Frozen Dreams: Storms of New England

By Kari Lemor

Holiday magic for the win…

Hockey coach, Ashley Dresden plans to help a local family in need by reuniting the old undefeated high school Dream Team to play the present varsity team. She'll have to whip them back into shape first. The catch, the thorn in her side, Logan Osborn.

Logan owns a bar and grill, working long hours to keep it successful. He's happy to reconnect with his old teammates, but fate sends him Ashley as coach. She's a constant reminder of the most humiliating moment of his life, catching his girlfriend, her sister, kissing another guy. 

As the two reluctantly bury the hatchet and work together, Christmas spirit and old memories surround them. Will love, laughter, and a sprinkle of holiday magic help them score the ultimate win—both on and off the ice?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kari Lemor
• Release date: Oct 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9781954056312

Kari Lemor

Kari Lemor has always been a voracious reader. One of those kids who had the book under the covers or under the desk at school. Even now she has been known to stay up until the wee hours finishing a good book. Romance has always been her favorite, stories of people fighting through conflict to reach their happily ever after. Writing wasn't something she enjoyed when young and only in the last few years began putting the stories that ran rampant in her head, down on paper. Now that her kids are all grown and have moved out, she uses her spare time to create character driven stories of love and hope. She spends her time with her husband divided between a small town in New England and beautiful St. Augustine.

Book preview

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FROZEN DREAMS © 2023 by Kari Lemor

Cover Art by: Karasel

Photos: depositphoto

RyCon Press

First Electronic Edition: Oct 2023

ISBN - 978-1-954056-31-2

First Print Edition: Oct 2023

ISBN - 978-1-954056-32-9

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright

Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without

permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either

the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any

resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or

locales is entirely coincidental

To Jeannie Jones-Tatro –

who gives her time and support to so many authors. I am humbled to be one of them.

Thank you to everyone who had a hand in getting me to this point in my writing career. My husband and kids, whose support could not be surpassed. I love you all. My team of ladies who are the best ever. All my author friends who support and encourage me. To all the amazing readers who have left reviews and made me think I should keep doing this.

To the fabulous Storm family for inspiring me to keep hanging out in Squamscott Falls with all your friends.

And to winter in New England, may you always be a thing of beauty!

Contents

1.Chapter One

2.Chapter Two

3.Chapter Three

4.Chapter Four

5.Chapter Five

6.Chapter Six

7.Chapter Seven

8.Chapter Eight

9.Chapter Nine

10.Chapter Ten

11.Chapter Eleven

12.Chapter Twelve

13.Chapter Thirteen

Also by Kari Lemor

About the Author

Chapter One

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Music blared from the speakers of the auditorium as Ashley Dresden bopped along to the beat. It was hard to believe Sara Storm, now Sara Bannister, local girl from Squamscott Falls, NH, had recorded a few albums and married the son of mega rock stars. The fund raiser performance tonight was so generous of her to do. Not to mention that she’d brought her husband to sing and play with her. Rumor had gotten out that his parents were planning to show up for a few songs.

Seeing Sara’s cousin, Greg, standing near the snack bar, she sidled over. Are the rumors true? TJ’s parents might show up? You know that’s why many of the people here bought tickets. You can’t see either one of them for under a hundred bucks.

Greg’s eyes gleamed. I’m not supposed to tell, but yeah, they’ll be showing up at the end. They want to make sure everyone listens to Sara and TJ first.

Ashley closed one eye. Why wouldn’t people listen to Sara? She’s a hometown girl made good. I still can’t believe I dated her brother for a while.

Too bad you hadn’t hung on longer. You’d be kind of related to the rock power couple.

Laughing, Ashley pushed her blonde hair out of her face. Right, like Alex would ever have ended up with anyone but Gina. He’s definitely not my type, anyway. Too uptight and scheduled. I like being spontaneous.

Greg laughed. Have you met Gina? She’s the most spontaneous person I’ve ever met. Good thing Alex loves her to distraction.

The couple in question appeared across the hallway, Gina waddling slowly on her way to the bathroom. Carrying twins in your final trimester couldn’t be easy. No wonder Alex followed her around like a puppy dog. Or rather a guard dog making sure she was okay.

