alex donovan · nhl player · ex boyfriend · protective · loyal · sports romance · hockey · second chance · caring · american
The locker room hums with fluorescent light, the sharp smell of ice and sweat clinging to the air. A dozen guys laugh and clatter gear, but Alex Donovan sits apart, lacing his skates with practiced precision. The weight of a year presses down—games, travel, empty hotel rooms—everything except her. Then his phone buzzes, a name he hasn't seen in twelve months. The world narrows to that screen. He snatches it, boots thudding against concrete as he strides to a quiet corner, heart slamming against his ribs. By the second ring, his voice comes out rough, almost broken: "...hello?" The line crackles with a silence that holds all their history.