May 14, 2024
The hunky dad, the hockey coach, and a new start...
Bryson
Elmwood isn’t good for my love life. Hey, I’m a positive person and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about small-town living, but I haven’t had a date in years. That’s fine—my son is and always has been my number one focus.
Except now he’s grown and gone. And it’s lonely.
Okay, yes, the new hockey coach is hot and single, but he’s off-limits. Smitty’s trouble with a capital T, and his baggage might outweigh mine. Besides, we said nothing would happen after “that” night. It was a one-time, never to be repeated deal.
At least…that’s what I thought.
Smitty
Am I sad about retiring from pro hockey? Honestly, no. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t in pain. I need a rest and I could use a distraction from unwelcome memories at home. Stat.
So…Elmwood.
Look, we all know I won’t last a whole season of coaching high school kids, but stepping in till they find a better candidate is a good temporary plan. And Bryson’s here.
There’s something about the hot dad with the sunny smile and bad dad jokes that makes me feel alive again. I’m not in the market for forever—been there, done that. Look, I’ve taken risks for my sport, but I’m not giving my heart away again. I know thin ice when I see it.
Or do I?
Thin Ice is an MM bisexual, age-gap, small-town romance featuring a silver fox dad, the new hockey coach, and a fresh start on solid ground.
Bryson Mulligan is an upstanding citizen of Elmwood. He is a successful real estate agent, hot single dad to a hockey prodigy, and a general good guy. But now that he is an empty nester he is also feeling lonely.
Smitty Paluchek is his son's nemesis and is retiring after a long hockey career. He is divorced and trying to figure out what to do with his life after hockey. While trying to avoid painful parts of his past in his own hometown, he ends up running off to take a job offer as a high school hockey coach.
These two guys had an unexpected hot night that was only ever supposed to be a one-and-done. But when Smitty turns up in Elmwood and just keeps showing up, their chemistry is hard to avoid. Smitty makes Bryson feel alive and he can let go of some of his control issues. And Elmwood helps de-stress Smitty and makes him feel like he has a home while Bryson makes him feel wanted and needed.
A secret casual fling should be no one's business but their own. But there are some challenges and they both have a lot of emotional baggage, fears, and insecurities. Bryson has to think about his son and reputation. Smitty is not out and is not ready to commit to even staying permanently much less anything more. They are trying to keep their hearts guarded but it gets more difficult the more vulnerable they become and the closer they get. But being in their little bubble is one thing but the real world is more complicated.
I have come to love the inhabitants of this small town and their low angst love stories, I enjoyed Bryson and Smitty's sweet, sexy, witty, age gap, hurt comfort, sex buddies-to-more, second chance at love and a new life story. I am looking forward to more in this series.
Smitty gamely followed me to the next vignette at Pinecrest’s premiere home and furniture boutique. “It’s a coffee table, Bry. It serves two functions—a footrest and a place to leave dishes…and the remote control. Anything is fine.”
“Yeah, right,” I huffed. “Somehow I doubt the guy who couldn’t live with yellow walls and had lots of opinions about the sectional he special ordered doesn’t care about the coffee table that will go in the same room.”
Smitty darted his gaze around the store and leaned in close. “Places like this intimidate the fuck out of me. It smells like a perfume factory and everyone is smiling…but their eyes are dead. Like they’re zombies. Is this a Pinecrest thing or a bougie thing? I don’t do well with hot cotchure.”
I burst into laughter. “Haute couture?”
“Sure, whatever.”
I brushed my hand against his in a show of solidarity, then linked our pinkies for a brief moment and pointed at a handsome dark-wood coffee table with a wide base. “What about that one?”
Smitty shrugged. “Looks nice.”
“I think so too.” I clandestinely checked the tag. “Yikes. It’s pricey. Let’s keep looking.”
“Do they have a coffee table with cupholders?”
“Absolutely not, and why would anyone want a cupholder in a coffee table?”
Smitty widened his eyes comically. “Are you kidding me? Why would anyone not want a safe place to plop a cup? You never have to worry about spilling a drink or knocking it over, and you wouldn’t have to fumble for it when you’re watching a game, ’cause your cup is right where you left it.”
“Okay, that’s a whole lot of nonsense. And thankfully, a moot point.” I glanced at our surroundings as if to be sure that was true and noticed the salesperson watching us from the register. I couldn’t remember her name off the top of my head, but I was pretty sure I’d sold her and her partner a house two years ago. I lowered my voice and added, “They don’t have such a thing, but even if they did, I’d stop you from buying it.”
“How? I’m bigger than you. And I’m fast. I could whip out my credit card in a flash and shove this fucker into my truck before you could say ‘No, bad table!’ ”
You Again
Next Season
(The Elmwood Stories #2)
Lane Hayes
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Lane Hayes lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesn’t mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, who’s pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write.
She’s been telling stories about sexy, funny, sometimes geeky and quirky men who find love for a dozen years now and loving every minute. In her previous life, she sat at a desk and dealt with numbers, so yes…romance is much more satisfying!
Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolate…in any order. Add a book and she’s set!
To celebrate the release of Thin Ice, Lane is giving away the Winner's choice of an audiobook or ebook of your choice from her published works!
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Direct Link: https://bit.ly/TI_Giveaway
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