Delay of Game

Jackson Harper had barely gotten his feet wet in the NHL before he was traded from LA to The Minnesota Northern Lights. It's hard not to take it personally, but he is going to make the most of being the only out gay hockey player in Minnesota. Ryan Cosgrove is thirty-two, which means he's practically a geriatric hockey player. He won a cup a long time ago, and now all that's left is his empty house, his golden retriever, Lola, the tail end of his hockey career, and the weight of loneliness as everyone in his life pairs off to start families. Their friendship is fast and easy, budding into a legendary bromance, if The Northern Lights' social media is to be believed. But despite the best of their intentions to keep their relationship friendly and professional, their feelings keep slipping into romantic territory. Ryan has been down this road before. Getting into a relationship in the middle of the season with his liney and roommate is a recipe for disaster. But despite all the best intentions, Jackson keeps finding himself in Ryan's arms. Will their feelings blow up in their faces, or can they figure out a way to have a real relationship? Contains mature themes.

Nate, captain of the Washington Golden Eagles, was going to spend as much time with his best friend, Ryan, as he could that off season, even if that meant going to a tattoo appointment. His ex-fiancée (and mom's best friend's kid) was marrying the man she had cheated on Nate with, and Nate's mom told him skipping it was not an option. Collin mostly had his life together. He loved tattooing. He'd built an amazing queer found family in Madison, and had a car that usually started. But he was also restless. When Ryan suggested Nate take Collin to the wedding as his date to stir up some drama, it was the perfect chance for both of them. By the end, maybe they both would make a friend. Neither of them were expecting the sexual chemistry that sparked between them the entire weekend. Nate thought he was straight. But if he was, why did Collin make him feel this way? Collin was helping him explore his sexuality, but they were keeping things casual. Nate had to leave Wisconsin to go play hockey at the end of the summer. Feelings would ruin the fun they were having. But it's never that simple. Contains mature themes.

One injured hockey player. One laid-off beat reporter. One giant mansion. Twenty-Eight days alone together. Oliver Swan's career is over. Everyone can see that. He's been too injured to play for an entire season. But what legacy does a second overall player have to leave when he hasn't actually achieved anything in his career? He can already see the headlines: Draft Bust Retires After Underwhelming Career. Fuck that. He's going to be remembered the way he wants to be. He's going to write a memoir. Well, he's going to hire someone to ghostwrite his memoir. Enter Jordan Walsh, recently laid-off NHL beat reporter, and the only person who ever had anything nice to say about Oliver's career. When Oliver came up with the idea for them to spend all of February together in his house in Colorado, he hadn't considered the fact that Jordan was beautiful. He hadn't known how sweet he'd be. This is a disaster. Contains mature themes.

When Blake Brennan came out, he made NHL history. He was the elite goaltender of the New Jersey Ruby Reds, with a cute boyfriend and a bright career ahead of him. Now, he was single, and struggling both in net, and with his team. Matthew Sawyer ended up living with his dad again after dropping out of college. His dad, the coach of the Ruby Reds, has high expectations for him. Matthew isn't sure what he wants out of life, but he knows he doesn't want the boring desk job his dad wants him to get. When Matthew sees the famously gay goalie for his dad's team at a bar on New Year's Eve, he goes for it. Has a little one-night-stand to spite his dad, even if his dad will never find out. A one-night-stand leads to more, and when things get messy fast, they both have to take a leap of faith. Contains mature themes.

Theo Lane finally found his place in the NHL. The beginning of his career had been a struggle, especially compared to Rowan Foley, generational talent and his ex not-quite-boyfriend. It took eight years from draft day, but Theo was finally on a team that respected him. The San Jose Serpents had a real chance that year. Everything was looking up. Until Rowan signed a contract with the Serpents. Rowan may be a 'generational talent,' but he was also on a shitty team. It was time to move on. He was wistful for the time he spent in junior playing with Theo, the boy his heart hadn't let go of just yet. Rowan wasn't expecting Theo to come running back into his arms, but he hadn't expected the hostile welcome he got from him, either. Eight years was a long time, and Rowan was realizing he had made some mistakes. Theo had resolved to keep their relationship 100% on the ice, where they played together like a dream. But the season was long, and there was a reason they had been so obsessed with each other when they had been Flint Jaguars back in junior. Rowan always worked hard on the ice, but can he work hard enough off of it to win Theo back? Contains mature themes.

Felix Becker is trying to figure out where he belongs in New Jersey. After spending nearly a decade in Texas in a codependent, though platonic, relationship with his best friend, recent Stanley Cup winner Rowan Foley, it's time to move on. His new condo is fine, but things finally start to look up when he meets his cute neighbor, Will. Will Knight's third book is destroying him. The final installment of his horror trilogy is past due, and he can't figure out how to end it. He's got family drama that is consuming him, and his mental health is as fragile as glass. His new neighbor, however, is the perfect distraction. The thrum of Felix's anxiety quiets around Will, and it's not long before he's in a free fall for his novelist. But Will is harboring secrets, and Felix's genuine affection for him is more terrifying than his novels. Contains mature themes.