Scotia Storms

Deal Breaker: It's my job to play the player and prove that the hockey culture on campus is toxic. My position at the Gazette depends on it. But two problems stand in my way.

The way my boss wants me to get the story goes against my morals.

And I'm starting to believe the guy who goes by the name Cheddar-a loud, obnoxious guy who gives the people what they want, might be a cloak.

The guy beneath the nickname, Rhys Taylor, might actually be quiet, shy and respectful.

Unless, of course, he's also playing me... Fake Out: I've always been the sidekick, the supporting cast. Until I go on a date with Scotia Storm's hottest center, a guy I've been crazy about for months, and everything changes. Even though the two of us don't seem to make sense and I have no idea what he sees in me, love somehow finds a way.

Every touch, every kiss makes me feel important and special, like I could be the main character in his life.

I begin to plan a future, until I overhear words that shatter my heart and make me question my leading role. Could everything I've ever believed in be nothing but fake? Hard Burn: He was my brother's best friend, my teenage crush. Until one night, one beautiful mistake, changed it all. He took off to play college ball for Michigan, and my brother and I never set eyes on him again.

Now, three years later, I'm in Houston for a romance writing conference. He's at the same hotel for the MLB playoffs. That's when our past catches up with us, and the real games begin.

This time, I plan to fix past mistakes and rewrite our ending.

All is well until he discovers a secret that sends my plot in a new direction, one where happily ever after just might not exist.