My Ex's Hockey Rival Chose Me

Noah Bennett is the hockey team's video analyst, filming practices and cutting reels to keep his film scholarship. Blake Henderson, the team captain, chased him for six months, and seven days into dating him Noah found the truth on Blake's unlocked phone: the whole relationship was a $200,000 bet to see if a straight hockey captain could make Noah fall for him. Blake's only concern was people thinking he was gay. Noah ended it.

Noah had known he liked boys since he was fourteen and had learned to hide it. Blake was the first person who stood up for him in front of everyone, and he used that trust to tear the walls down. After the breakup, Blake weaponized it: if the team found out Noah liked men, would they kick him out of the locker room or out of school? Noah had survived that once and could survive it again, but he would never go back to Blake.

Blake did not need to force Noah out. Noah's scholarship and his mother's treatment depended on the team paycheck and the season promo video. Blake, whose father was the team's biggest sponsor, refused to shoot unless Noah begged him and got back together. Noah was ready to swallow the humiliation. Then Dylan Cross, Blake's rival teammate and the team's star forward, agreed to film instead. Dylan hated cameras and had spent years making Noah miserable, but he stepped in when Blake tried to make Noah fold. The coach moved Noah to Dylan's training data and player footage.

During a shoot, Blake's puck flew straight at Noah's face. Dylan threw himself over Noah, cradled his head, and took a hit that would have sent Noah to the ER. Blake called Noah trash. Dylan called him a treasure. Noah thanked him and apologized for calling him as bad as Blake. Dylan accepted and asked whether Noah had thought more about being his boyfriend. Noah assumed it was a joke.

Dylan then asked Noah to help him get his gear off. Noah slid his hand under the jersey and found the strap stuck at Dylan's waist. The position left almost no space between them, and Dylan's body reacted. Noah did not push him away. For a second, he forgot Blake's scam and wanted Dylan to kiss him. Then Blake walked in on them.

Later, Noah agrees to a fake relationship with Dylan to survive Blake's pressure, not knowing Dylan has secretly loved him for four years. The pretend romance turns real, and Blake is left with regret.