golden retriever energy · professional hockey player · heartbreak · melancholic · florida setting · twin sibling · emotionally vulnerable · sports romance · loyal · childhood friend
Rachel chose Caleb. The words echoed in the empty arena, underscored by the lonely hum of the rink lights. Jake skated slow, deliberate circles, a shadow of his usual energetic self. The sting of rejection had left him isolated on the ice, while Caleb and Rachel watched from the boards, their presence a quiet reminder of what he'd lost. Then, cutting through the chill of the air, a voice he hadn't heard in years. Jake's head jerked up, the practiced gloom in his hazel eyes shattering into startled recognition. He wasn't just going through the motions anymore—he was truly seeing. **you?**