Rinkmates: A steamy Hockey Romance (The Mates series Book 1)

“Köszönöm, anya,” I say into the phone, the familiar words slipping effortlessly from my lips as I talk with my mother in Hungarian.

She’s called me five times already, all worried about where I am and if everything’s okay. Well, it’s not, but there’s no way I’m telling Eszter James that. My mom would totally freak out—she can’t afford to come here and help in person, and I don’t want her doing anything drastic. So, I’ve been telling her I’m fine.

But honestly, I’m not.

Even though I felt like a superhero with all the belief and power in the world after they told me I’d made it to the next casting round, I couldn’t find a cheap-ass apartment.

After a relentless search through the city, dodging yet another unsettling run-in with a dubious landlord, I now sit perched in Priya’s cramped kitchen. I’m so glad she gave me her number because even renting a car was too much for my savings. She lives in a cozy place where sunlight spills through rainbow lace curtains. Pictures and postcards cover the walls, each telling its own story about her five roommates, who seem to have vanished for the day.

Despite its modest size, there’s an undeniable coziness to her apartment, with enough room for everyone to gather around the small table in the middle of the room. Each chair has a different shape and color.

“Of course, I’ll keep you updated,” I promise Mom. “Bye, Szeretlek.”

Ending the call, I turn to Priya with a grateful smile. “My mom is pleased I’ve found a place to stay for tonight, even if it’s just temporary. Seriously, thank you so much for letting me stay with you, even though we only met today.”

Priya waves off my concerns with genuine kindness shining in her eyes. “Hey, I’m alone in this city too. I’m happy to finally talk with another skater. We’ve got to help each other out, right?” She cringes at the small kitchen and the tiny bathroom around the corner. “I know my apartment isn’t much, just a mattress, and I guess my roommates will go to war with us at some point, but we’ll make it work for some time. We can cuddle if needed.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“It’s more than I could have hoped for, Priya, I swear I’ll return the favor somehow.” I plaster a smile on my face, but inside, I feel like I’m drowning.

It’s been a fucking rough day, starting with an early wake-up call, a three-hour flight from Orlando to NY, and a frantic rush to get to the TV set after that shitshow with Nina. And now, on top of it all, I was faced with the harsh reality of finding a place to stay in fucking New York overnight without any money. All my funds were tied up in rink fees and basic necessities.

This wasn’t at all how I envisioned my big move to the city.

All the apartments I had lined up to check out were the worst, and one was even more frightening than the thought of living with Riley Huntington.

After cooking noodles for dinner, I tell Priya all about the absurd run-in with Riley and his assistant. Priya’s reaction is priceless. She sinks into the chair across from me, mouth agape. “You’re kidding. Are we talking about the Riley Huntington?”

“Yup,” I confirm, taking a mouthful of noodles.

“I say again: you’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

Priya quickly grabs her phone and proudly displays her lock screen, revealing a shirtless Riley. “Oh. My. Gawd. Look! I’m obsessed with him.”

I snicker at the sight. “That guy is so in love with himself. Gross.”

“No! Don’t you ever use gross and him in one breath again! He’s my baby, and he offered you to live with him! I think I might die right here and now. And you turned it down? Girl, I can’t believe you!”

“Well, technically speaking, it was his assistant who offered it, and I’m not an asset. I don’t want to be his babysitter or whatever. What am I, his mother?”

I shake my head, but Priya just stares back at me incredulously, blinking several times. “I don’t understand you.”

“I did speak English, right?”

She kicks me under the table and I cry out, “Ouch, hey.”

“You’re insane. Can I go instead of you?”

I laugh at her enthusiasm. “Sure, I can text Nina if you like. I’d be happy to live here instead.”

She shakes her head, blushing slightly. “No, my parents would kill me. I’m not allowed to live with a man before I’m married. Pretty conservative, you know.”

“Sorry to crush your dream.”

“But you can live it for the both of us. Go to Riley, girl. I’ll even bring you to him, as selfless as I am.” She wiggles her eyebrows and I break out in a laugh.

Guilt suddenly swoons over me. She probably would love to sleep alone in a bed she’s paying for. Shoot. “I promise I’ll find another place soon. I’ve been looking everywhere, but everything is either too expensive or in sketchy areas. Even car rentals are ridiculously pricey here, and—”

Priya’s face softens. Her hand stretches out across the table and envelops mine. “Liora, I didn’t mean it like that. You can stay as long as you need.”

I sigh in relief. “I honestly don’t know how to thank you enough, but I will find a solution to this, I promise.”

A mischievous glint sparkles in Priya’s eyes as she makes a playful suggestion. “I have an idea. You could tell me all about how Riley is living. And I mean all of it. That’s totally enough for me.”

My phone buzzes and it’s Nina. I sigh.

It’s a photo of Riley’s bathroom.

Nina: You could be bathing in here.

I sigh again and put the phone away.

