Reese’s P.O.V.I was just walking into my apartment, holding on to my grocery bags when my phone started buzzing again. I picked it out of my jacket, seeing that it was Dana who was calling me.“Hey,” I greeted her, “Where are you?” She asked me, sounding a bit panicked in a way.“I just got home, why?” I asked her, frowning.“Turn on your TV, right now!” She told me, making me frown even more as I heard the urgency in her voice.“OK,” I answered her, picking up the remote and pressing the power button, seeing how my TV screen came to life, my eyes widened as I saw Caleb’s face on my screen, accompanied by four other men I didn’t recognize.The news anchor’s voice filled my living room.“In a shocking turn of events, professional hockey player Caleb Johnson has pressed charges against his boss, Samuel Hardt, for blackmailing him in order to stay on the team. And now, it seems as though Caleb Johnson isn’t the only one who has been blackmailed. Four other players and the head coach of
ONE YEAR LATER.Reese’s P.O.V.A warm Florida breeze rustled the leaves of the trees that lined the driveway leading to our house on the Loup ranch. The sun shone brightly overhead, casting a golden glow on the lush green landscape. It had been a year filled with healing, growth, and rebuilding, and now Caleb and I were ready to embark on a new chapter of our lives. Moving into our own house, together.As the moving truck pulled up in front of our house, I couldn’t help but smile with anticipation. It had been a long journey in order to get the house done, filled with challenges and triumphs, but we had persevered together, and right now, I honestly believed I had never felled so at home as I did in this house. We had put careful thought and consideration into designing our new house on the Loup Ranch. The result was a beautiful home that was both practical and elegant.The exterior of the house boasted a charming blend of stone and wood, blending with the natural surroundings. Steppi
BONUS CHAPTER Reese’s P.O.V. “Are you ready?” I smiled, looking next to me in the car as I watched Dana look in front of her, mouth agape and eyes big in wonder as she took in the place.“What the hell did he do to this place?” She gasped before she looked back at me in awe again.“This must have cost him a fortune.” She added before she opened the door and got out of my car, to which I smiled and did the same, closing up my car before we walked over to the main entrance of the ice skating rink. We stepped into the newly acquired ice rink with a sense of awe. The transformation of this place was nothing short of extraordinary. The once worn-out and almost neglected space had been completely revitalized, thanks to Caleb’s unwavering dedication to turning this place into a fun spot for kids today and in the years to come. I couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration for his commitment and dedication to creating a haven for young aspiring hockey players. The grand opening of the ice
Caleb’s P.O.V.The sun bathed the garden in a golden glow as I stood at the end of the aisle, my heart racing with anticipation. My brothers, Zach, and Jake flanked me as my groomsmen, their presence a reassurance of the unbreakable bond we shared as siblings. I looked at them, sharing a knowing smile that spoke volumes about our unspoken connection.The doors opened and Reese, a vision of beauty in her flowing white long gown, began her graceful walk towards me. My breath caught in my chest as I took in her radiant smile, her eyes sparkling with love and happiness. Beside her, Dana, her best friend who was also the maid of honor, beamed with pride and joy.The soft melody of a love song filled the air, harmonizing with the beating of my heart. And then, like a little angel, my niece Dahlia stepped forward, clutching a basket of rose petals. She delicately scattered them along the aisle, leaving a fragrant path in her wake. God only knows how many times she had begged both me and Rees
“God damn it!” I shouted between my gritted teeth as I threw away the hammer that I was holding in my hand. I was sitting down on one knee, my good knee, trying to fix the damned fence that kept the horses from running off, and just as my luck would have it, I had just used the last nail, trying to keep the damned fence attached to this fucking wooden pole. But of course, with my luck, that didn’t work as planned. Because here I was, out of nails, the fence still not being repaired, feeling like a damn failure all over again.Hah… story of my life, if you ask me. The wind howled through the trees as I gave up on my task and started to walk back toward the main house on the ranch grounds. I squinted through the sunshine, searching for the familiar landmarks that would lead me back to the ranch house of my family. The place that had once been my home, and now felt like my Goddamn prison more than anything if you asked me. The sunshine illuminated a rusted sign that read “The Loup Ranch.
Caleb’s P.O.V.The drive to Dahlia’s school was nerve-wracking, but I managed to stay focused and alert during my drive downtown. I arrived at the school, parked the car, and walked toward the entrance of the school building. There were already some parents standing by, waiting for their kids to come outside, and looking at the school building made me feel a pang of nostalgia for my own childhood. God… how many times did our mother stand right here waiting for us to walk out of the building? And just standing here, facing my old school building, I couldn’t believe that it had been so long since I had last visited my hometown. Everything looked familiar and yet so different at the same time.As a famous hockey player, I was already used to being recognized by fans all the time, but I didn’t expect the attention I was receiving from some of the mothers who were waiting out here for their children. Some of them without a doubt still ‘happily married’, even though they were giving me bedr
Reese’s P.O.V. I cleared my throat and straightened my back before I started to speak to him again.“Hello, sir. What brings you here?” I asked him, my voice trembling slightly, so I was forced to clear my throat, which only made me sound like a total moron.Damnit!The man smiled down at me, and I felt my heart flutter even more.butterflies...too many butterflies... “I am here to pick up Dahlia’s arts and crafts project. She told me it was too heavy for her to carry and somehow she got stuck on the playground on our way back over here, so I said I would come and get it for her while she waited for me on the playground, so she could still play with some of her friends. The other teacher at the playground said that it was fine, and showed me which classroom was Dahlia's, which should be this one.” He spoke, his voice sounding a bit hoarse and a whole lot of sexy. I nodded again, trying to keep my eyes from wandering over to his broad shoulders and chiseled chest. So instead, I quick
Caleb’s P.O.V. I was sitting in my armchair, staring into the distance of the farmlands. My thoughts were consumed with Reese, my niece’s hotter-than-hell teacher. I remembered the first time I had met her like it was nearly seconds ago while it had been hours. The smile on her face, the look in her eyes when she had seen me. At that moment, I had already known how much I was in trouble. It had been a really long time since I had felt a real attraction to a woman. Hell... probably years if I was being really honest, until earlier this afternoon. Until seeing Reese. Shit... when I had first seen her, I felt like one of those cartoon characters with their mouths dropping all the way down to the floor because she was just that Goddamn beautiful. I was twenty-nine years old, and I had had my fair chair of experience in the bedroom, but I had never once felt like this. Smitteninfatuatedstruckcaptivated... I had offered to show her around town, but she had declined my offer, twice in a