Chasing the Prize (Men of the Ice Book 5)

by Michele Shriver

  Chasing the Prize

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Chasing the Prize (Men of the Ice, #5)

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Epilogue

  Making an Impact

  Books by Michele Shriver

  Author’s Note and Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Michele Shriver

  SMC Publishing

  Chasing the Prize: A Men of the Ice Novella

  By Michele Shriver

  Copyright 2016 Michele Shriver

  Published by SMC Publishing

  All Rights Reserved

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, locales and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  “You do not play hockey for good seasons. You play to win the Stanley Cup. It has to be the objective.”- Guy Lafleur

  Chapter One

  Ryder Carrigan sat on a stage in the San Antonio Events center and tried to mentally prepare himself for the torture that would soon follow. He was a student of history, and could offer a list of the some of the worst forms of torture ever known to man. Impalement, drawing and quartering, heretics fork, white torture, waterboarding. All were awful, yet none compared to what Ryder was about to endure on this mid-September Friday evening.

  The San Antonio Generals Charity Foundation Bachelor Auction.

  Or, as Ryder referred to it, fresh meat for slaughter.

  As a professional hockey player, there were a number of things expected of Ryder. For example, as one of the Generals’ Alternate Captains, he was expected to make himself available to the media following games, and to answer their questions. He didn’t always want to, especially after a tough loss in which he’d failed to get on the scoreboard. It came with the territory, though, so Ryder did it. After all, nobody liked a sore loser.

  Some of the things expected of him, Ryder enjoyed, such as contributing his favorite recipe—pizza burgers— to the Generals Foundation cookbook, or visiting sick kids in the hospital. He had no reason to complain about those, especially since both were for a good cause.

  So was the bachelor auction, but Ryder still considered it torture. Even though he’d never before wished he was married, now Ryder did. Or if not married, at least seriously dating someone. If he were, he’d get a pass on this dreaded event.

  Instead, he sat on a stage, dressed in his best suit and tie, and prepared to be paraded in front of the audience so that women could bid on him. Or rather, they could bid on a date with him. That was the most Ryder agreed to. One date, for the highest bidder. A drink and dinner, perhaps even dessert if things went sort of well. But nothing beyond that. No way. He was a hockey player, for goodness sake, not a gigolo or an escort. Besides, he had bigger priorities, like winning a Stanley Cup.

  “This is going to be great,” his teammate, Casey Deanult, said from the seat next to Ryder. “Lots of women out here, and probably plenty of hot ones.”

  If they’re so hot, why are they so desperate? Ryder wondered, then felt a little guilty. It was a charity event, after all, so maybe their intentions were good. It wasn’t fair to judge all of the women in attendance as either cheap or desperate. “Good. They can bid on you,” he said to Casey.

  “I hope so. The more the merrier.” Casey grinned. “As I like to say, the only thing better than one smoking hot chick is two smoking hot chicks. Or maybe three,” he added with a shrug of his shoulders. “I don’t like to discriminate.”

  Ryder grimaced at the crude implications of Casey’s remark. No doubt about it, his teammate was a horn dog of the worst kind. He knew he wasn’t the only guy on the team that worried Casey would someday get himself into trouble with his womanizing ways, but what could they do about it? Casey showed up to work every day and gave the team his best.

  “Then hopefully they’re all here for you and you can have an orgy,” Ryder muttered under his breath. “I don’t want anything to do with this whole charade.” Except it was for charity, so he couldn’t exactly say no. Instead, the best Ryder could hope for was that whoever bid on him—assuming anyone did—turned out to be a nice, respectable woman who’d done so only to further the charitable cause, and not because she looked to score with a professional athlete.

  “Oh, lighten up, Carrigan,” Casey said. “It’s all in fun. Hot women and charity. And as a bonus, we even get the babe from channel twelve covering the event.” He whistled softly under his breath. “Man, I’d love to tap that.”

  “Sheesh, Denault, are you ever not an ass?” Ryder asked. “You might as well get over that fantasy. She’s a professional here to do her job. Not pay money to spend an hour with you.” He couldn’t deny, though, that the local news anchor sent to report on the event for her network was one beautiful woman.

  ***

  Jessica Rowan wished she could be any place else but where she was, forced to cover a celebrity bachelor auction for San Antonio’s ABC affiliate. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in the cause—suicide prevention and awareness—she just wasn’t convinced the event was the best way to support said cause. Win a date with a professional hockey player to help prevent suicide? Jessica had a hard time seeing the connection.

  She’d agreed to cover the event because Charlenes Simmons, who headed the Generals Charity Foundation, was one of her closest friends, and because her boss at the station, who’d lost a teenager to suicide, insisted channel twelve should be there. None of the other local news stations thought the auction was worth covering, so it was Jessica’s gig, and hers alone. Since that wasn’t anything to sneeze at in the echelon of television news reporting, Jessica was determined to make it work for her, even if she did think the whole thing was rather silly.