Priya and I have been sleeping on a tiny mattress for two days, and my guilty conscience is eating away at me.

I wanted to split her rent, but she wouldn’t take any money from me, so I bought food and cooked for the both of us after we practiced at a tiny rink around the corner. Mom sent me her killer recipes, so I tried to cook them for Priya. Naturally, Mom’s version was way better but Priya loved it anyway. Her roommates are understandably unhappy—okay, that’s understated, they absolutely hate it that we are now a group of seven people sharing the little space. I feel terrible about the situation.

When we first went to the rink, I gasped out loud at the cost. Twenty dollars per day, and only if I go at off-peak times. I tried to search for other ice rinks, but the ones that cost less are not in the city and the subway cost would add up, so it equals the same. Damn it. If I’m unlucky and the producers don’t cast me for Grace on Ice, I can’t even afford to fly back to Orlando because I’m that broke.

But I can’t put my head in the sand just now, so I paid the rink fee and tried to come up with a decent routine for the next casting round while listening to my playlist. I tried to do a double axel and fell numerous times. I just need to train more, but once my time was up, I always had someone telling me to leave ASAP, and I started to think about Nina. That stupid arrangement would come with a nice apartment AND a rink.

As I browse the grocery store, getting some spaghetti for Priya and me, Nina sends me another picture. How does she always seem to know when I’m thinking about her?

Sighing deeply, I look at Riley, teaching hockey to a group of kids. He looks genuinely happy, with a kid hanging off his shoulders and a big grin on his face. Seeing this, I feel a knot in my stomach. He just loves being in the spotlight—this is nothing more than a PR stunt. Sure, it might look like giving back to the community, but it’s all part of Nina’s job.

Nina: He teaches pro bono once a month, and let’s not forget all his donations to children’s hospitals and hockey programs!

Yeah, she’s trying hard to influence me, but I’m not buying it.

Liora: Nice try, but it’s not working.

I text back and slip my phone into my jeans pocket.

When I get back to Priya’s apartment, she tells me we’ve got an email. They’ve postponed our second casting round because the third group had so many strong contestants. Apparently, they need another round to narrow them down first. Great. That means I have to wait another five days, which means more daily expenses with no payday in sight. This is going to be rough.

“Come on, it will be all right, let’s eat and go back to searching for some apartments,” Priya says and I nod. She’s right. It will be all right.

“Unbelievable. Two hundred dollars per night, a crappy room on Airbnb,” I say. “How much do you pay for this room?”

“Two thousand dollars,” she says, and I look at the mattress we’re sitting on. There’s not much space next to it. She’s got a tiny bookshelf stuffed with nothing but monster romance novels, and a nightstand that is her closet. That’s it. The room really is a shoe box.

“Wild,” I say.

“And I had to book it months prior. My parents have a friend who knows a friend who owns it. Since it’s in such a good neighborhood, we just said yes.”

Shit. What if I can’t find an apartment? “I think I need to vomit.”

My phone buzzes next to me and another message from Nina pops up. It shows a picture of Riley playing hockey with kids again. A girl with red locks is hugging his foot while he smiles at her.

“What is it?” Priya asks. “Why are you frowning this hard?”

“Nina is a PR girl through and through. Look.” I give her the phone and Priya swoons in less than two seconds, she’s only missing the drool pooling out of her mouth.

“This man is so hot.”

Nina: Did you find a place to live yet?

“She can’t be serious. She knows I didn’t,” I say, stopping myself from pulling at my hair.

“Girl,” Priya says. “I think you should consider it.”

I wince, burying my face in my hands. “No.”

Priya takes my phone, reading all the messages Nina has sent me over the past few days. She totally outdid herself, texting me more than Mom ever does. And that’s practically a miracle, because I swear Mom has a PhD in texting.

Priya squeals. “Jeez! You’ll get your own furniture! His PR firm is paying for everything you want, girl. Why don’t you just say yes? You’ll live your dream, and I can crash at your place when my shoe box is killing me.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

I give her a wary glance. “He’s, he’s…he’s awful.”

“He’s not.”

“Did we watch the same videos about him?”

“Probably not.”

“He’s got problems.”

“He’s a hockey player, Liora. They all fight. It’s hot.”

“It’s not.”

Priya nudges me. “Come on, give him a chance. I’ll be your backup plan. You can call me anytime, and I’ll come get you, or call the police if needed.”

I roll my eyes. “You don’t know him. You just have a celeb crush.”

“Yes, that might be true,” Priya admits with a slight blush, “but just think about the offer. Did you see his apartment? It’s in a safe neighborhood, unlike the areas we’ve been looking at. I think it’s your safest option to live with him.”

“No, I don’t have the time to do whatever his PR people want me to do. I need to focus on the show, Priya.”

“Okay, okay,” she says. “I’m just not sure if we can find something in this short time, but I’ll do everything I can.”

“Thank you.”

“Always.”

