Matt is grumpy, Phoebe is sunshine. AND the sister of his teammate – are they a match
made in heaven or hell? 

Matthew

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Excerpt:

Forever In Our Hearts

Samantha Elise Holt

January 2, 2004 — March 14, 2022

Beloved Daughter & Sister

I have to clear my voice to get the words out. “Hey, Sami.”My eyes fill, but I blink the tears away. She doesn’t like it when I’m sad and overwhelmed with grief. Near the end, she told me I could grieve, but eventually, she wanted me to be happy and celebrate her memory. “Perhaps you should spend less time inside my mind and continue with your journey. Spot should be waiting for you on the rainbow bridge. You shouldn’t leave him hanging.” The black cat who claimed the Holt family for himself passed a few years before Samantha got sick.

Her snort is loud and clear in my head. I get the pearlygates, animals get the bridge, and we hook up somewhere in themiddle. Have you been hit in the head too many times, Mattie?

Shit. This is going to be one of those visits. I don’t know ifit’s better or worse, hearing her so clearly. I’m sure a therapistwould have a field day with me. I know it’s my subconsciouscoping mechanism for my grief and guilt, but is it really wrong to want to hold on to my baby sister’s voice? Threading my fingers through my hair, I push the long strands off my face.

“So, we, um, made the playoffs. Got all the way to roundthree, game seven. Then the fucking Chicago Storm fuckingknocked us out. At least they didn’t win the Cup. It’s the onlytime I’ve rooted for the Washington Red Tails.”

Gonna win it this season, big bro?

“I’ll do my best.”

Go Quakes Go!

When the Pittsburgh Emperors traded me, they were fullyaware my sister was close to dying. I’d made an ass of myself,begging the GM not to trade me when he called a few hoursbefore the deadline. He told me to get my ass on the plane toCalifornia. That’s the last time I’ll beg anyone for anything.

The icing on the cake? They never informed my new teamabout my family’s situation. I thought the Quakes knew and just didn’t care. I’ll give the Bishops credit where credit is due. Horrified, they released me on a family emergency, but it wasn’t fast enough. Even with Robert Bishop having me use his private jet. I missed being at Samantha’s bedside by mere hours. She died while I was in the air, crossing the country. The Quakes’ organization is growing on me, but the Emperors are fully aware that I will never forgive them. Whenever we face each other across the ice, all the players know I’m gunning for them. Maybe I can’t take it out on management, but fuck it, someone needs to pay. I don’t even mind the game ejections or the Player Safety Commission’s fines and game suspensions.

“Oh, one of our Quakes got a skate across his face, andguess what team is responsible?” Now there’s another team to add to my shit list. What that asshole on the other Pennsylvaniateam did to Luka deserves my kind of retribution.

The Liberties.

“Ha, you’ve been watching me, Beanpole.”

Always.

I rub my hands together. “Fucking Brad Cooke. I alwayshated that guy. I’m looking forward to our first meet of theseason.”

Don’t do stupid.

“Never, Sami, never.” I may be the team’s enforcer, and it’smy job to go after players who play dirty against ours, but I’m smart about it. Well…unless extra measures are needed.

I’m sure Catherine Bishop, who took over ownership of theteam from her dad, is going to get pissed with the forthcomingsuspensions, but that’s a bridge to cross later. There’s something else on my mind that involves the more immediate future.

“Speaking of being stupid, though,” I hesitate. Does shereally want to hear this? We shared everything growing up, but she’s stuck in whatever this half-life of hers is. Is it fair that I might consider dating when she’ll never have the chance? I’m no monk. I’ve fucked plenty of puck bunnies, but they meant nothing.

Nice. You kiss your mother with that mouth? She teases,laughing.

No, in fact, I don’t, but that’s another subject I don’t wantto bring up, so I dive into what’s on my mind instead. “I kind of met someone. Caught her, to be exact.” However, if Sami’s

been spying on me, she might already know about PhoebeAnderson. I laugh over the memory of the brunette with adazzling smile and ridiculously high heels losing her balanceand tumbling off the couch in the Quakes’ family waiting area. If I hadn’t been as fast as I am, the klutz would have broken her ass on the floor and that would have been a shame because it is a mighty fine ass. When she looked at me with those sparkling hazel eyes, resting so comfortably in my arms, and smiled, the block of ice that had been sitting in my chest where my heart used to be cracked a little. I couldn’t help but smile back.

“She’s the first person to make me feel anything other than pissed off since you died, but it’s complicated. I should probably leave her alone, but you know me, never one to follow the rules.” Glancing down, I let out a breath that starts as a sigh but becomes a jagged sob despite my best efforts. “Hey, I have to get going. I’m meeting Dad for brunch at J & J’s in twenty minutes.”

Be nice.

I want to say I always am, but that’s not the truth.