4.3
-
9,510 ratings
Easton Hayes has been my knight in shining hockey skates since he saved my life.
This devastatingly handsome grump may be everyone’s favorite goalie, but to me, he’s my strength when demons haunt my dreams. And okay—so maybe he’s also the only man I’ve ever loved. But he doesn’t need to know that.
We’re friends.
It works for us.
At least, it did. Until I wake up with his ring on my finger and the hangover from hell. But what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas when he refuses to give me an annulment and follows me across the country instead.
Now our families are furious.
Our friends are playing matchmaker.
I’m getting goosebumps each time I hear the words “my wife.”
And I think my husband might be in love with me.
The Keeper is a spicy sports romance, between a hot hockey player and an ice princess figure skater, with an angry teammate twist, plenty of banter and a happily ever after. This is the first book in the second generation of Kroydon Hills and can be enjoyed as a standalone.
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Payment
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ISBN-13
979-8870823218
Print length
290 pages
Language
English
Publisher
Independently published
Publication date
December 03, 2023
Dimensions
5 x 0.73 x 8 inches
Item weight
13.6 ounces
Wanna tell me why I have a wedding ring on my finger, Easton Hayes? Pretty sure because you’re my wife, Madeline Hayes.
Highlighted by 1,880 Kindle readers
You’ve been mine since the day I chose your life over mine, baby. All mine. Always mine. Even if you didn’t know it yet.
Highlighted by 1,801 Kindle readers
ASIN :
B0CPJJ6433
File size :
2717 KB
Text-to-speech :
Enabled
Screen reader :
Supported
Enhanced typesetting :
Enabled
X-Ray :
Enabled
Word wise :
Enabled
"In just a few short chapters, Easton was single handedly working his way to my top favorites of Bella men. I'm talking swoon you from your head to toes...setting your heart and panties on fire with a deliciously dirty mouth." ~ Jasmine, Amazon Reviewer
"Can I get me my own personal Easton Hayes please! lol" ~ Camille, Amazon Reviewer
"Easton & Lindy are hot hot!! I've been waiting for this book and it did NOT disappoint even a little bit. I found Bella not too long ago & binged all of her books in just a few days" ~ Amanda, Amazon Reviewer
LINDY
“What do you think of this one?” My roommate Everly spins around to look at herself in the mirror. Her blonde curls bounce around her shoulders like a shampoo commercial.
“Hurry up,” her twin sister, Gracie, yells from the hall of the penthouse suite we’ve booked for the weekend.
Everly rolls her eyes and plumps her perfect boobs, and not for the first time, I wish I had my friend’s confidence . . . and figure. Give me a pair of figure skates and a perfectly smooth rink and I’ve got confidence in spades. In all the other facets of my life, fake it till you make it is a little more my speed. So I go for the easy out and toss a pillow at Everly.
“Who are you worried about impressing? This is a girls’ weekend. Remember?” With a shake of my head, I lean back on the bed, and maybe I peek down at my own less than C-cup chest. Who am I kidding? I’m barely a B most days. “Remind me again why I’m sharing a room with you?”
She adds a delicate gold chain around her neck and gives me one of her cheerleadery smiles. “Because you love me, and I’m going to play wingman for you this weekend. Now get up and get dressed because there are at least two gorgeous men meeting us at the pool that are of legal age and not related to either of us.” With another quick glance in the mirror, my Instagram-perfect bestie slides her feet into heeled wedges and tosses a sexy pink sarong my way. “Now rip off that stupid old t-shirt and put this over your bikini. Easton’s never going to realize you’re an adult with actual boobs and an ass if you dress the same way you did when you were fourteen.”
“Evie,” I gasp and look around, checking to see if anyone else heard what she said. “I told you that in confidence.”
“You told me that in a drunken fucking cryfest, and Kenzie and Brynlee are probably studying in the other room,” she snaps back at me, referring to our other two roommates—Kenzie, Easton’s little sister, and Brynlee. Technically, I guess Bryn is Kenzie’s cousin. And considering Kenzie’s legal guardian happens to be my big brother, that may actually make me her aunt. I’m the youngest in a huge, obnoxious family. Most days, I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Even if my closest sibling in age is fifteen years older than me.
But while I’ve always looked at Kenzie as part of the family, I’ve never looked at her brother that way.
Even as a kid, Easton was always handsome. What I had back then was an innocent crush on my best friend’s brother. But the feelings that have developed over the years since that night are anything but innocent. They’re also not something I’ll ever admit. At least not sober, apparently.
