Chapter One

GRACE

As I stare at my brightly lit laptop screen, it seems to mock me. I’m supposed to be coming up with a list of ideas for online content to present to one of my clients, but I’ve got nothing. This isn’t a normal problem for me. I typically have ideas flowing from my brain, but for some reason, I’m totally stuck today. I don’t know why. There’s no reason I shouldn’t be cranking out pitch after pitch right now.

And yet, I’m grasping at straws.

Sitting back in my desk chair, I release a long, frustrated breath and pinch the bridge of my nose to try and fight back the headache that’s drumming behind my eyes. What is wrong with me?

I’m Gracelynn-Freaking-Monroe. I don’t get blocked.

Deciding I should just take a break, I shut my laptop and push to my feet. Looking around, I sigh. It probably doesn’t help that I feel totally out of touch now that I’m back to living at home with my parents. It’s all I can afford, though, as a recent college graduate with a budding (but not yet profitable) social media management business. My mom told me not to worry about it, that I can stay as long as I want. Still, I can’t help but feel bad. I should be out there like everyone else, trying to make it in the world. But there isn’t really anything I can do about that now, except to continue to save and hope that one day I’ll have my own place.

And while I’m proud of my work and of the fact that I’ve landed a few loyal clients, as small as they might be, I feel… restless. Like I’m supposed to be doing something else. Something bigger. Something that will push my career to the heights I’ve always dreamed of.

For now, though, I need to be content, keep my head down, and pay my dues.

Making my way downstairs, I head to the kitchen. Perhaps a cup of tea will help to clear my thoughts so I can actually accomplish something., While I wait for it to whistle, I hop up onto the counter and sigh. I gaze up at the ceiling and wonder if I’m going to eat ramen or macaroni and cheese tonight. Suddenly, my phone buzzes.

I absentmindedly pick it up but then feel a jolt of surprise when I see that it’s my brother, Carson. A frown crossing my face as I answer the call.

“Carson?”

“Hey, Gracie. How’s Madison?”

I shrug, forgetting he can’t see me, then answer, “It’s fine. How’s Denver?”

“Pretty great,” he answers and I roll my eyes.

“Did you just call me to gloat about how great your life is going?” I grumble. “Because I warn you, I’m in no mood.”

My handsome, charismatic, talented brother is living his best life while I’m scraping by, building my career bit-by-bit from the ground up. Carson is fulfilling his dream of playing professional hockey, and while I’m proud of him, I can’t shake the shiver of jealousy crawling down my spine. He’s always had things easier. At least, that’s how it’s always felt. I don’t know if it’s because he’s been an athlete his whole life and people seem to practically worship him, but opportunities always just fall at his feet while I have to work my ass off to get anywhere in life.

Carson chuckles and says, “I promise, that’s not why I called. Well, it’s not the only reason I called. How’s the social media business treating you?”

I furrow my brow. “It’s fine. I’ve got some clients. Work is trickling in right now, but I’m getting my name out there and networking however I can. Things will pick up soon enough.”

“What if I could help you?”

My frown deepens. “Help me? How?”

“I need a social media manager,” Carson says. “What would you think of moving out here and working for me?”

Blinking, I sit frozen for several seconds, uncertain whether I heard him right or not.

“You…you want me to come work for you?” I murmur.

“Yeah,” he replies. “Now that I’ve gone pro, my publicist says I need to represent myself more professionally online. You know I suck at that stuff, but you’re brilliant. I’d pay you a steady salary and even provide some benefits. What do you think?”

I’m speechless. I hadn’t expected anything like this when I answered my brother’s call.

After several moments of silence on my part, Carson says, “Uh…Grace? You still there? Hello?”

“Oh!” I exclaim. “Sorry, I spaced out for a second. Um… are you sure you want me? You’re not afraid this could be a conflict of interest or something?”

“Nah,” he replies. “I want someone I know and trust for the job, and there aren’t many people I trust more than you.”

