Page 20 of Hockey Halloween
Right now, none of that matters. Right now, it’s just her and me like that one fateful night.
I step back enough to take her in, to really look at her. “One year ago, I thought I’d never see you again when you decided to give that asshole Greg a chance.”
“Well,” she says, looping her finger around my bandana, “good thing us history nerds crave a good story and ours wasn’t finished.”
“True, but also, fate just really loves Rick O’Connell.”
She throws her head back, her laugh bright and completelyunguarded. I swear I’ll never get tired of that sound. Not in a year or fifty. Not in eternity.
Outside, the neighborhood glows in amber light, jack-o’-lanterns flickering in a gentle wind, and costumed kids shriek down sidewalks. But here inside, the warmth between us is something deeper than any costume or coincidence. It’s history, written in the tiny moments. The late-night calls when I’m on the road, the quiet mornings together in our home, the books left open on the coffee table when we’re too busy kissing while “reading” together, and the way she always steals the covers in bed.
We’re exactly where we’re supposed to be. Me as Rick, her as Evie. Still blown away that we found each other in a city full of strangers. After all, she was waiting for her blind date. Then fate interfered.
About the Author
K.H. Anastasia started writing contemporary romance as a creative escape, crafting relatable characters she’d love to call friends. With a background in environmental engineering, she now spends her days tackling real-life problems and her nights dreaming up love stories that feel just as real.
When she’s not writing, you can find her spending time with her loved ones, watching sunsets, or curating playlists for every mood—all things that inspire her stories filled with love, laughter, and the beauty of everyday life.
Born and raised in Helsinki, K.H. Anastasia lived in the U.S. and the U.K. before returning to Finland, where she now resides with her husband.
Her debut novel, All Your Tomorrows, was published in 2022, marking the beginning of her author journey.
You can find K.H. Anastasia on Instagram, Threads and TikTok: @khanastasiawrites
Pucker Up, Pumpkin by Taylor Delong
Pucker Up, Pumpkin
TAYLOR DELONG
An Aspenridge College Hockey series short story
Copyright © 2025 by Taylor Delong
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Trope: Cinderella/Wrong Side of the Tracks
Costume: Pumpkin
Blurb:
I only agree to go to the Aspenridge College hockey team’s Halloween party because I can wear a costume and stay anonymous. So imagine my shock when Xavier Laitmon—my lab partner and hockey heartthrob—recognizes me instantly. He assumes I’d never be into a guy like him because of where he comes from, but the truth is, I’m the one with something to learn.
About judgment.
And maybe about him.
Delia
This is a stupid decision. Possibly my worst ever.
Returning to the hockey house after the incident two years ago. No matter how many times my friend Liliana Fairley-Ferguson has invited me to come with her, I’ve turned her down. I can’t show my face here.
Or I thought I couldn’t.