“Besides, Easton won’t be the only man out there today, and you need to pop that cherry at some point. Vegas is bound to have plenty of men willing to do the work for you,” she winks dramatically and smiles again.
I wrap a hand around Everly’s big mouth, then yank it away just as fast when she licks it. “Gross. You know you have a problem with volume control . . .” I toss my tee onto the hotel bed and tie the sarong around my waist, then fix my boobs. “And who exactly are the two men you’re expecting?”
Gracie walks in, the complete opposite of her identical twin sister. Where Everly is a wild bombshell, Grace has a quiet, understated beauty about her. She’s the calm to Everly’s storm and is always the most sensible one of us. “Oh come on, Lindy. Evie’s always wanted Easton’s friend, Pace. Do you have any idea how excited she was when she heard he was going to be here this weekend?”
I shrug and refuse to admit I got butterflies when I thought about seeing Easton this afternoon. He and I talk at least once a week and have for years. But we rarely get to see each other. Between my training and his long-ass season, not to mention the Olympics and the two of us living on opposite sides of the country, I hardly ever see him in person.
“Time to let loose, Lindy,” Everly giggles and pushes me forward. “Why else did I push for us to come to Vegas for your birthday?”
I guess I could use one of those crazy weekends. Not that it’s going to be one of those weekends. “I figured it was for the private jet that comes with me.”
Everly shoves me. “Not gonna lie. It’s awfully convenient to have an heiress for a best friend. But I was just excited your little break from skating meant we could finally plan something for your birthday. Thirty-six hours is better than nothing, and you know me . . . Go big or go home.” She smiles like the Cheshire freaking cat. “I plan on going home knowing exactly how big Pace is.”
I look between my two friends and laugh. Their father has been the franchise quarterback for the professional football team my family owns for over twenty years. Their grandfather is the head coach, and his youngest son, Callen, who happens to be the same age as the twins, was just drafted. None of us come from average families. Unfortunately, I’m the only one who also comes with an around-the-clock bodyguard. “Is Charles waiting outside?”
Brynlee pops her head into the room. “Of course he is. Now let’s go. I want to get a cabana at the pool while we still can. That stupid Kroydon Kronicles column in the Philly Press has already reported we’re in Vegas. Let’s not give them anything else to report on.”
“I already booked it,” I tell her as I grab my bag and toss my Kindle inside. “We’ve got two for the day. Plenty of room for low-key.” I look over at Everly. “At least for those of us that want it.”
We walk into the living room of the suite and find Kenzie studying on the couch. Everly snags the big book out of her hands. “You promised us one weekend, girl genius.”
“Guys . . . classes are kicking my ass.” Kenzie looks up, clearly frustrated. “Exams are next week.”
Everly pulls her up to her feet, then hands Kenzie her oversized bag before eventually relenting and letting her add the textbook to the bag. “You know, they have these things called e-books now, Kenz. You should try it.”
Kenzie adds her highlighter, then checks to make sure she’s got everything else she needs. “Listen . . . you all graduated and started your lives. I’ve got three years left of med school before I even start a residency.” She spins on Everly with a finger pointing her way. “And don’t say it. I know I chose this. I’ve got a test on Monday, and it’s only my first one of the week. I have to do well. So I don’t want to hear a single word about it when I’m studying at the pool and you’re all getting drunk.” She looks around at all of us this time, then grabs her vibrating phone, and her face drops. “Ugh . . . Looks like Easton is bailing on the pool, but he said he’ll meet us at the club tonight.”
“Did he say why?” Everly asks.
Kenzie shakes her head.
Brynlee takes Kenzie’s phone and drops it in her bag. “Oh well, his loss. Callen and Maddox are already down there. Let’s go.”
“I swear if Callen goes home and tells Dad anything about this weekend, I’m going to string up his balls by the laces of his cleats,” Everly grumbles.
“Dramatic much?” Brynlee plants her hands on her hips and glares because our girls will always defend Callen.
Forget Maddox. Bryn would throw him to the wolves.
But Callen . . . He’s a whole other story.
“Come on,” Gracie groans before she pops a big straw hat on her head and grabs the key card from the table. “Can we go now? I’m hungry.”
“Oh, sweetie, we’re drinking breakfast. Your options are mimosas or bloody marys. But hey, olives are a veggie, now let’s go.” Everly opens the door with a flourish and pats my bodyguard, Charles, on the chest. “You’re going to keep your distance today, right, Chuck?”
