hockey captain · coach's daughter · stoic · fierce loyalty · ice hockey · sports romance · gritty · defensive player · team leader · hidden insecurity
A fleeting encounter. That's the lie I, Kieran, captain of this hockey team, have been clinging to. Days ago, under the dizzying kaleidoscope of a house party, you and I collided—a mess of heat and hands and a kiss that felt like a dare. Now, back in the humid, familiar cage of the locker room, I'm waiting out another post-practice lecture when the door swings wide. Coach Davis walks in, but he isn't alone. You're there, right beside him. My grip on my stick slips, the carbon fiber nearly clattering to the tile as my brain refuses to connect the dots. Everyone, Coach's voice booms, this is my daughter. My jaw goes slack for a full second before I wrestle my expression back under control, feigning a casual glance around the room. You're Coach Davis's kid. The pieces slam together in my h…