by Alex Grayson
“Hell, yeah! My diet’s blown for the day anyway.”
“That’s the spirit,” my sister says, laughing as she slices off huge hunks for each of us.
Leaning back, I take the piece that she hands me and hack off a big bite with my fork.
“So good,” I murmur as I lick icing from the tines.
And that’s when it finally hits me—a way to get through to Brent!
Smacking my forehead, I set my fork down and share with Lainey my revelation.
“The solution is so simple,” I marvel. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner.”
Once she hears my plan on how to reach Brent, Lainey tells me she loves it.
“Chocolate Resolve for the win,” she announces. “I can’t believe it really worked. This cake really did ‘resolve’ your dilemma.”
We both crack up over that one.
“Yes,” I agree. “It sure has. Now we just need for my plan to work in resolving Brent’s issues.”
I think it will.
I really do.
It’s a good one.
And I can’t wait to share it with Brent.
If all goes as planned and his issues are resolved, I can for sure declare, “Chocolate Resolve for the win.”
4
Aubrey Has an Idea
Brent
When I arrive home from my skate, Aubrey is not home. With nothing to do, I make a sandwich for lunch.
I then watch a little TV.
But still, like always these days, my attention is for shit.
Sighing, I turn the flat-screen off and head upstairs.
Since I’m a little grimy from skating, I shower and throw on a clean pair of jeans, along with a long-sleeved navy pullover.
I mess around in the bedroom for a while, just checking shit on my phone, trying to pass the time until Aubrey returns. I have no idea where she could be. The afternoon is long gone. It’s even getting dark outside.
I guess cake tasting went much longer than expected?
Or maybe Aubrey’s finally had it with my distant attitude and has decided to blow me off.
I wouldn’t blame her.
Shit, it’s yet another reminder that I need to get my head straightened out.
I know that.
That’s why I’ve been trying.
But why does nothing work?
Even skating hasn’t helped.
I blow out a breath.
So what’s the next step?
“Maybe I need therapy,” I mutter aloud.
Hey, I’m not ruling it out.
Ready and willing to do whatever it takes to get my life back on track, I make my way downstairs.
That’s when Aubrey finally returns.
“Hey, Brent,” she calls up to me cheerfully from the entry hall.
I’m glad she’s in a good mood. Maybe it’s okay that I didn’t attend the cake tasting.
Hoping to keep Aubrey happy, I rush to the bottom of the stairs, where I gather her up in my arms and give her a big hug.
“I love you so much,” I murmur into her hair. “I feel so crappy about being distant lately. I’m working on it, babe. I swear that I am.”
“I know, Brent.” Pulling back, Aubrey touches my stubbled cheek. “I believe you.”
I then confide in her, “I’m willing to try therapy. I decided that right before you came home. Whatever it takes, I’m willing.”
“Ahh, that may not be necessary,” she says, hedging.
“Huh? What do you mean that it may not be necessary?”
Peering up at me lovingly, Aubrey’s heart bared in her pretty turquoise eyes, she says, “Do you have some free time right now? If so, I have an idea. An idea that may resolve all of our problems.”
Shit, I’m already in before I open my mouth.
Tucking a strand of Aubrey’s shiny raven locks behind her ear, I cup her cheek gently and tell her, “For you, sweetheart, yes, I always have time. So tell me. What do you have in mind?”
Aubrey is positively beaming now.
What is she up to?
I’m dying to know.
Bouncing on her toes, she says, “Great. So where are your skates?”
“Huh? Why do I need those?”
Boy, am I ever confused.
Aubrey asked me to trust her, though, and that I can do.
“My skates are still in the car,” I reply. “But I am super curious as to why I need them.”
Smiling, Aubrey tsks, “Uh-uh-uh, no giving away my surprise. Not just yet, anyway. All you need to know at this point is you need your skates. I’ll actually need mine too.”
“All right…”
I’m more stumped than ever, but I can’t say I’m not intrigued.