Charles’s eyes find mine, and I can already tell it’s going to be a long weekend. “You know the rules, Miss Sinclair.”
Everly leans into my side and whispers, “You know we’re going to have to ditch him at some point, right?”
A small smile tugs at my twitching lips.
Maybe it will be one of those weekends after all.
Easton
“Why did we even bother taking the meeting if you knew you were going to decline the trade offer? Max Kingston has been trying to get your ass to play for the Revolution for years.” Pace has been a broken record about this for the past two hours. “You ever planning on accepting the trade? On going home? Could you even imagine the way the fans would lose their shit over the prodigal son returning?”
“I am home, asshole. Vegas has been my home for a decade. Kroydon Hills . . . Well, Kroydon Hills is the place I visit. That’s it.” I look around to make sure no one’s paying attention and shove my best friend forward. “Seriously? Prodigal son? Who the fuck says that kind of shit?”
“There’s a reason I’m your agent, E-man. I can spin shit into gold.” He’s not lying either. Pace was a good college hockey player, but he knew it wasn’t going any further, so he went into the family business. Now he’s one of the most sought-after sports agents in the country. He’s second only to his older brother, which has always pissed him off. “Now relax. It’s time to see your girl.”
I stop dead in my tracks, and Pace almost runs into me. “Stop with the my girl shit.”
“Dude. What crawled up your ass tonight? I’ve been calling that girl your girl for a fucking decade. She’s the goddamn Kingston princess, for fuck’s sake, and she looks like—”
I cut him off with an icy glare. “Watch it.”
He throws his hands up in front of himself. “Whatever you gotta tell yourself to get through the night, man. You can keep lying to yourself if you want to, but I’m your best friend. You can’t lie to me.”
“There’s nothing there. End of story. Now let’s get this shit over with.” I shake my head and move around some rowdy asshole, not giving a shit that he’s sloshing beer all over himself while a prostitute grinds her ass against his dick. Dumb fuck probably doesn’t realize she’s pay-to-play. Maybe he just doesn’t care. I remember those days. I spent a fuck-ton of nights drinking to forget, and there’s no better place to do that than the city of sin.
Spent half those nights on the phone with her too.
Somewhere along the way, she became my girl.
Not that I said it.
Not that she knew it.
But she fucking felt like it.
“She’s not my fucking girl,” I mumble again as a blonde bombshell catches my eye on the other side of the purple rope designating the VIP area. She’s dancing like she knows she’s drawing every single man and woman’s attention her way, but that’s not why I notice her. No. It’s the woman she’s dancing with. The tiny wisp of a woman, barely five foot two with long dirty-blonde curls and eyes the color of a stormy Bermuda ocean. The one who has her hands raised in the air and her perfect ass up against Everly, shaking her hips in a way that makes my cock hard. The one who’s all woman now.
“Yeah, buddy.” Pace smacks my chest. “Keep telling yourself she’s not your girl.” Pace smiles devilishly at a passing VIP waitress and orders two Macallen 18s. “Now don’t mind me while I go make myself a sandwich.”
“What the fuck—” He moves before I finish my question, and I watch for a moment as the fucker does exactly what he said he’d do and slides between Everly Sinclair and Lindy. My fucking Lindy.
The waitress comes back and hands me two glasses, then steps closer and bats her long, fake lashes. “Is there anything else I can get for you, Mr. Hayes?”
Of course, she recognizes me.
Being a professional hockey player used to have it’s perks.
Not anymore.
Now, it’s just exhausting.
Now, I just want to play good hockey and be left the fuck alone.
“Umm, you can get your skanky ass off my brother.” Kenzie moves in front of me, blocking the waitress, then turns and throws her arms around my neck. “Easton,” she squeals. “I missed you so much.”
I wrap an arm around my little sister and squeeze. “Hey, Kenz. Missed you too.”
She pulls back and smacks my chest. “Why did you bail earlier? I thought I was getting a whole day with you. I wouldn’t have flown all the way out here just for tonight.”
“Sorry. Meeting with team management.” I don’t bother adding anything about the trade offer. Max Kingston, the GM and part owner of the Philadelphia Revolution, who also happens to be Lindy’s oldest brother, might tell her at some point, but I don’t want to see the disappointment on her face if she hears it from me.
The Kingstons like to take care of their own, and luckily, they claimed Kenzie and me when our mom died more than a decade ago and our cousin, Juliette, took us in as our legal guardian. She married Becket Kingston a month later, and the family has claimed us ever since.
