Capturing the Captain (The Florida Flames #1)

Prologue

Olivia

Do you believe in love at first sight? You always see it in the movies or read about it in books, but I don't know. I just don’t get how you can look at someone and feel an immediate sense of love for them.

Maybe that's not even how it works. My friend, Sasha, is adamant that it’s real.

That one day, you'll see someone for the first time and just know. She said that’s what happened with her and her boyfriend, Max.

My ex, Ryan, always said that when he saw me for the first time, he knew I was the one for him.

It sounds terrible to say but I didn’t feel like that at all.

For me, Ryan was someone who eventually grew on me.

Sometimes I still wonder if I ever truly loved him.

It was my first real relationship, so I had nothing to compare the feeling to.

Obviously, he was talking out of his ass, considering I walked in on him and my best friend Emily.

I had been wanting out of that relationship for a while, and seeing them together finally gave me that push to leave.

I threw my engagement ring in his face, left and haven't looked back since.

I guess I didn't really love him either. Was I hurt about what had happened? Absolutely. Did I cry about it for weeks or beg him to take me back? No way in hell! I don’t even think I shed one tear about the whole thing and that tells me all I need to know.

That happened two years ago now and I am finally starting to find my footing in this world.

I am finally making it on my own. I moved to Florida two months ago to be closer to my best friend Sasha.

The only thing that I missed after I left Ryan was the company, having someone to go to.

I suppose I still miss it, the company, not Ryan, but at least here I have Sash with me now.

I feel like Florida is always somewhere I wanted to move.

It feels like there’s more freedom here than there was in New York.

I’ve always wanted to be a photographer but in New York, I felt like that particular career field was overcrowded.

There were photography studios every street you turned down but here in Florida, it’s a lot less common.

I’ve already surpassed my number of clients here in two months than I had in the two years of doing it in New York.

My end goal here is to become a sports photographer.

It’s something that has always stood out to me.

Being able to photograph a professional team would do wonders to my career.

If I had to choose one sport, I’d probably choose hockey.

I know nothing about it but I’ve seen a few games.

The buzz in the arena, how fast the players move across the ice, it’s just so fascinating.

Too bad the position of team photographer for the Florida Flames had been filled just before I moved here.

Oh well, I just have to keep dreaming and maybe one day I’ll get my shot.