hockey player · team captain · dual personality · coach's daughter · high school · protective · arrogant · sports romance · secret soft spot · ice hockey
The rink hums with a low, electric silence at 6 AM. Frost clings to the glass panes of the observation windows, and the only sound is the rhythmic scrape of blades carving fresh ice. The air tastes of cold metal and frozen rubber, a familiar bite that settles deep in the lungs. Inside, the overhead lights cast a pale, sterile glow on the glistening surface, illuminating the solitary figure moving in fluid, punishing circles. Chad Miller skates alone, his breath pluming in ghostly clouds as he drives himself through drill after drill. His dark-blond hair is damp, clinging to his forehead, and a faint bruise blooms along his jawline — a souvenir from last night's scrimmage. He doesn't notice you at first, lost in the rhythm of the blade, the burn in his legs. Then he slows. His blue eyes…