Twisted Wrister: A Next-Door-Neighbor Hockey Romance

He’s a hockey-playing trivia nerd who doesn’t believe in happily-ever-after. She’s an ambitious attorney looking for Prince Charming. Can love score a win, or will it get iced?

Blake Barrett here. My wicked wrist shot’s on fire, and the NHL spotlight’s on me. But off the ice? Let’s say my skills could use some work. Enter Michaela Wagner, my new neighbor—a sharp attorney with no time for my fumbling. When she offers kissing lessons, I jump at the chance, confident there’s no risk of getting attached. Love isn’t for me, thanks to my parents’ disastrous marriage. Happily-ever-after? Yeah, right.

Meanwhile, Michaela’s dream is finding her Prince Charming, though she’s certain he’s not me. Yet somehow, our practice sessions pull us closer, and her smile and fierce spirit keep getting under my skin. Her optimism challenges my beliefs, and I start questioning if maybe I’ve been wrong all along.

As our connection deepens, my fears claw at me. Letting her in risks not just my heart, but the fragile control I’ve fought to keep over a life that’s one mistake away from fracturing. And I’m not sure I can survive that.