Mile High (Windy City, #1)

Stevie is so upset over the breakup that she has trouble focusing at work. On the flight to Seattle, she refuses to engage Zanders in any form of conversation that doesn’t relate to work.

Stevie’s dad surprises her and appears at her Seattle hotel. She opens up about her relationship and breakup with Zanders. Her dad realizes that she is in love with him. Then the conversation turns to her parents’ marriage. Her dad reveals that he and her mom have been having trouble, but he also states that her mom has begun to realize how badly she has treated Stevie. The conversation then shifts to Stevie’s job. Stevie doesn’t want to leave Chicago, but she tells her dad that she plans to apply for a new job in Seattle the next day.

After the next game, Zanders unwraps the medical tape he’s been wearing over Stevie’s ring while playing. He didn’t like how Stevie looked at him on the plane, but he swears that he’ll never take the ring off.

Zanders can’t sleep that night. He goes over everything that has happened and blames himself for hurting Stevie. Maddison comes over to check on him and reveals that he fired Rich as his agent. He thinks that Rich has been “tipping off the press” (381) and using them for his own financial benefit. Zanders agrees but fears that firing Rich will ruin his career. Then they discuss Zanders’s future. Maddison assures Zanders that he’ll still be a part of his family even if he stops playing for Chicago. Zanders breaks down and confesses how upset he is about Stevie, revealing that he broke up with her before she could break up with him. Maddison reassures Zanders he’s deserving of love and urges him to win Stevie back.

Stevie feels better after a few days in Seattle. She’s still upset about Zanders but is trying to focus on her future. When everyone returns to the plane, Zanders begs to talk to her, but Stevie isn’t ready yet. She isn’t sure how to tell him that she quit her job, took a new job, and is returning to Seattle to find an apartment in the coming weeks.

Back in Chicago, Stevie spends time at the shelter and tells Cheryl about Seattle. Cheryl asks Stevie if she really wants to go. Then Ryan shows up and reveals that the paper released Stevie’s name in association with Zanders; there are now paparazzi outside their building. He offers to block the photographers’ view of her. Instead, Stevie confronts the reporters, defending herself and Zanders, and Ryan is impressed by her boldness.

Zanders watches Stevie’s encounter with the paparazzi outside her building. Then he calls Rich and fires him. Afterwards, he and Maddison meet up and discuss the paparazzi, Rich’s unethical behavior, and the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals.

On her way out of the building, Stevie feels relieved not to encounter the paparazzi. She isn’t going to Pittsburgh for the finals and feels relieved that she’ll be starting fresh in Seattle. Outside, she runs into someone who looks like Lindsey and realizes that it is Zanders’s mom. She confronts the woman, accusing her of being a bad mother and abandoning her son.

From his window, Zanders witnesses Stevie’s confrontation with his mom and mentally prepares to interact with his mother himself. The narrative reveals that he contacted her and invited her to Chicago. When she comes in, he tells her how he feels about their past. He confronts her for abandoning him and declares that he doesn’t want her in his life anymore. She tries to push back, but he insists that she has already hurt their family enough.

Zanders races to the airport, making it onto the plane just in time. He can’t wait to see Stevie and clear everything up. However, he is surprised to see that a new flight attendant has replaced her. He confronts Indy, who explains that Stevie is starting a new job in Seattle.

Stevie spends several days looking at apartments in Seattle but can’t find the right one. Meanwhile, she worries about how Zanders is doing after seeing his mom, and she wonders how the Raptors are doing in the finals. Zanders texts her, begging to talk. Finally, she answers her phone. He explains why he broke up with her and begs her not to move. They argue about their relationship and their careers. Stevie tells Zanders that she just wanted him to love her. She wishes him luck in the finals and hangs up.

Zanders is desperate to see Stevie, but his career takes him out of town for three days. When he returns to Chicago, he goes to Ryan’s place, but Stevie isn’t there. He explains himself to Ryan, who realizes how much Zanders loves Stevie.

Zanders prepares for the third game of the Stanley Cup Finals. He has given Ryan a ticket for Stevie and hopes that she will come. One day, he skips practice and drives home to see his dad, apologizing for being angry with him for so long. They make amends, and Zanders asks for relationship advice. His dad encourages him to win Stevie back.

Stevie flies home early. Ryan tells her about Zanders’s visit, revealing that he fired Rich and left her a ticket to the finals.

Zanders hasn’t seen Stevie and doesn’t know if she’s back yet. At the game, he gets into an altercation with the referee about wearing his pinky ring on the ice. The referee finally lets him put the ring in his skate. The team plays well and wins the Stanley Cup. Zanders family and Maddison’s family join them on the ice. Zanders searches for Stevie in the crowd but doesn’t see her. He fears that she has given up on him.

Stevie tries to push through the crowd after the game but can’t make it down to the ice to see Zanders. She goes to his building afterwards, but he isn’t home, so she sits outside his door, waiting for him. At two in the morning, she gives up and returns home.

Zanders has a bad hangover after his night celebrating with the team. He has breakfast with the Maddisons and feels bad when Ella asks about Stevie. Shortly thereafter, the friends are passing the shelter, and Zanders realizes that Stevie is inside. He races in, desperate to tell her he that loves her.

Stevie is shocked when Zanders shows up at the shelter. He apologizes for everything and tells her that he loves her. She apologizes and professes her love as well. They agree to find a solution that will allow them to balance their relationship and their jobs.

Zanders and Stevie spend the rest of the day making up and having sex. Afterwards, they talk about their future, and they agree that they both prefer to stay in Chicago. The team manager, Scott, arrives unexpectedly. He tells Zanders that he’s been waiting for him to re-sign all season, but Rich kept saying that Zanders wanted more money. Zanders reveals that Rich never told him about the contract at all. He now agrees to stay with the Raptors on one condition.

Four months later, Zanders and Stevie are living together in Zanders’s Chicago penthouse. Zanders has agreed to re-sign with the Raptors as long as the organization will “fully financially support Senior Dogs of Chicago” (469). This financial backing has helped the rescue and has given Cheryl the money to hire Stevie full-time. Meanwhile, Stevie has started family therapy and is working on her relationship with her mom. Zanders is also repairing his relationship with his dad.

One day, Zanders meets Stevie at the rescue and tells her that Active Minds is going to join forces with SDOC to help children get therapy dogs. Stevie is thrilled. Afterwards, Zanders leaves town for more away games. He is glad that he has Stevie to return home to, but he hates leaving her.