by: Ellie Hall
Series: Love on Thin Ice
Genre: Romantic Comedy/Contemporary Sports Romance
Release Date: October 3, 2024
They say love is messy. Turns out friendship is too, especially when you’re stranded in a cabin with your best friend and hearts are on thin ice.
Teddy
I’ve heard that men and women can’t be friends without it becoming something more. Harlow and I put that theory in the penalty box, thank you very much.
She laughs at my jokes, secretly admires my hockey butt, trusts me with her biggest fear (it’s safe with me). In turn, she knows everything about me. Well, almost.
There’s been a recent development. I’m gone for her. Down bad. Solid Crush. She lives rent free in my mind. I’ve caught feelings. This wouldn’t be a problem except, you know, the whole shattering our friendship thing.
Harlow
You know those days you want to erase? It went like this: my boyfriend broke up with me (it was overdue), and then I broke up with my job while at a work conference (it was mind-numbing).
In an ironic twist, I won the raffle for a romantic getaway trip for two. Who else to bring other than my best friend who’ll gladly commiserate with me? He has a hockey event nearby, so it works out perfectly.
Until we’re stranded in the cozy cabin together. There’s a blaze of attraction. A friendship-changing kiss.
What now? Do we hit the reset button? Salvage what we had? Pretend it never happened? These are things I’d talk to my bestie about, but I can’t because I’m head over heels for him.
Love at First Skate is part of the Love on Thin Ice sweet small town hockey romcom series. It’s a best friends to lovers, forced proximity, no third act breakup romantic comedy with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.
“You still have this, too.” I rub my thumb over the mood ring on her finger. I got it for her when we were in a beach town during spring break our junior year of college.
The omnipresent zing inside when I’m with Harlow gets stronger, louder, warmer.
She twists the ring, revealing the purple stone.
“Let’s see, what did purple mean?” I ask.
“I can’t remember,” Harlow says vaguely.
I use her phone to look it up. I still haven’t turned on mine, mostly because I don’t want to deal with my brother, especially not right now.
“You don’t have to. I’ve had it so long, I don’t think it works anymore.”
I swipe to the search results. “Purple means excited.”
“Who doesn’t get excited about pizza?” She takes a nibble. Where is Harlow’s appetite? She can’t be nervous. The mood ring says she’s happy.
Reading the mood ring decoder for purple, I add, “Happy.”
“It’s been a nice night.” Her voice is floaty.
“Also, passion, love, and romance,” I add in one breath.
“It’s silly—probably just reacting to my body temperature.”
Taking Harlow’s hand in mine, I slide the ring off her finger. “Let’s test it out.”
She clears her throat. “It won’t fit you.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d think she doesn’t want me to find out my mood. I slip it onto the top of my pinkie, which is as far as it’ll go. While I watch to see if the stone turns color, Harlow cleans up our paper pizza plates.
“It’s yellow. No, it changed to blue. Wait. It’s yellow again,” I report.
Harlow puts the leftovers in the fridge.
“Hold up. It’s still changing.” I watch mesmerized as the stone slowly morphs.
She sits down in front of the fire. I shimmy closer, eager to prove the ring still works. Then it turns purple, the same as when she had it on.
Clapping my hand on her knee, I say, “I guess we’re both purple.”
She goes still. Time hangs suspended between us. Our gazes meet. The fire stops crackling. Her eyes shine. Words retreat from my lips because there’s something I want that doesn’t require talking.
Then, remembering we’re just friends, I realize the placement of my hand and shift it to her shoulder, giving an awkward squeeze. That’s not much better because the zings are in full swing, racing through me.
When I give Harlow her ring back, our fingers brush. Her cheeks are pink, but it’s probably because she’s now warm from the fire.
The omnipresent zing inside when I’m with Harlow gets stronger, louder, warmer.
She twists the ring, revealing the purple stone.
“Let’s see, what did purple mean?” I ask.
“I can’t remember,” Harlow says vaguely.
I use her phone to look it up. I still haven’t turned on mine, mostly because I don’t want to deal with my brother, especially not right now.
“You don’t have to. I’ve had it so long, I don’t think it works anymore.”
I swipe to the search results. “Purple means excited.”
“Who doesn’t get excited about pizza?” She takes a nibble. Where is Harlow’s appetite? She can’t be nervous. The mood ring says she’s happy.
Reading the mood ring decoder for purple, I add, “Happy.”
“It’s been a nice night.” Her voice is floaty.
“Also, passion, love, and romance,” I add in one breath.
“It’s silly—probably just reacting to my body temperature.”
Taking Harlow’s hand in mine, I slide the ring off her finger. “Let’s test it out.”
She clears her throat. “It won’t fit you.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d think she doesn’t want me to find out my mood. I slip it onto the top of my pinkie, which is as far as it’ll go. While I watch to see if the stone turns color, Harlow cleans up our paper pizza plates.
“It’s yellow. No, it changed to blue. Wait. It’s yellow again,” I report.
Harlow puts the leftovers in the fridge.
“Hold up. It’s still changing.” I watch mesmerized as the stone slowly morphs.
She sits down in front of the fire. I shimmy closer, eager to prove the ring still works. Then it turns purple, the same as when she had it on.
Clapping my hand on her knee, I say, “I guess we’re both purple.”
She goes still. Time hangs suspended between us. Our gazes meet. The fire stops crackling. Her eyes shine. Words retreat from my lips because there’s something I want that doesn’t require talking.
Then, remembering we’re just friends, I realize the placement of my hand and shift it to her shoulder, giving an awkward squeeze. That’s not much better because the zings are in full swing, racing through me.
When I give Harlow her ring back, our fingers brush. Her cheeks are pink, but it’s probably because she’s now warm from the fire.
Purchase Love at First Skate from:
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The Love on Thin Ice Series:
Penalties and Proposals (Book 7) releases October 17, 2024
Places to find Ellie Hall:
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