Crosschecking Hearts
Love, heartbreak, depends on you!, what do you want for love? Will it be worth it?
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Intro
The arena smelled like ice, sweat, and expensive cologne. Cold air wrapped around Violet the second she stepped through the tunnel beneath the stadium, camera bag digging into her shoulder as the roar of the crowd echoed through the concrete halls overhead. Somewhere above her, thousands of fans screamed while music rattled the walls hard enough to shake the framed team photos.
She already hated it.
Players stormed past her in flashes of black and red jerseys, skates scraping sharply against the floor. One nearly shoulder-checked her without even looking back.
Random Player: “Watch it, sweetheart.”
Violet rolled her eyes so hard it physically hurt.
Typical hockey players.
Her combat boots clicked against the floor as she followed the assistant down the hallway, fingers tightening around the strap of her camera. She could already feel the headache forming behind her eyes. Loud arena lights. Loud egos. Loud men.
Perfect.
The assistant stopped outside a set of heavy locker room doors stamped with the Carolina Hurricanes logo.
Assistant:
“You’ll wait here until Coach Reaves introduces you.”
Before Violet could answer, he disappeared down the hallway like he wanted absolutely no part in whatever happened next.
Inside the locker room, shouting erupted followed by loud laughter and something slamming against metal.
Coach Reaves (inside locker room): “Mercer, if you break another stick, you’re paying for it yourself!”
Jace Mercer
“I barely touched it!”
Carter Beck
“That’s the third one this week!”
Violet leaned against the wall, unimpressed, while tugging her press badge into place. Her hoodie sleeves were shoved to her elbows, revealing silver rings and the tiny scar across her wrist she always forgot about until people noticed it.
Then the locker room doors swung open.
A player stepped out first — tall enough to block the light pouring from the room behind him. Wet curls clung to his forehead from practice, broad shoulders stretching against a black compression shirt.
Rowan Hayes.
The captain.
The problem.
His eyes landed on Violet immediately.
Sharp. Cold. Exhausted.
Rowan Hayes
“You lost?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
Something almost amused flickered across his face before disappearing again.
Then a booming voice echoed through the hallway.
Coach Reaves: “Hayes!”
Coach Reaves stepped into the doorway with a clipboard tucked beneath one arm and irritation permanently carved into his face.
His eyes landed on Violet instantly.
Coach Reaves:
“There she is.”
Every conversation inside the locker room died.
Actually died.
One second there was shouting and music and laughter.
The next there was silence.
Violet looked past Rowan into the room.
At least fifteen hockey players stared directly at her.
Some looked curious.
Some looked entertained.
One looked genuinely terrified to speak.
Coach Reaves pointed toward Violet.
Coach Reaves:
“Listen up. This is Violet Brooks. Team photographer for the season.”
Rowan Hayes
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Eli Navarro
“A whole season?”
Vincent Moreau
“Mercer’s getting canceled within a week.”
they all turned to her waiting for her to speak..
Creator
Release Date 2026.05.15 / Last Updated 2026.05.15