My lips curl into a small grin at that. Still, I continue to hesitate. It’s not that I’m not interested in the job. I really am, and I know this could be an awesome opportunity for me. Being the social media manager for a professional athlete could catapult my career forward much further than I’d planned in such a short amount of time. Still, when I open my mouth to try and accept the job, the words get stuck in my throat.

Instead, I manage to say, “But, you know I hate hockey.”

Carson releases a bark of laughter. “Yes, I’m aware of that, but come on, Gracie. You know this is a great opportunity for you and I don’t want to hire a total stranger who doesn’t understand me and what I’m all about. You just have to focus on my hockey career and no one else’s. Plus, I’m not asking you to date any of the team, so you won’t have to break your weird rule.”

I roll my eyes at his teasing tone. “You know why I have that rule, Carson.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he groans. “I know, and trust me, I get it. My friends in high school were exactly that, high schoolers. Every single one of us had only one thing in mind, and that was exactly my reason for keeping you away from them. I also know what happened to Stacey was…messed up. But you can’t really think all hockey players are assholes because of the way some teenagers acted a million years ago. What about me?”

“You are the one exception,” I grumble.

My one rule of dating is that I don’t date hockey players. Ever. People often laugh or think I’m joking if they find out my rule, but I’m dead serious about holding onto it. Throughout the years of being dragged along to my brother’s hockey games and enduring his growing popularity as he got better and better, my experience with other hockey players has only ever been negative. It wasn’t just how I was treated by them, though. I was actually left alone more often than not, because of Carson — but my friends weren’t. They were treated like puck bunnies and never taken seriously. The hockey guys would always put their own wants and their careers before anything else. The image of my friend Stacey, tears streaming down her face as she held a pregnancy test in her hand, is burned into my mind.

I shake my head. Carson doesn’t really know what happened with Stacey. He just thinks she was dumped before her asshole ex suddenly left our school. My naive brother has no idea that his former friend got Stacey pregnant and then abandoned her for greener hills.

Taking a deep breath, I give Carson my answer. “Alright, I’ll do it. But if any of your teammates give me any trouble…”

“I’ll keep ’em in check, don’t worry,” he replies with a note of seriousness in his voice that I’m not used to hearing. “You’re taking a big step for me, Grace. I won’t forget that.”

“You’re right about that,” I assure him. “I won’t let you.”

My mind instantly flies to more stressful topics. The big one: am I even going to be able to afford rent? Denver is a big place, and—like most major cities—expensive. I ponder over my savings, and the money I currently have coming in from clients. Even though it’s enough to get me going, if I lose a client… I won’t make it.

“Hey, so… quick question.” I say slightly stumbling across my words.

“What is it?”

Letting out a heavy sigh, I try to formulate my words without sounding more ridiculous than I feel. “How’s housing there? I mean rent and that. I have to find a place to live?—”

Laughter erupts through the phone quickly stopping me mid-sentence. “You don’t need to worry about that.”

“I don’t? I mean, I’m pretty sure I need a place to live. I can’t live with you.”

“That’s for sure.” He snorts with amusement. “I mean, I’m going to put you in a place. I’ve got it covered. You’re doing me a favor by agreeing in the first place. It’s the least I can do.”

My mind races with the information. I know he’s my brother, but to do all of this for me… I don’t even know how to feel. Taking a deep breath, I try to quiet my emotions. “Thank you… you have no idea how much that means to me.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, will you be able to keep your other clients if you move out here?” Carson asks.

I take a moment to think about that. There shouldn’t be an issue. None of my clients require in-person meetings or anything like that. Everything’s done online, so moving states shouldn’t be a big deal. The only reason I moved back home to Madison after college was to save money on rent.

“Yeah,” I answer. “That won’t be a problem. I can manage their socials remotely and they’ll be able to send me videos and images that I can edit. It’ll be a smooth transition.”

