal my biggest personal secret she doesn’t laugh at me. or tell me to lose her number. Even when I accidentally ask her for intimacy lessons one night – stupid thumbs - she still doesn’t turn me away. She says yes! Her body is fire and her kiss is electric. Our time together is my new favorite thing. But imagine my shock when I see her in public, alongside our coach, who introduces her as his daughter, Corrigan Hicks. Yep. That’s right. I slept with the coach’s daughter and I didn’t even know it. Make it make sense. And tell me what the heck I’m supposed to do now! less

Something Old. Something New. We got drunk and said, “I do. ”. Okay, listen. It’s not like I woke up in Napa Valley with marriage on the brain. It was a series of unfortunate events that resulted in Layken Hobbs in my living room wearing my team hoodie and a pair of my pajama pants. And well, it just so happens, I’m a sucker for pajama pants. And apparently the girl wearing them... moreSomething Old. Something New. We got drunk and said, “I do. ”. Okay, listen. It’s not like I woke up in Napa Valley with marriage on the brain. It was a series of unfortunate events that resulted in Layken Hobbs in my living room wearing my team hoodie and a pair of my pajama pants. And well, it just so happens, I’m a sucker for pajama pants. And apparently the girl wearing them. Needing to get her mind off of life for a few days, the team and wags invite her to come with us to Napa Valley for the weekend. A getaway filled with all the alcohol and none of the inhibitions. Right down to her twerking down the aisle as I waited to say, “I do. ”. So yeah. That’s how it happened. We’re not in a position to go through a public divorce right now, so here we are, for better or worse while we figure a way out of our drunken mistake. It’s no big deal. We can do this, right? Yeah. Trust me. It’s not as easy as I thought it would be. Because the more I get to know Layken, the more I like her. And the more I like her, the faster I fall. See? It’s like I said. I’m such a sucker. And now I’m falling in love with my wife. less

Twinkle Twinkle little star, be your baby daddy? Don’t tell HR. I’m supposed to be focused on hockey. Play hard and win games. That’s it. But I’ve had a crush on Marlee Remington, the team’s Events and Operations Manager, for years and when I learn she’s finally single, I know this is my chance to ask her out. It all starts with a dance at a wedding and before I can even ask for a date, she sends a text with a special request: Help her have a baby. Yeah. I know. That escalated quickly... moreTwinkle Twinkle little star, be your baby daddy? Don’t tell HR. I’m supposed to be focused on hockey. Play hard and win games. That’s it. But I’ve had a crush on Marlee Remington, the team’s Events and Operations Manager, for years and when I learn she’s finally single, I know this is my chance to ask her out. It all starts with a dance at a wedding and before I can even ask for a date, she sends a text with a special request: Help her have a baby. Yeah. I know. That escalated quickly. Spoiler alert: I said yes having no idea what I was getting myself into. I’m just supposed to be a donor, but this off the cuff, maybe-a-little-crazy favor is turning into something much deeper. Vulnerable moments, stolen glances and a connection I’ve been craving for years. Now that Marlee’s pregnant, I’m a reluctant baby-daddy in training stumbling through late-night cravings, pregnancy panic, and falling head over skates for the mother-to-be. But becoming a father wasn’t part of the plan. Especially not when I’ve spent my whole life denying myself the one thing I’m about to become. Everything inside me is screaming to love and protect her, to be better than the man who left me behind. But fears don’t go quietly, and love isn’t always enough. This wasn’t supposed to be my story. But I guess it’s the one I’m meant to write. less

A tisket, a tasket. .. she's hell in a handbasket. I’ve spent my whole career blocking pucks left and right, keeping my head in the game, and my personal life off the record. But when Blakely Rivers storms into the media room, the first and only female member of the press team, my entire world to flips upside down. With her smart mouth, her stubborn streak, and eyes that see way too much, she calls me on my weaknesses and questions every bad decision I make on the ice... moreA tisket, a tasket. .. she's hell in a handbasket. I’ve spent my whole career blocking pucks left and right, keeping my head in the game, and my personal life off the record. But when Blakely Rivers storms into the media room, the first and only female member of the press team, my entire world to flips upside down. With her smart mouth, her stubborn streak, and eyes that see way too much, she calls me on my weaknesses and questions every bad decision I make on the ice. We’ve been trading barbs for months. She’s relentless and determined to live rent free under my skin. But she’s also smart, witty, gorgeous, and as passionate about hockey as I am and I’m finding myself unable to push her out of my mind at any given moment. I have no business catching feelings for the woman who rivals my every move but here I am wanting her and everything that comes with her. The fire, the fights…and the forever after. So, when she faces a professional blind side of her own, I can’t just stand by and watch her fall. Not when every instinct I have is telling me to catch her, hold her, and make sure she knows exactly how much she’s worth. Blakely thinks letting me in will complicate things, and she could be right, but I’m done playing defense when it comes to her. I’m not letting her skate away from a future with me. If it’s a fight she wants, it’s a fight she’ll get…. Just not in the way she expects. less

Ring around the rink once more, love came back and changed the score. I thought I knew heartbreak. I thought I knew what it meant to feel unimaginable loss. When Harper Richardson walked away just before I was drafted into the league, my world shattered. I wanted a future with her more than I wanted hockey. She was the one. I would have chosen her over everything. But she didn’t give me that choice. Ten years later, she’s standing in front of me like we’re strangers... moreRing around the rink once more, love came back and changed the score. I thought I knew heartbreak. I thought I knew what it meant to feel unimaginable loss. When Harper Richardson walked away just before I was drafted into the league, my world shattered. I wanted a future with her more than I wanted hockey. She was the one. I would have chosen her over everything. But she didn’t give me that choice. Ten years later, she’s standing in front of me like we’re strangers. Just a devoted mother to a boy in my youth hockey program. A ten-year-old boy who, come to think of it, looks an awful lot like…me. Her confirmation hits me like a punch to the chest. Ten years gone. Ten years of missed firsts, of being a father I never knew I could be. If I had only known…. But I can’t rewrite the past. All I can do now is fight for our future. For the woman I love. For my son. For the family I didn’t know I was meant to have. This is my second chance. My chance at a love I never wanted to let go of,. and a chance at a family I will fight for every single day. less