Ryan Lindqvist was supposed to lead the team. Not fall for his best friend's sister.

After years as one of the NHL's most dependable players, he's drafted to the Phoenix Sidewinders—an expansion team in a city that wants hockey back . . . but isn't convinced it won't get burned again. Now he's wearing the C, leading a locker room half full of strangers, and carrying the weight of a second chance no one believes will last.

The one thing keeping him motivated? Griffin Callahan. Best friend. Teammate. Goalie. The only guy who actually wanted to be here. Which is exactly why Ryan should stay far away from Griffin's little sister.

Maren Callahan is a physical therapist, a Scottsdale native, and completely off-limits. She's sharp, grounded, and sees through Ryan's captain façade like it's nothing. Worse, she's everywhere—and every moment with her chips away at the control he's built his life on.

It starts small. A look. A touch. Something neither of them can ignore. Ryan knows what this could cost him—his best friend, his team, the fragile trust of a city already waiting for them to fail. Maren knows what it feels like to be someone's secret—and she won't do it again.

But the closer they get, the harder it is to walk away. And when the truth comes out, Ryan won't just lose Griffin. He might lose everything.

Contains mature themes.