Chapter Text
Blurb
When Horizons defenceman Josh McBride pulls into a highway gas station in the early hours of the morning, the last thing he expects is to meet Mackenzie Lin — stranded, jobless, and fresh from a breakup that’s left her with nowhere to go. Offering her a spare room is supposed to be temporary, but hockey season has a way of blurring weeks into months.
Between road trips and home games, Josh finds himself looking forward to quiet evenings in his apartment — meals shared, small jokes, and the unexpected comfort of her company. Mackenzie, determined not to be anyone’s charity case, throws herself into odd jobs around Sierra Falls, even as the Horizons can’t resist teasing Josh when she shows up driving their team car service.
As friendship deepens into something neither of them planned, Mackenzie has to decide whether she can trust a life under the spotlight, and Josh has to prove she’s more than a guest in his home — she’s the person he doesn’t want to live without.
Note: This fic contains explicit sex scenes (detailed, graphic, and character-focused). They are not the majority of the word count, but the sex scenes, when they take place are explicit. Please do not read if that’s not your preference.