Page 75 of The Best Parts of Him
Leaves gift buying until Christmas Eve.
“This seems like something you would do,” Lang added.
“Rude,” Ryland said. “But also true.”
“Yes! I knew it. Who do you think this is?” Lang pointed at Has never been on an airplane.
“Beats me. Not one of the players, that’s for sure. Probably someone who works in the office.”
“Good point.” Lang nodded at someone over Ryland’s shoulder. “Hey, man. Nice crown.”
Dabbs poked at the paper crown on his head, repositioning it. “One of your teammates’ kids made it for me.”
The fact that he was wearing it, even though he was only beginning to get to know Ryland’s teammates and their kids, softened Ryland’s heart to mush. “You look very regal.”
“Hey, man, is this you?” Lang pointed at one of the squares on his Bingo card, but Dabbs shook his head.
“I’m not on there,” Dabbs told him. “Seeing as I’m not part of your organization.”
“You’re peripherally part of it.”
“Not enough to make it onto your Bingo card.”
Lang harrumphed and walked away, muttering about Dabbs being no help.
Ryland turned Dabbs’ crown around so the tape keeping the two ends together was at the back. “Thanks for flying in to come to this party with me.”
Dabbs kissed him lightly. “Thanks for inviting me to come with you. I wish I could stay longer.”
So did Ryland.
Dabbs had flown in last night, arriving at almost midnight, and he had to fly back to Burlington in a few hours.
He’d flown five hours with a layover for less than twenty-four hours in Columbus, all so he could attend this party with Ryland.
Ryland wasn’t just grateful—he was amazed that someone had made that sacrifice for him. And it was a sacrifice, especially of time and energy. But Dabbs had done it without hesitating.
Ryland had asked.
Dabbs had come.
It was as simple as that.
“I have something I want to show you,” Dabbs said. He scrolled through something on his phone and passed it to Ryland.
It took a second for Ryland to understand what he was looking at, and when he figured it out, he gasped, his fingers clenching the phone tight. “Is this— Dabbs, is this your book announcement?”
“An announcement and a cover reveal. It’s being posted tomorrow.”
On the screen was a draft of a social media post. The image depicted the cover of Dabbs’ first book in his trilogy, an action shot of a young boy on the ice, racing toward the puck. Dabbs’ illustrator—the same one who’d done the interior illustrations—had perfectly captured the boy’s excitement.
The book itself was adorable. Ryland had read it cover to cover in one sitting, then started it over from the beginning, taking it slower his second time around. Dabbs had written his main character’s difficult home life with hope and optimism in a way that would no doubt relate to middle-grade readers.
Ryland thumbed through the text accompanying the image.
Announcing The Hockey Diaries!
This trilogy of middle-grade books is very close to my heart. I began writing them in university, and I’m excited to announce that the first book, Trevor’s New Team, will be releasing this spring, with books two and three releasing in the summer and fall. Pre-orders are already up with 100% of the proceeds being donated to a mental health charity in Canada that provides resources for youth struggling in difficult home lives.
