Kim Findlay - Crossing The Goal Line

Icebreaker or endgame?

Can two devoted athletes make room in their lives for love?

Mike Reimer knows from experience that hockey and relationships don’t mix. And hot-tempered swim coach Bridget O’Reilly couldn’t be more wrong for the widowed pro goalie, aka the Iceman. As the playoffs approach, Mike’s growing feelings for her could melt the hardest heart. But what if being with Bridget means letting down his team...and, worst of all, himself?

KIM FINDLAY lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband, two sons and the world’s cutest dog. When she can get time away from her accounting business, she can be found sailing, reading or writing, depending on the season, time of day and her energy level. You can find her at kimfindlay.ca, @missheyer74or on Facebook.

Crossing the Goal Line

Kim Findlay

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08295-2

CROSSING THE GOAL LINE

© 2018 Kim Findlay

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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“Go get some gear on,” Bridget ordered.

“Seriously?”

“Chicken?” she asked.

Mike laughed. He felt like a seven-year-old being dared.

“So what position am I supposed to play?”

“I thought you were a goalie,” she taunted.

Challenge accepted. He wasn’t sure what she thought she was trying to prove, but he could handle a girl in road hockey, even if his game had been off lately.

“So what are the rules?” he asked once they’d strapped on their pads. He tapped his stick on the pavement.

“I’m going to score. You’re going to try to stop me. Play to five?”

“We’ll need to stop before that. You’re not going to score.”

She was good. He had to give her that. Much better than he’d expected. Mike, however, was better than good. He was one of the best. He was soon in his zone, watching her every move and expression. She didn’t score, though she came close.

After fifteen furious minutes, Bridget called time. “I guess I owe you an apology.”

Mike looked down at her. “It’s okay. I admit to provoking you. And this was actually a lot of fun. You’re not bad—for a girl.” He grinned at her.

“You’re not bad, either—for a...for a guy from Quebec.”

Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Title Page Copyright Introduction Dear Reader Dedication CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE EPILOGUE Extract About the Publisher ,

I’m so excited you’ve joined me for my first Harlequin romance!

The sports world offers compelling stories. There’s the athletes’ dedication and the amazing things they can accomplish. There are the fans who live and die with their teams, a loyalty that transcends geography and success or failure. It doesn’t hurt that athletes are by necessity in top physical condition. Combine all that and you get some great settings for romance.

In this story, Mike Reimer is a successful hockey goalie, but past experience has convinced him that his commitment to his sport makes relationships untenable. Since he’s dealing with a crisis of confidence in his play, that has to be his first priority. Still, he can’t help but notice Bridget O’Reilly when she dives into his life...and falls in love with his car. Bridget is a former competitive swimmer now channeling that drive into coaching. She understands the passion it takes to win because she shares it. As Mike gets back to his championship form, his future is leading him out of Toronto. Bridget, however, has her family and her own dreams in the city. Is either of them willing to risk it all for the other?

To share your own love of sports, the people who play them and the stories they generate, please find me at kimfindlay.ca, on Facebook at kimfindlayauthoror on Twitter, @missheyer74.

Kim

For my parents and sister, who let me read, and my husband and sons, who let me write.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Icebreaker or endgame? Can two devoted athletes make room in their lives for love? Mike Reimer knows from experience that hockey and relationships don’t mix. And hot-tempered swim coach Bridget O’Reilly couldn’t be more wrong for the widowed pro goalie, aka the Iceman. As the playoffs approach, Mike’s growing feelings for her could melt the hardest heart. But what if being with Bridget means letting down his team...and, worst of all, himself?

About the Author KIM FINDLAY lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband, two sons and the world’s cutest dog. When she can get time away from her accounting business, she can be found sailing, reading or writing, depending on the season, time of day and her energy level. You can find her at kimfindlay.ca , @missheyer74 or on Facebook .

Title Page Crossing the Goal Line Kim Findlay www.millsandboon.co.uk

Copyright ISBN: 978-1-474-08295-2 CROSSING THE GOAL LINE © 2018 Kim Findlay Published in Great Britain 2018 by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. This is a work of fiction.