Riley (Spruce Creek Puck Boys Book #2)

Dear Reader,

Five teammates and a small town obsessed with hockey. And did I mention some rich pro athletes? These are five steamy OTT instalove sport romances and this one is Gina and Riley.

BBW Curvy Woman? Yes! Brooding playboy star athlete? I’ve got you. Fated mates? You’ll have to see for yourself.

Each teammate’s story can be read as a standalone but enjoy them all!

Love,

Maddie

Chapter 1: Gina

The sharp scent of antiseptic greets me as I push through the glass doors of the clinic. I take a deep breath, steadying my nerves. No matter how many times I've walked through these doors, Dr. Lawrence still puts me on edge.
I relax a bit when a friendly voice calls my name. “Morning, Gina!” Lisa sings from the small gym area behind the front desk, her eyes lighting up when she sees me.
“Hey!” I reply, giving her a quick hug. “How are you feeling today?”
Lisa gives me a tired smile, her slender frame looking even more fragile than usual. “Oh, you know, just trying to take it one day at a time. But I'm so glad it's you on shift with me today.”
I give her hand a supportive squeeze before heading to the staff room to put away my things. Lisa was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer last year and has been through multiple rounds of chemo since then. She tries to put on a brave face, but I know she's struggling. I can't imagine how hard it must be for her to keep working through it all, but she needs the insurance.
I tidy my dark hair into a neat ponytail and straighten my scrubs before getting started on my morning routine. As I review the schedule of patients, the door opens and Dr. Lawrence walks in, impeccably dressed as always in a crisp suit and tie.
“Good morning, Dr. Lawrence,” I say politely.
He gives me a curt nod. “Ms. Valentin. I need to speak with you about something rather urgent.” His tone is brisk and business-like, triggering feelings from when I was a kid.
I follow him into his office, smoothing my scrubs self-consciously. Dr. Lawrence is a distinguished older gentleman, his silver hair always neatly combed. He's an excellent doctor, but he’s a first-rate bully. He’s awful and condescending to everyone.
“Please, have a seat,” he says, gesturing at the chair across from his large wooden desk. I perch on the edge of the chair, clasping my hands tightly in my lap.
Dr. Lawrence clears his throat. “I'm afraid we're going to have to let Ms. Martinez go.”
I jerk my head up in surprise. “Lisa? You're firing her?”
“Her work performance has been unacceptable as of late. Surely, you've noticed she's been late almost every day this week?”
I bite my tongue to stop myself from snapping back. Lisa's been late because her morning nausea from chemo keeps her in the bathroom for hours. But Dr. Lawrence doesn't care about excuses.
“She's going through cancer treatment,” I reply evenly. “You know she needs this job for the health insurance.”
Dr. Lawrence sighs. “Be that as it may, I can't afford to keep an unreliable employee on staff. Her termination paperwork is already complete. Please let her know before her shift ends today.”
Hot anger flares up inside me. Reminding me of my father failing to stand-up for himself when I was a kid. The man worked two jobs to keep food on the table for his kids and he resented every minute of it. It wasn’t his fault he was raising us by himself, but those were the cards he was dealt. My father would always complain about being taken advantage of and would never do anything about it.
Except at home. He wielded his power over us and became downright nasty when he didn’t get his way.
I had to learn on my own how to speak up, how to stand-up for myself and others. Although, clearly, I was still working on it.
I can’t allow Dr. Lawrence to get to me. He can’t fire Lisa when she clearly needs this job, now more than ever. I take in a huge breath, stand tall, fists clenched at my sides and open my mouth.
“With all due respect Dr. Lawrence, I can’t do that.” Doing my best to not allow my voice to waver. “Lisa has been with this clinic for over 5 years. She's an excellent therapist. If her recent performance has suffered, it's because she's literally fighting for her life right now. I think she's earned a little patience and compassion.”
