Ryan Talonovich is the star of his college hockey team, until an accident during practice leaves him confined to a wheelchair. The doctors say he'll walk again but a new season is already underway and he's been replaced on the team, which leaves him feeling alone and betrayed. What's the use of fighting to get back on the ice now?<br><br>Then he meets Dante Espinosa, a short track skater on the city's speed skating club. Though he has to work overtime to afford his sport, Dante is hell on ice, and dreams of making the cut on the U.S. Olympic Speedskating Team.<br><br>Their love of the ice brings them together, but too many obstacles stand in their way: Ryan's struggle with therapy. The memory of Dante's first boyfriend. Lack of funding to the event, Dante's harassing boss, a skating friend in love with him, and Wil Dietrich, who will do anything to win.

Power Play

Dante nods. He doesn’t want to be long. Carefully, he closes the door behind him and holds out an arm to indicate that Josey should lead the way. “Becca’s reading for her Medieval Lit class,” she says, heading down the hall. Dante follows. “But she’ll give me a few minutes, I’m sure. She needs to run down to the gift shop anyway. We’re out of hairspray.”


Josey opens the door to her room, holds it for Dante to enter. Inside it looks like a mirror image of his own room, the beds on the opposite wall but the same closet space, the same couch and TV, the same small sink and bathroom door. The dresser is covered in paraphernalia he’s not familiar with, bottles of strange perfumy scents, hair dryers, brushes and little ponytail holders and nail polish, lipstick tubes, eyeshadow compacts, so many colors, so much makeup. A girl’s room, he’s never been comfortable in places this feminine. He’s always afraid he’ll spill something and come away reeking.


Chapter 159