Hannah could relate to that big-time. She hadn’t been back to Limerick in almost a year and whenever she did return home for visits, the insular village somehow always served to regress her to that same insecure young woman she’d worked so hard to leave behind.

Since the pandemic, her parents, both now pushing their seventies, were reluctant to travel, which meant visits across the Atlantic to see her were sadly a thing of the past.

‘Ha, speaking of a different century … ’ She went on to tell Zoe about the old guy next door, the only snag in her newfound dream setup.

‘Well, there you go then.’

Hannah frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘PR is quite literally your job. If you want to find a way to pay Courtney back, there’s your chance. Hit him with a charm offensive and pave the way for some positive neighbourly relations?’

‘I don’t know … with a lawsuit in the offing, the last thing I want is to step on any toes.’

‘Oh, come on, getting people on side is your speciality, so you’d be doing Courtney a huge favour. Think of it as a side hustle, something to get your teeth into until you’re off probation and assigned more interesting talent than the dregs. Honey, I’ve seen you in action. There isn’t a man alive who can resist your legendary Irish charm. So why not work it on Grandpa next door?’

Chapter 4

WARD

The ice rink was alive with energy, from the booming cheers of the crowd to the echoing clangs of sticks colliding with the puck; the tension electric as opposing players skated around the ice, both determined to get the upper hand. A thrilling matchup, Panthers against Falcons, two of the biggest ice hockey teams in the league.

The Falcons were inching ahead, their team working together as a cohesive unit to advance the play. The Panthers were putting up a good fight, but their energy was starting to flag as the third period unfolded.

Ward McKenzie’s heart raced as he skated on the ice, feeling the full weight of a thousand pairs of eyes on him. He had one shot, a chance to bring glory and redemption to the Panthers if he could put the puck in the net in time.

The frigid air engulfed his face like a blanket of icy needles as he dashed towards the goal, determined not to miss this shot.

The roar of the crowd seemed to peel away at his confidence but he pushed forward, visualising every next move in his head. The blades of his skates cut through the heavy layer of frosted ice as he raced towards his destiny, nothing standing between himself and victory but this one defining moment.

He had to make it count.