She was the girl everyone wanted to be - not because she tried, but because she didn't have to.
Talia Reed was captain of the volleyball team, the kind of girl who laughed too loud, never cried in public, and played every game like her pride was on the line. She was confident, competitive, and had that effortless energy that made people orbit her - including Jace Carver, the school's golden quarterback with a scholarship already in sight.
Their connection wasn't the cliché "good girl meets bad boy." It was two alphas colliding - playful banter, competitive tension, and chemistry they both pretended not to see. But when Talia finally confessed that she loved him before graduation, Jace crushed her with six words that changed everything:
"You're amazing, Talia - but it's not you."
Five years later, Talia's traded her jersey for a blazer. Now 24, she's one of the youngest sports managers at Silverline Management, a rising name known for keeping egos and scandals in check. She's engaged to a stable, steady man who never misses her games or makes her question her worth. Her life is in perfect order - until her boss assigns her a new high-profile client.
NFL's newest star. The league's next big name.
Jace Carver.
He's older, sharper, and still ridiculously charming - but when he realizes the woman sent to manage his career is the same girl he pushed away, it's his turn to feel the loss. Now he's the one chasing. And she's the one who won't let him close.
But Jace has a new playbook this time - and he's not afraid to lose everything if it means winning her back.
What follows is a slow-burn second-chance story about love that never really left, about pride, regret, and the thin line between heartbreak and forever.
By the time the final whistle blows, Talia will have to decide if the game is worth playing again - and Jace will have to prove that this time, he's all in.
