10 Seconds Left in Overtime (Anderson Series #1)

Prologue

I remember the first time I saw Ryan Anderson.

We were 6 years old and in the same grade 1 class.  He was trying to win a bet with a couple of boys on who could get a girl to kiss them on the cheek.  All the boys were walking up to the girls in the class and asking them for a kiss and getting that "eww gross" response that you would expect from a 6 year old girl.

Well Ryan walks right up to me and says "Hi, I'm Ryan and I think you are beee-utiful" with that Ryan Anderson charm that so many girls fall for now a days.  I just looked at him and said "I know what you are up to Anderson, but you are lucky you are cuuute" and pecked him on the cheek.

From that day on Ryan and I were inseparable.  We found out that we lived just down the block from one another and we were at each others house all the time.

His dad, Ben, would always build an ice rink in the winter time and that is where I learned to skate on frigged day in December.  See in December in Sioux Lookout, Ontario Canada, there is not much to do, but skate or ice fish.  Thank goodness Ryan choose to skate as I don't think a professional ice fisher man makes a great living.

Athletics always came naturally for Ryan and hockey was not exception.  By middle school there was all this talk about there was no way he couldn't go pro.  In high school he took off.  Star on the school hockey team and even the scouts took notice.  They would fly into our small airport and come out to watch him play.

His parents were never to fond of him going off to play in the OHL, WHL or QMJL.  The preferred to have him stay close.

I was his biggest cheerleader, never missing a game no matter what and was always there for the big wins and especially for the losses.  Ryan got really down on himself and I was always able to make him smile.

Some where along the way I feel in love with Ryan.  I never once told him for fear of rejection and losing my best friend.  See Ryan was popular is high school.  He was athletic, good looking and charming.  Me on the other hand, I was middle of the pack and smart.  I wasn't ugly, but I wasn't your typical size 2 either that Ryan was always seen with.  I had curves and with curves brought teasing and looking at me like "why is she walking with him and who does she think she is".

Ryan never made me feel like I didn't belong right beside him cheering him on and never hid that we were friends, but I always knew deep down it wouldn't go past friends, at least on his side.

The night we found out that he was invited to the NHL draft he was so excited and so was I.  He begged me to come with him to Boston to be there with him and his family, so I went.

I had found out a couple of days previously that I had been accepted to a great University in London, Ontario to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor, but I didn't tell him.  Not yet I thought.  I will wait till after the draft.

We flew to Boston the night before and stayed up all night guessing where he would go in the draft.  I had never seen him so excited.  We didn't sleep at all that night and he told me no matter where he ended up we would never lose touch.

His parents took us to dinner at a local pub about a 5 minute walk from the hotel. Even just sitting there at dinner people noticed him and most of them were women.

His mom and dad got up after we ate to pay for the meal and instantly there were 2 or 3 women who approached the table to slip him their number.

They all thought it was cute that he was out to dinner with his parents and sister. Yes, they thought I was his sister. On the night before the draft.

They all told him to give them a call after the draft was over to call them to celebrate.

I just looked at them and could smell gold-digger and puck bunny from a mile away.

Ryan just thanked them politely and tossed out the numbers as we left the pub.

"Wow, even going into the draft the ladies can't seem to resist you," I said smiling as we walked back to the hotel.

"That's what I am afraid of. They don't see me, but they see the dollar signs. I have to stay far away from that," he said squeezing my hand.

We got back to the hotel room and decided to turn in for the night.

I decided that night as I fell asleep beside him that I would tell him everything after the draft.  My acceptance to Western and how I felt.  I was going to lay it all out on the table and let the chips fall where they may.

Little did I know that the best laid plans would never happen.  All due to one overheard conversation and not speaking for 6 years.

**Thanks so much to still_just_me for the amazing cover.  This chapter is dedicated to all her hard work **