I fell in love with a woman on her honeymoon. Sounds all sorts of wrong, right? I swear it’s not what you think though. I didn’t break up a marriage. It was over before it even started. She was all dressed up with nowhere to go when her fiancé ghosted her on her wedding day. I would have thought an experience like that would leave a woman heartbroken and sobbing into a tub of ice cream for days on end, but not Scarlett Dayne. After attending her reception and partying into the night on her fiancé’s dime, she posted to social media in search of a travel companion for her upcoming honeymoon. I don’t know why I let my teammate talk me into it. As if being set up on a blind date isn’t bad enough, a blind date with a jilted bride on her honeymoon seems all sorts of crazy. But from the moment I met Scarlett at the airport I knew she was someone special. She’s adventurously fun with a great sense of humor and I’m enjoying every moment with her. It’s way too soon to make a move, I know, but what if after one remarkably memorable day, my mind is made up? What if she’s it for me? Can two people fall in love in just one day? Is it wrong to fall in love with a bride on her honeymoon? #askingforafriend It’s me. I’m the friend. WHAT IF WE DO was once published as GHOSTED, a Jilted Bride trope story introducing Oliver Magallan, team Captain of the Anaheim Stars hockey team. Under the title GHOSTED, this novella was included in a special Halloween themed Anthology in 2023. Now with a new title and updated story material, WHAT IF WE DO is now the first book in the Anaheim Stars hockey series!

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes— Whoa, whoa, whoa! Look, I don’t know who made up that stupid saying but I am not in love with Ella Montgomery. Sure, she’s my best friend and has been since we could walk. Sure, I offered to let her move in with me when she moved cross-country to apply for the open position as our hockey team’s new mascot. That doesn’t mean I’m in love with her! Now, did I get a little antsy when she mentioned future relationships and bringing random men back to my home? Maybe. Did I completely panic when she met a man and went on a date with him? I mean, I might have. But when that date went sour, did I come to her rescue and kiss her the way she deserves to be kissed? Oh. Uh..hmm…yeah, I guess I did do that. Actually, I did much more than that. I didn’t just cross the line with my best friend, I erased that line altogether. The line no longer exists. She enjoyed it as much as I did and now I can’t stop thinking about the next time will feel like, and the time after that and the time aft—oooh no, I think I’m falling my best friend. First comes love, then comes…oh crap…I’m in so much trouble.

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I slept with your daughter but I had no clue. I swear, it was an innocent mistake! Well, okay, maybe it wasn’t so innocent…nor was it really a mistake, but I can explain! You see, I didn’t plan on responding to the wrong-number text I received, but as a professional athlete, when someone calls me “Daddy” and I know that I’ve never fathered any children, I’m inclined to say something. My response leads to a purely textual relationship with a total stranger. Her name is Corri. She’s friendly, kind, and has a great sense of humor. We can tell each other anything. In fact, when I reveal my biggest personal secret she doesn’t laugh at me or tell me to lose her number. Even when I accidentally ask her for intimacy lessons one night – stupid thumbs - she still doesn’t turn me away. She says yes! Her body is fire and her kiss is electric. Our time together is my new favorite thing. But imagine my shock when I see her in public, alongside our coach, who introduces her as his daughter, Corrigan Hicks. Yep. That’s right. I slept with the coach’s daughter and I didn’t even know it. Make it make sense. And tell me what the heck I’m supposed to do now!

Something Old. Something New. We got drunk and said, “I do.” Okay, listen. It’s not like I woke up in Napa Valley with marriage on the brain. It was a series of unfortunate events that resulted in Layken Hobbs in my living room wearing my team hoodie and a pair of my pajama pants. And well, it just so happens, I’m a sucker for pajama pants. And apparently the girl wearing them. Needing to get her mind off of life for a few days, the team and wags invite her to come with us to Napa Valley for the weekend. A getaway filled with all the alcohol and none of the inhibitions. Right down to her twerking down the aisle as I waited to say, “I do.” So yeah. That’s how it happened. We’re not in a position to go through a public divorce right now, so here we are, for better or worse while we figure a way out of our drunken mistake. It’s no big deal. We can do this, right? Yeah. Trust me. It’s not as easy as I thought it would be. Because the more I get to know Layken, the more I like her. And the more I like her, the faster I fall. See? It’s like I said. I’m such a sucker. And now I’m falling in love with my wife.