Off the Bench

Cameron Beckett has one goal: The NHL. But the boy next door is about to change the game forever.

As the star co-captain of his elite high school hockey team, Cameron’s life is a whirlwind of scouts, power plays, and the relentless pressure to be the best. He’s one season away from the draft—one season away from the life he’s dreamed of since he first laced up his skates.

But there’s a problem. If Cameron can’t pass his math finals, his coach is benching him for the playoffs. His future is on the line, and his only hope is the one person he’s spent years trying to ignore: Sam, the boy next door.

The closer they get, the thinner the ice becomes.

Sam is brilliant, kind, and exactly what Cameron didn’t know he was looking for. As the late-night study sessions turn into something deeper, Cameron finds himself facing a terror he can’t outrun on the ice. In the hyper-masculine world of professional hockey, he’s been taught that there’s no room for the truth of who he is.

When the fear of losing his career forces Cameron to pull away, he leaves Sam in the cold just when Sam needs him most. Now, with the draft looming and his heart on the line, Cameron must decide:

Is a career in the spotlight worth a life in the shadows? Or will he finally take the shot that matters most?