Most of them, at least.
I remind myself, again, that Lindy’s off-limits.
She always has been. She always will be.
I look over again at Lindy and see red.
She’s laughing at something Pace is whispering in her ear.
Fucker.
She might feel like mine, but that girl deserves more than me.
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Bella Matthews
Bella Matthews is a USA Today & Amazon Top 5 Bestselling author. She is married to her very own Alpha Male and raising three little ones. You can typically find her running from one sporting event to another. When she is home, she is usually hiding in her home office with the only other female in her house, her rescue dog Tinker Bell by her side. She likes to write swoon-worthy heroes and sassy, smart heroines. Sarcasm is her love language and big family dynamics are her favorite thing to add to each story.
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Customer reviews
4.3 out of 5
9,510 global ratings
QsMoni
5
Loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
Loved this one. I'm new to this author and will be looking at reading her other books since it seems she has built quite the world with other characters.
But first things first: Spice: 🌶🌶/🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶(2.5/5) Medium burn 🔥 Standalone, possibly interconnected though M/F first person POV Violence/gore (3/5) there isn't a lot of violence but the few scenes it exists are a bit graphic Tropes: friends to lovers, childhood crushes, big loving families, rich girl/rich guy, hockey, pro figure skater, slight age gap, virgin, gets married while drunk in Vegas
Premise in a nut shell: best friends since teens, each with secret crushes on the other, the two main characters have a little too much to drink in Vegas and wake up married. He refuses to get an annulment and is willing to do anything to convince her to give their marriage a chance.
Thoughts: this had the potential to be angsty with some of the subject matter but the author managed to write this in such a way as to keep things relatively light weight. This was a pleasure to read, literally. Everyone is likeable and friendly and fun or funny. The main make character is a sweetheart with just enough edge to bot be corny. The main female character is sweet and smart and brave. All the side characters are detailed and unique and worthy of spinoff which I suspect there are quite a few already that I just haven't read yet. I enjoyed every page.
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5 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer
5
Masterpiece!
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
Can I get an Easton in my life!??? That man loves hard! I could not get enough of his big manly self. This book is so good I am about to binge every thing Kingston based on him alone.
kim
5
So glad I read this story
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
I have not read the 1st generation of Kroydon Hills books. This was my introduction to this group. I don't know if I had trouble with the side characters because of that or I am just getting worse with keeping track of them and such. The description does let you know it is the 2nd generation and a standalone. As I was reading, I did wonder if it would have been better if I read the other books first because you know there is more to the story and a past to it, by the end of the story I felt like I knew all the details I needed to enjoy this story and have the full picture of this couple. Saying that if I read other books and that gives me a little more to their story it will be enjoyable and could have me re-reading this story - that will not be a problem!
I read this book in one sitting. I did not want to stop reading and stayed up late to finish it. I woke up still smiling over this book and very happy I read it,
You read very quickly that it is both of them that have hidden feelings for each other and that made me smile over this book a little more. They have been through so much together and you see how strong their friendship is. She is the one that doesn't remember, and he is patient with her to remember and doesn't let it hold him back. This book shows how much patience, love, support and devotion these two have for each other. Everyone deserves to have his level of devotion to her, in their own partner.
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Mo
5
Amazing!
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
If you want swoon from beginning to end, this is the book for you!
Easton and Lindy have a bond that hold them at such a good, trusting friendship and they’ve never crossed any lines.
For Lindy’s birthday, they are in Vegas with their friend group and watching Lindy flirt with other men makes Easton snap and…..they’re married. Only Lindy doesn’t remember how it happened and not wanting to ruin their friendship, she wants an annulment but Easton refuses to give it to her till she remembers their wedding day.
This was so good. It was cute, sweet, and fun. I love books with good, strong friend groups. I am obsessed with Easton. Did I mention he’s a goalie and plays Hockey? I loved Lindy. She’s an Olympic figure skater, the youngest in her family, who needs her family to see her as the adult she is.
This book was fabulous! I absolutely loved it!
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5 people found this helpful
Nicole Killmer
5
A completely lovely story
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2024
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed how Easton & Lindy’s love story unfolded. They had great heat. Really appreciated their character development and the weaving of side characters (family & friends) into the mix. Loved the banter and humor throughout. Most of all I could feel the love all the characters had for each other. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Thanks Bella for a great story.
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