Greg perused the crowd. It looks like we’ve got a full house tonight. I hope the money they raise helps the Blackwell family. Glenn’s accident was such a tragedy.

Ashley frowned. I have his son, Sean, on my JV hockey team, as well as in one of my PE classes. I know he’s been struggling. Having his dad in a wheelchair when he used to be so athletic has taken its toll on him. Sean is trying to be the man of the house and do everything Glenn used to do.

Greg shook his head. A kid that age shouldn’t have to shoulder that kind of responsibility. I know they’ve got insurance and his company is paying some of the bills, but that kind of medical care is out of most people’s range.

She thought of the poor man who wouldn’t have had the accident if the equipment he’d been working on had been in good shape. The company should be paying all his bills.

It’s not only the medical bills. The family needs groceries and school supplies. They’ll need to buy a special vehicle equipped for a wheelchair. Sean was planning to do driver’s education in the spring, but those classes are super expensive.

The frown on Greg’s face got deeper. Even if they raise a good deal of money today, the family will still need more help in the future. Who knows when or if Glenn’ll be able to go back to work.

He won’t be able to work construction again. Not in the position he was in. Ashley blew out a breath as Sara finished a song and the crowd went wild. People in town seem to be thrilled to see one of their own doing so well. They came out to help raise money but also, I think, to see Sara. You must be so proud to be her cousin.

Greg shrugged. Always have been. Didn’t change anything when she got some notoriety. Too bad we don’t have any more famous residents who could get a crowd together.

She remembered back when she was in high school how the area towns had rallied when the Squamscott Regional High School hockey team was undefeated for three years running, winning the state championship every year. Her sister, Hannah, had been dating Logan Osborn back then, and she’d been dragged to all the games to keep her company.

Maybe they don’t have to be super famous, but we do have some minor celebrities.

Greg cocked his head. Who?

An idea started to percolate in her brain. Could she do this? The varsity hockey coach was retiring at the end of the school year, and Ashley was in the running to replace him. Being a woman would put her behind some of the other candidates, but maybe she could show them exactly what she could do. She’d taken the JV team to states last year, and they were doing well in practice so far this year.

Have you already forgotten your years of being on the Dream Team?

Greg blinked. That was almost fifteen years ago, Ash. I’m sure everyone has forgotten it.

I don’t think so. This town was on a high for those years and many people loved how everyone came together to support all of you.

Pointing at the stage where Sara’s in-laws, Celia and Abe, had finally appeared, Greg shook his head. We weren’t quite in that category of famous.

Perhaps not, but I have a feeling if some of you got back on the ice, and maybe … took on the varsity team, it could garner some attention. Squamscott Regional High School covers a few towns, and you guys were stars for three years.

You want a bunch of old guys to play a team of seventeen and eighteen year olds? Not quite a fair game.

I’ve seen you play at the skating rink on the common in the winter. Seems you had a number of the old crew last year for a game.

Greg grinned. You joined us for one of those games, and if I recall, you wiped the floor with us using your skills on the ice.

You know, if you had the right coach, I’d bet you’d give the varsity team a run for their money. I know you coach Ryan’s hockey team in season and run the hockey camp in the summers. You’re no slouch.

A big breath released from Greg’s mouth, and his eyes rose to search the ceiling. I don’t know.

Come on, Greg. You have to admit it would draw a crowd.

Sure, Greg snorted. To watch us embarrass ourselves. I’m willing, because I’ve been on the ice a good deal and still have some skills, but I don’t know about the other guys.

Ashley tried for a pleading look. She’d never been very good at the girly stuff though, so it probably wouldn’t work. Plus, Greg was deeply in love with his wife thus immune to any other woman’s wiles. Maybe she’d have to talk to Alandra and have her work on her husband if she couldn’t convince him now.

Tell them it’s for Glenn. Hopefully, they’d be willing to help. You might even have a chance, the varsity team this year are all a bit arrogant and would think you’d be pushovers. Prove them wrong. I’d be willing to coach you. I’ve got a good track record.

I’ve seen how well the JV team has done the last few years since you took over. Think you could whip us into shape? When would this game take place?

"I don’t know. I’d have to get it approved first and find ice time. I