  After interviewing Matt Johnson, who was the son of the Generals owner and the team’s marketing director, and Char, it was time to move on to the big stars. The Generals players. Since the team captain and marquee player, Colton Tremblay, had recently announced his engagement, he wasn’t participating in the auction. Neither was Alex Gray, one of the Generals Alternate Captains, who was married with a young son. That left the team’s other Alternate Captain, left winger Ryder Carrigan, to be the first player Jessica spoke to.

  “Ryder Carrigan finished the season fourth in points among all Generals players, and looks forward to building on that success in his second season in San Antonio,” Jessica said. “But before that can happen, he has to survive tonight’s bachelor auction.” She strived for a dramatic tone and hoped it didn’t sound completely over the top or stupid.

  “Ryder, can you tell us what you’re looking forward to the most about tonight’s event?” As she thrust the microphone at him, Jessica was struck with two thoughts. The first was that he had the prettiest eyes of anyone she’d ever seen. Eyes she could easily get lost in.

  The second was that Ryder Carrigan looked like he’d rather be any place else at that moment, which Jess could certainly relate to.

  ***

  What was he looking forward to most? How about nothing? No, that wouldn’t be an acceptable answer. For this whole dreaded event to be over? That would be the honest answer, but probably not one Ryde
r wanted broadcast on the evening news. Pushing the microphone away from his face wasn’t a good option, either. That would be a rude, asshole-ish thing to do. The reporter was only doing her job.

  “Helping to raise awareness for an important cause,” Ryder said. “I think in our brief time in this city, the Generals franchise has proven to have a strong commitment to charity, and this is another way for us to show that commitment. And who knows, maybe we’ll have a little fun in the process.” He didn’t believe that, but hopefully it sounded good.

  The news anchor nodded. “When the idea of the bachelor auction was first announced, were you excited to volunteer your services?”

  His services? Ryder cringed inwardly. It did make him sound like a damn escort. Is that really what she thought, or was it simply an unfortunate choice of words? He hoped for the latter, because if they had to have this event, he at least wanted it to earn some halfway decent news coverage for the right reasons.

  “I wouldn’t say excited, exactly,” Ryder answered after a second. “I think my teammates will tell you I’m not much into celebrity and all of that. I’m more of a homebody,” he said, “so this isn’t really my kind of thing. But I’m proud to be considered one of the leaders on our team, and I’m a single guy, so it kind of goes with the territory.” He shrugged. “I don’t mind doing this because it’s such a worthy cause. That’s really what it’s about for me.”

  “That’s it, just the charity?” The news anchor smiled, her brown eyes twinkling. “You aren’t secretly hoping to find your soulmate tonight?”

  “No, ma’am, I’m not.” Ryder returned her smile. “You never know, though. I’m sure stranger things have happened.”

  Their eyes locked for a second before the reporter turned away from Ryder to face her cameraman again. “Well, there you have it. Ryder Carrigan may not be looking for love, but he’s not opposed to finding it. And maybe it will happen right here, tonight.”

  Chapter Two

  What the heck? That wasn’t what he’d said at all. Nothing like having his words completely twisted. There was nothing Ryder could do to correct it, however, as Jessica Rowan had already moved on along with her cameraman, to try get good sound bites from the rest of the guys. Ryder sat back down, making a mental note to be more careful with his words next time. Not that it would make any difference. People always liked to put their own interpretation on things.

  He glanced at his watch. Only five minutes to go until the dreaded event started, but the sooner it started, the sooner it would be over. And fortunately, the set-up was a silent auction format, which meant he wouldn’t be subjected to a loud and raucous scream fest. No, all he had to do was walk back and forth across the stage while the event’s hosts—the Generals in-game arena announcer, Grant Dahlstrom, and the reporter from channel twelve—gave their vital stats to everyone in the audience. That would be plenty embarrassing enough, but at least none of the guys would never know how money each of them fetched. For that, Ryder was grateful. The Generals had a close-knit locker room, but a playful and competitive one, too, and no doubt the guy that garnered the least interest at the auction was sure to face some good-natured ribbing. At least the silent bidding would prevent that.

  The lights dimmed, and the co-hosts stepped forward on the stage. “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the First Annual San Antonio Generals Charity Foundation Bachelor Auction! I’m the voice of the Generals, Grant Dahlstrom, and with me tonight is the very lovely Jessica Rowan from KSAT channel twelve, and do we have a show for you.” He paused to allow for applause. “In just a few minutes, you’ll be introduced to fifteen eligible bachelors from your San Antonio Generals, and you’ll be given an opportunity to win a date with one of them. Or more, I suppose, if your checkbook allows for it,” the emcee added. Predictably, the audience laughed.

  Perfect, Ryder thought. Casey can have his orgy.

  “Jessica, before we get started, why don’t you tell everyone a little bit about why we’re here, and the importance of tonight’s event?” Grant suggested.

  “Thank you, Grant, and thank you, everyone for being here. Tonight’s bachelor auction benefits the Texas Youth Suicide Prevention Project, which is a cause that is near and dear to all our hearts at channel twelve, because as most of you know, our news director, Anthony Madsen, recently lost his son to suicide...”