Dr. Lawrence's eyes narrow. “Ms. Valentin, do you realize what you're saying?” His tone drips condescension. “As a manager, I don't have the luxury of making emotional decisions. Ms. Martinez's termination stands.” Does this man feel nothing? I lift my chin, refusing to back down.
“If you won't tell Lisa why you are letting her go, I will. I'll tell her myself that you're firing her because she had the audacity to undergo lifesaving cancer treatment. I wonder how the patients will feel about that?”
His face reddens. “Ms. Valentin—”
“You're firing her over a disease she can't control,” I retort. “Lisa is an amazing physical therapist and a kind person. She doesn't deserve this.”
Dr. Lawrence stands abruptly, planting his wrinkled hands on his desk as he leans toward me. “I don't have to justify my decisions to you. Now get back to work before you say something you regret.”
Adrenaline pumps through my veins. He’s no match for someone who’s dealt with a father like this her whole life. I lean forward too, narrowing my eyes. “If you fire Lisa over this, I'll report you myself. Your behavior is discriminatory and illegal.”
“You ungrateful little...” Dr. Lawrence's face purples with rage.
I straighten up and look him dead in the eye. “I quit! And I will report you. I wouldn't dare fire Lisa if I were you.”
His mouth drops open in shock. Before he can respond, there's a knock at the door, interrupting us. A tall, rugged man with graying hair pokes his head in. “I'm sorry, am I interrupting?”
Dr. Lawrence exhales sharply. “No, Nickolas, please come in. We were just finishing up.” He turns to me with a tight smile.
I push past the man in the door without saying another word.
My heart is pounding, half from rage and the other half because I just quit my job.
Oh shit.
I.JUST.QUIT.MY.JOB.
I've never stood up to Dr. Lawrence like that before. He had it coming but, holy hell, I have no idea what came over me. I couldn’t let him fire Lisa without a fight though.
The adrenaline pumping through my veins makes my hands shake. I've never been so bold and defiant before. But standing up to that arrogant bully felt amazing, liberating even, and I did the right thing.
I march down the hallway towards Lisa. A nervous laugh escapes my lips. I have no job, no plan, and no idea what comes next. But the exhilaration coursing through me overwhelms those worries, at least for now. Lisa jumps to her feet as I enter the therapy room.
“Oh no, Gina, what did you do?” she asks in a panicked voice.
“I stood up for you,” I say. “Don't worry about Lawrence. His bullying ends today. And he can't fire you. I'm reporting him for discrimination.”
Lisa lets out a shaky breath, pressing her palms over her eyes. “Oh Gina. I hope you know what you're doing.”
The oh-fuck-what-did-I-do feeling is back. Did I really just quit my job with no backup plan? Maybe I should have been smarter and reported Dr. Lawrence first.
I could have worked with a lawyer, gotten documentation of his discrimination and abuse of employees. If I had evidence and a case ready to go, I would have been protected from retaliation if he tried to fire me.
And that’s so obviously not what I did.
Boy, did I get triggered. I hate bullies. I actually thought I was over that whole crazy but apparently, I’m still full and knee-deep in it.
What's done is done. I just hope my impulsiveness doesn't make things worse for Lisa in the long run.
A gruff voice drags me out of my spiraling thoughts.
The gray haired main from Dr. Lawrence’s office walks over to me.
“Ms. Valentin, is it?”
“That’s me,” I say.
“Nickolas Rogers,” he says, extending his hand. He studies me with interest.
I get myself together and shake his hand. “How can I help you, Mr. Rogers?”
He chuckles. “Just call me Nickolas. I have to say, I was very impressed just now. Not many people have the courage to stand up to their boss like that.”
My cheeks burn. Someone witnessed my career suicide. Awesome. “Oh, you heard that? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause a scene.”
He holds up a hand. “No need to apologize. You were defending your friend. I respect that.” Nickolas smiles and I think he really means that. “I have a job for you. I'm the coach for the Spruce Creek Devils hockey team.”
My eyes widen in surprise. The Devils are our city's professional hockey team, and one of the best in the league and also led by all-star Riley Morris.