Off the Record

Brooks Devereaux knows exactly how people see her.

Pretty. Connected. Untouchable.

The girl photographed leaving parties in vintage couture. The almost model with the famous last name and the carefully curated life. In New York fashion circles, she is recognizable enough to be watched and overlooked at the same time.

What she is not is taken seriously.

So when her talent manager suggests a strategic relationship with New York Rangers star Callan Rhys, Brooks agrees before she can overthink it. A few public appearances. A few staged photographs. Nothing real.

Callan has spent his entire life surviving scrutiny. The son of a former hockey legend, he grew up inside a house built on silence, pressure, and impossible expectations. Now one of the most feared players in the league, Callan has a reputation for violence on the ice and absolute control everywhere else. He does not trust easily, does not explain himself, and definitely does not blur professional lines for a woman he barely knows.

At first, they are nothing more than an arrangement.

She needs visibility.
He needs the media distraction.
Neither of them plans to care.

But somewhere between late night flights, quiet moments after games, and the version of themselves they only seem capable of becoming around each other, the performance starts to crack.

Because Brooks is beginning to realize Callan sees through every polished version of her.

And Callan is discovering that Brooks might be the first person who has ever looked at him without wanting something in return.