“Good.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “You know I’m hopeless with any of that stuff, so I need you here, in-person.”

“I know. It’ll work out on my end, no worries.”

“I’ll owe you for this,” he says. “I promise you won’t regret this.”

“All right. I’ll talk to you later, Carson.”

“Goodnight, Gracie.”

After we hang up, I stare blankly at my silent phone for a long while. My life is about to change in ways I could have never anticipated, and all because of my goofy twin brother who happens to be good at hitting a puck with a stick.

Hopping off the counter, I stare at the already finished kettle as my chin drops into my hand. “What a day,” I mutter to myself with a sigh. Moving into athlete territory is daunting. I didn’t think I’d ever get pulled back into that world. All those countless hours of being dragged to Carson’s games and dealing with the macho behavior of his teammates soured me toward the game even before my friends were ever affected by those assholes. The mere thought of willingly immersing myself in such an atmosphere makes my gut twist with unease.

But then again, this is a chance to expand my client base, to gain experience managing high-profile figures and their social media needs. I don’t necessarily need to focus on the hockey aspect of things, really. Just the social media and the experience this is going to give me.

With a groan, I drop my head onto the counter and comb my fingers through my hair. It takes some time for me to wrap my head around the magnitude of what accepting this job offer means for me. As I do so, however, I remind myself that this moment isn't just about a job opportunity or furthering my career, it’s also about trust—the trust that Carson has placed in me.

I know he wouldn’t put his career in my hands if he didn’t believe I was capable of handling it. He knows how tough this decision is for me—how much I loathe the idea of becoming part of the hockey world—but he’s still asking. That alone is enough to bolster my confidence and to quell some of the unease.

So, with a sudden surge of determination, I lift my head and pull out my phone once more to look up flight information to send to Carson.. The shiver of jealousy that had been plaguing me before is gone now, replaced by excitement and curiosity for what lies ahead.

The prospect of being Carson's social media manager is daunting, yes, but it’s also thrilling. And despite my personal feelings about the game he loves so much, I can’t help but feel a certain pride in my brother. He has always been exceptional, and now he has achieved his dream. And despite his success, he still remembered his somewhat antisocial sister back home who could do with a helping hand. For that, if nothing else, I can endure a little hockey in my life.

A few weeks later, I step off the plane in Denver, clutching my laptop bag in one hand and my phone in the other. I make my way through the arrival gate and look around to try and figure out where I need to go to find Carson. He said he’d meet me when I got here and take me to my new apartment, which he’s gotten all arranged for me. I’ve got to say, so far the perks of working for my brother aren’t too bad.

Following the flow of the crowd, I wander through the airport toward the baggage claim.

And as I approach the carousel, my eyes immediately spot Carson. He's hard to miss. Six feet tall and packed with muscle, he seems larger than life in the sea of people: a mountain among molehills. That said, looking at him is like looking in a mirror — that is if I were a man, and a giant — due to his identical blue eyes and the same dark brown hair with golden highlights. We’ve even got the same cowlick at the center of our foreheads. Warmth floods me at the sight of him. I have to admit, I’ve missed my goofy, puck-hitting, now-famous twin.

Carson spots me and his face breaks into a wide grin.

“Grace!” he calls over the crowds. He rushes over, pulling me into a bear hug that lifts me off my feet. “Welcome to Denver!” he exclaims as he sets me back down. His excitement is infectious and I feel a small surge of anticipation spark within me.

"Thanks, Carson," I reply, looking up at him. "It's good to see you."

“How was the flight?” he asks as we turn to the baggage carousel to wait for my bags.

“Good,” I shrug. “Not too eventful.”

He chuckles. “Well, I’m really glad you’re here. This is going to be great, I promise.”

I shoot him a grin. “I believe you, don’t worry. I’m happy to be here, Carson.”

He grabs my suitcases when they swing around the carousel and leads me out of the airport.