“I think your skates are in the closet by the laundry room,” I let her know.
She nods. “Yeah, that sounds right. I remember tossing them in there after the last time we went skating.” Grabbing my hand, she says, “Come on. Let’s go get ’em. We’ll take your car since your skates are already in there. But hurry, Brent, we have somewhere we need to be.”
I have no idea what Aubrey is up to, but I trust her completely. I’ll go anywhere with her, even to the ends of the earth. I love her that fucking much.
So when she pulls me down the hall, I let her.
And when she tells me to grab her skates from the closet, I do.
Finally, we get in the car, where Aubrey asks me to drive down to the training facility where I was just earlier.
“You got it,” I say. “Your wish is my command.”
Aubrey laughs. “Hmm, I think I like this compliant Brent.”
Now it’s my turn to smile, and raise a brow. “Funny, that’s not what you tell me when we’re in bed, Aubrey.”
“Ah, but we’re not in bed, are we, Brent? However, we may be soon if this all goes as planned.”
Shit, I hope like hell that whatever it is we’re doing, it’s a raging success.
One last time, though, I have to press, “Come on. Fess up. What are you up to, Aubs?”
All I get back is a “You’ll see, Brent.”
I guess I will.
5
Night Skate
Aubrey
I have the best feeling about this. Brent is already in a great mood on the way down to the training facility, and our skates are in hand.
Okay, not exactly “in hand.”
They’re in the back seat, all sharpened and ready to go.
As am I.
I’m freaking brimming with excitement, in fact. So much so that I can’t stop bouncing my leg over in the passenger seat.
Placing a calming hand on my knee, which really does help, Brent says, “Are you sure you don’t want to tell me what’s going on?”
“No.” I shake my head adamantly. “This has to be a surprise. You’ll find out soon enough.”
What Brent doesn’t know is after I finished up with Lainey today, I stopped by the training facility to have the ice reserved for just the two of us for the night. I asked that the lights be dimmed to a romantic glow and that there be soft music playing in the background.
All because Brent and I will skate tonight, a night skate that will hopefully help us find our way. I truly believe our being on the ice together is the answer we seek. It may get us back on track.
Brent has spent so much time skating alone, when maybe all he’s needed all along is to skate with me.
I smile over at him, and he smiles back.
“We’re almost there,” he says.
“Yes, we are.”
A short while later finds us on the ice together—skating and having so much fun!
We’re playful and carefree.
This is exactly what we needed.
No worries, no troubles, just Brent and me.
Zooming up ahead of him, I call back over my shoulder, “Bet you can’t catch me.”
Like that’s a challenge for him.
“You’re on,” he says before racing up to me an
d snatching my hand. “And just where do you think you’re going?” he asks, chuckling.
Shrugging, I reply, “I guess nowhere. But then again…”
I slip out of his grasp, giggling and speeding away.
“Hey, what the—” I hear Brent say.
“Fooled you,” I call out.
But just like before, in no time Brent is breathing down my neck. This time, though, I spin around, skating backward and smiling at him slyly.
“You are one bad girl,” he tells me.
“I am,” I agree. “So maybe you should spank me, Brent.”
That gets him going. “You are so in for it now.”
“Maybe that’s what I want,” I reply saucily.
I take off then so quickly that Brent’s caught off guard.
Eek, I really am going to be in for it.
Ooh, I hope so.
Brent catches me on the blue line, wrapping me up from behind in his arms.
Laughing, I turn to face him, but—oh no!—our skates somehow get tangled up.
“Help,” I squeak out as I go down.
Brent tumbles to the ice as well, leaving us both on our asses.
Peering over at each other, we crack up. I’m in tears as I roll onto my back, thankful that I have on a super-thick sweater and jeans.
But I needn’t worry. I’m plenty warmed up when Brent leans over me, his arm by my head.
Caressing my cheek softly, he tells me, “I love you so much, Aubrey. I’m sorry I’ve been a distant pain in the ass lately.”