  As Ryder listened to her remarks, he relaxed. Okay, maybe he still hated public showcases like this, but being reminded, in a very human way, of why they were doing this, helped. He didn’t know Tony Madsen in person, and never met his son TJ, but this was real. It might be too late to help TJ, but if the money raised tonight brought awareness to the cause, and maybe, in some way, helped someone else like TJ Madsen, then it was all worth it. Who knows, maybe he’d even have a reasonably pleasant time with whomever bid on him.

  If Ryder was uncomfortable with the whole idea of the auction, his teammate, Jonathan Ackerman, looked even more so as, by way of the alphabet, he got to be the first bachelor paraded across the stage. Ryder felt for Jon. The kid was barely old enough to legally drink in the United States and came over from his native Sweden to play in the NHL. And he had to be subjected to this? He was a good sport, though, waving to the audience as he made his walk across the stage.

  And then it was Ryder’s turn.

  “An alternate captain for the Generals, left wing Ryder Carrigan stands six feet one, and hails from Victoria, British Columbia,” Grant announced, as if Ryder’s height and hometown were the two most important things about him.

  “Victoria. I believe that’s where the reigning Conn Smythe winner, and captain of the Stanley Cup Champions, hails from,” Jessica said. “Perhaps this coming season, Ryder can help bring the Cup down I-35 from Dallas to San Antonio.”

  Great. Nothing like putting pressure on a guy. Ryder was a fan of the Dallas Stars’ captain, having grown up in the same town and played youth hockey with him. He’d never be a superstar like his hometown friend was, and Ryder was okay with that. Except for one thing. Jamie had his name on the Stanley Cup, and that was what Ryder coveted most of all.

  He waved, turned, and made his walk back to his seat as Grant and Jessica continued their commentary about Ryder’s favorite food and his favorite TV show, in case these things might cause some woman in attendance to decide she just had to meet him. And then, thankfully, it was all done. All Ryder had to do was watch the other guys preen and prance. Then they’d eat dinner, and after that, he’d learn who bid on him. Whew. Not so bad. As long as the date didn’t turn out to be a disaster.

  ***

  Once all of the eligible bachelors were introduced, and had made their walk across the stage, the silent bidding opened, which allowed Jessica a much-needed break from her reporting and co-host duties. She made her way to the cash bar, where she got a glass of white wine from a local Texas winery.

  “You’re doing a great job so far, Jess,” a woman said, coming up beside her. It was Char. “Thanks again for agreeing to do this.”

  “No problem.” Between her friendship with Char and her boss’s personal connection to the cause, it wasn’t something she could really say no to. Jessica took a sip of wine. “At least the toughest part is over now,” she said, referring the player interviews and introductions. “As long as I don’t flub somebody’s name announcing the winners, the rest should be pretty smooth sailing.”

  “Yeah, and I think we’re going to have some high bid amounts,” Char said. “I stole a glance at the auction table on my way over here, and it was already busy.”

  “Wow. That’s great.”

  Char nodded. “Yep. Lots of money for a good cause. I can’t say I’m surprised, though, because this is a pretty sexy group of bachelors we’ve got.”

  “That it is,” Jessica agreed. “Are you bidding?” she asked her friend. Even though they’d been in college at UT San Antonio at the same time, Char was older than Jessica by about ten years, having gone back to college after a divorce. She now appr
oached her fortieth birthday, and even though it was still several months away, Jessica knew her friend dreaded the milestone—and being single.

  “Can’t. I work for the team, remember?” Char shrugged and took a drink. “You can, though,” she added with a conspiratorial wink.

  “Ha ha. As if.”

  “Why not? You’ve been saying for the past year that you want to find a nice guy and settle down,” Char reminded her.

  It was true. The closer she got to thirty, the more Jessica thought about it. She’d spent the past six plus years focusing on her career, working her way up from occasional weekend reporter to weeknight news anchor, and she loved the work. But lately, more and more, she found herself wanting more. “Yes, settle down,” Jessica said. “With a guy who’s here, not on the road all the time.”

  “They’re not traveling all the time. Usually it’s only a few days at a time,” Char said.

  “If you say so.” Jessica wasn’t in the mood to argue. “Either way, the professional athlete thing isn’t my scene,” she said. “Even if they are nice guys.” And she had to admit, they definitely seemed to be. And she sure couldn’t deny that they were easy on the eyes.

  “Fine. I was only kidding, anyway. I don’t expect you to bid,” Char said. “If you were, though, who’d be your first choice?”

  The question was all in fun, but Jessica gave it consideration before answering. “I don’t know. I think I’d have to go with Ryder. He seems pretty down-to-earth, not full of himself,” she said. “And I like his smile.”

  Char nodded. “Good choice. From what I know of him, Ryder’s a stand up guy. Anyway, I should go mingle. I’ll catch you after the auction?”

  “Sure,” Jessica said. “I want to grab a bite and make the rounds, anyway, before the bidding ends and we have to announce the winners.”

  After saying goodbye to Char, Jessica went to get some finger food and stopped to chat with her boss, who praised the job she was doing so far, which she appreciated. No doubt this was a difficult night for Tony and his whole family. She made small talk with various attendees over the course of the next hour, and soon it was time to take the stage with Grant again to announce the winners.