“The rest of your stuff already arrived,” he told me. “I had it unpacked and set up in your new place, though I’m sure you’ll rearrange it to your liking when you see it.”

I laugh. “Oh, I’ll probably rearrange it two or three times.”

As soon as we step outside, the fresh mountain air hits me, and I take in a deep breath and grin. We load my luggage into the back of his BMW, which is silver and sleek and clearly new. As Carson pulls out onto the highway, I take a moment to admire the city's skyline that comes into view against a backdrop of towering mountains, their peaks dusted with snow even though it's only early fall.

Carson was one of the few to get drafted right out of college, his feet never stepping a day into the pro minors. As soon as he finished his senior year, he was on a flight to Denver. The coach was, according to Carson, overly excited to snag him considering the perfect record he held for three years in a row. And though I did see my brother over the holidays, I haven’t gotten a chance to check out his new life in Denver. Something I’d often wondered about, considering he is in the big leagues.

The drive to my new apartment is short, but awe-inspiring. Denver looks nothing like our hometown in Michigan. There are skyscrapers and busy streets filled with people rushing off to wherever they're headed. It's vibrant and lively – a stark contrast to our sleepy suburban neighborhood in Wisconsin. Less than a half hour later, Carson pulls into a sleek-looking apartment complex. I can't help but gape at the towering structure.

"This is where I’ll be living?" I ask incredulously.

“Yep,” he replies with an excited grin. “Same building as me. Welcome home, sis.”

Carson helps me lug my suitcases up to the 12th floor where my apartment is located. The moment he swings open the door, I'm met with another surprise. The place is gorgeous—modern furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows offering stunning views of the city, and even a small kitchen that gleams with stainless steel appliances.

"Wow," is all I manage to utter as I walk further in, my suitcase wheels clicking against the polished wooden floor.

"I figured you'd need a comfortable place to work," Carson says from behind me. He seems pleased by my reaction. "Besides, if you're going to be managing social media for a professional athlete, you might as well live like one."

"I...this is just unbelievable, Carson," I stammer out. "Thank you."

There's a warmth in his gaze as he claps a heavy hand on my shoulder. "No need to thank me, Grace," he says sincerely. "You earned this. All of it."

In that moment, despite the lingering trepidation about my new job and the unfamiliar surroundings, I feel an unmistakable sense of belonging. Like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

"Well," Carson says after a few moments. "I should let you settle in. We have a big day tomorrow. I want you to come to practice with me to take video. Sound good?"

“Sounds great,” I tell him.

He reaches for me and pulls me into a tight hug, his big arms consuming me completely.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he murmurs. “I’ve missed you.”

I wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze him back. “I’ve missed you too.”

Pulling back, he looks down at me with a small smile and says, “All right. I’m on the fourteenth floor if you need anything, okay? I’ll see you in the morning. Oh, and don’t forget to call mom and tell her you got here safe and sound. She’ll be blowing up my phone otherwise.”

Soft laughter flows from me, as I nod. Our parents have been happily married for, well, god knows how long. The two of them are more in love than I’ve ever seen anyone, and honestly, it gives me hope. Hope that one day I will have the kind of relationship they do. Which means my standards are high, because I’ve seen the kind of relationships some of my friends have had, and I won’t settle for less when it comes to looking for love. Not that falling in love is anywhere on my radar right now.

“I will, don’t worry,” I assure him, patting his arm. “I’m just going to get unpacked and relax so I’m ready to hit the ground running tomorrow.”

He seems hesitant to leave, but I walk him to the door and he tells me goodbye one more time before leaving to go to his own apartment. I shut the door behind him and turn around to press my back against it and release a long breath. Okay. I’m here. I’m doing this. Pushing away from the door, I cross the apartment to the large windows and stare out at the cityscape. My heart begins to race with excitement and my lips curl into a wide smile.

This is my new life, and despite my hang-ups about hockey, I’m actually looking forward to seeing where this new chapter takes me.