I scroll through a terrible one-room listing on Craigslist. One thousand dollars a month for a room shared with another guy, located over an hour away from set. Yep. Not gonna happen.

I’m on the verge of launching into a tirade when Priya’s doorbell rings.

She jumps up. “Oh, I think that’s the new dress I ordered for the next casting round. Yay!”

My stomach drops. I can’t afford a new dress. They’ll get what I can afford. My old dress. I just hope it won’t fall off.

As I scroll through various Facebook groups, I hear a sharp gasp from Priya.

My body tenses in response.

“What’s wrong?” I yell, but she doesn’t respond.

Panic rising, I grab the closest object within reach—a long, metal shoehorn—and sprint out of the room, my heart pounding in my ears.

When I reach the living room, I freeze at the sight before me: Priya is standing motionless in front of…Riley.

She’s as still as a statue, not even flinching until she lets out an ear-splitting shriek and covers her mouth. And then he looks at me like I’m the one causing all the commotion.

I can feel the tension in my body loosening, but my grip on the shoehorn remains tight as I watch him. Every inch of his muscular form fills the door frame, making it seem like we’re living in a dollhouse. His black hair is pulled back with a blue sweatband and his hands casually rest in his gray sweatpants, which match perfectly with his Falcons hoodie.

I lift my chin with defiance, refusing to let him unravel me completely.

He nods to the shoehorn. “Is this a threat or are you flirting with me?”

When he flashes a smirk that could charm the socks off a sloth, I swear I hear Priya swoon, clinging to the wall next to her like it’s the last lifeboat on the Titanic.

I lower the shoehorn and stride toward him. “It’s definitely a threat. Believe me, if I was flirting with you, you’d know it.” He lifts a black brow in amusement, and I quickly add, “For a second there, I thought we were getting robbed. So, what’s up with you?”

He scoffs. “You really think a shoehorn would have made a difference?”

Shrugging, I twirl the curved end of the horn between my fingers. “Oh, trust me. In the right hands, this little beauty can work magic.”

“The right hands, huh?” His voice trails off as he leans casually against the door frame. “Those hands of yours are pretty small.”

“Small hands, maybe. But I’ve got a talent for making the most of what I’ve got. Want me to show you?”

He grins, and I’d never admit it out loud, but that look he’s giving me makes my heart jump in a very funny way.

But I’m not the only one in the room with this problem, because Priya squeals again, shattering the strange tension between us.

“I can’t believe it’s you,” she says.

The good friend I am, I rush to her and pull her behind me. She’s going to hate herself for being so embarrassingly starstruck. I guess it’s like being drunk. You don’t know what you say until you’re sober again.

“What do you want?” I try to sound as casual as I can.

Priya does another funny sound behind my back and Riley nods to the hallway. “Can we, um, can we speak outside? Alone?”

I narrow my eyes. Why would he want to speak to me alone? Anything he wants to say, he can say in front of Priya. “Depends on why you’re here?”

“Because.”

My eyebrow shoots up to my forehead. “Because?” That’s all he has to say?

Has he taken one too many hits to the head?

He straightens his posture and slides both hands into the pockets of his sweatpants again. When he bites his lip nervously, I resist the urge to roll my eyes. If this is his usual seduction tactic, he’s barking up the wrong tree.

Riley signals for me to follow him, but I fold my arms and shoot him a defiant look. I’m no dog to be ordered around just because he thinks he’s some kind of ice prince.

A sharp poke on my shoulder causes me to spin around and I face a furious Priya. She’s silently mouthing every swear word known to mankind, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets as she emphatically gestures toward him, insisting that I talk to him.

I dramatically roll my eyes and make wild hand gestures back, signaling that he’s completely bonkers, entitled, and I have zero intention of following him just because he’s famous.

Priya looks confused, but before I can continue my silent protest, she wrenches me around and shoves me toward him.

Thanks for the backup, Priya.

I come to an abrupt halt, narrowly avoiding a collision with this massive mountain of a man. I regain my balance and quickly smooth out my hair.

I look up, and his eyes catch the light, revealing a mesmerizing shade of whiskey.

Damn. Those eyes could drown a girl. Drown me.

No, not me. Never.

He grins, obviously enjoying my reaction, and I grind my teeth. I can’t hide how I stared at him—he’s infuriatingly irresistible. But it’s just looks.

I narrow my eyes, trying to mask the unwanted attraction, but he grins like he just won sexiest man alive.

“Don’t get any ideas,” I snap, trying to ignore the way my heart flutters.

He leans in a little closer. “You mean because you checked me out?”

“Hardly. I was just wondering how someone so infuriating can also be so…”

“Charming?”

“I was going to say insufferable.”

“Well, lucky for you, I’m both.”

I roll my eyes. “Okay. Fine. Just let’s get this over with.” I nod behind him.

He smiles, a flicker of something more serious passing through his eyes. “Perfect.”