I blow out a breath. “You’re just working through some issues. I understand.”
“Still, Aubs, that’s not an excuse. I should work out my problems with you by my side. Like what we’re doing right now. You’ve helped me see that. It’s working. It’s really fucking working.”
My eyes widen, and hope fills my heart. “You’re feeling better about things?” I ask.
Brent nods. “I am. And I know now that’s why you arranged for us to come here.”
“It is,” I admit.
“Aubrey, I love you so much for doing this. You know me better than I know myself. You knew the ice would heal me, but not in the way it used to. Once upon a time, I was all about me. Time on the ice alone could cure all my woes. But I’m with you now, babe—in body, heart, and soul. All my trips down to the ice alone were in vain. I see that now.”
Holy crap, my plan really has worked!
Reaching up, I tangle my fingers in Brent’s dark hair and gaze into his whiskey-brown eyes.
“Brent,” I sigh. “You’re right about everything. I had a feeling us being on the ice together might cure you.”
Laughing, he says, “You were right. I feel…free.”
I take a deep breath, and in a soft whisper, I ask, “Do you really? You’re truly okay now, even about the playoff loss?”
He replies with a firm, “Yes.”
I raise a brow. “And you’re ready to get back to wedding planning with me?”
“I am,” he confirms.
Relieved, I say, “I love you so much, Brent.”
He replies, “I love you even more, my beautiful Aubrey.”
“Pfft, that’s not possible,” I tease.
I also know Brent loves a challenge.
And sure enough, he replies, “You think it’s not possible, eh?”
“Ha! I know it’s not.”
He leans in even closer. “Maybe that means I need to show you.”
Softly, I murmur, “Maybe it does.”
It’s all over then.
Under the dimmed lights, with a love song I can’t make out playing in the background, Brent Oliver proves to me that he freaking loves me…a lot.
With all of our issues resolved—just like the cake, hee hee—I come to the conclusion that this is a night skate that won’t ever be forgotten.
The End
Read more Brent and Aubrey, including how they first met, in the first Boys of Winter novel, Destiny on Ice.
About S.R.
S.R. Grey is an Amazon Top 30 and a #1 Barnes & Noble bestselling author. Her bestselling hockey rom-com series, and new football series, feature a different hot player in every story. All of the books can be read in any order since they’re interconnected standalones.
Ms. Grey’s novels have appeared on multiple Amazon bestseller lists, including the Top 100 several times. She is also a Top 100 bestselling author on iTunes.
Visit her at www.srgrey.com
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Acknowledgments
We just want to thank every author that made this collection a possibility! As you know, all funds raised from this collection will be donated to the International Network of Hearts which works with human sex trafficking survivors.
We take pride in knowing so many talented authors wanted to help. We hope you enjoyed all of the stories.
None of this could’ve happened without the dedication of all of the authors: A.C. Williams, A.M. Wilson, AJ Alexander, Alex Grayson, Ali Dean, Amali Rose, Anna Bishop Barker, Anna Brooks, Aurora Rose Reynolds, Brittany Crowley, Cary Hart, Cassandra Robbins, Claire C. Riley, Danielle Norman, DM Earl, Erica Marselas, Esther E. Schmidt, Flora Burgos, Freya Barker, Gianna Gabriela, Heidi McLaughlin, HL Nighbor, JD Hollyfield, Jessica Marin, K.L. Clare, Kally Ash, KL Donn, Lauren Dawes, Lia Fairchild, Meagan Brandy, Melissa Toppen, Michelle Dare, Monica DeSimone, S.L. Sterling, S.R. Grey, Shari J. Ryan, Sienna Snow, and Yolanda Olson. We appreciate you all more than you know and thank you for trusting us throughout this process.
To the readers, thank you for making this collection a success! We love that you love to read as much as we love to write. Without you, we could not have made our goal of raising money for charity come true. Thank you for your support.
