Rules of the Game Series by Brigham Vaughn

Rule #1: Hockey Comes First. As NHL team captain, Zane Murphy’s goal for the upcoming season is simple: take the Evanston River Otters all the way to the Stanley Cup. Rule #2: Only On the Road. But an unexpectedly hot night with his best friend and teammate Ryan Hartinger throws Zane’s carefully laid plans and his sexuality into disarray. Rule #3: Don’t Fall in Love with Your Best Friend... moreRule #1: Hockey Comes First. As NHL team captain, Zane Murphy’s goal for the upcoming season is simple: take the Evanston River Otters all the way to the Stanley Cup. Rule #2: Only On the Road. But an unexpectedly hot night with his best friend and teammate Ryan Hartinger throws Zane’s carefully laid plans and his sexuality into disarray. Rule #3: Don’t Fall in Love with Your Best Friend. When feelings begin to creep in, Zane will have to decide if he’s willing to throw out the rules and risk his career and his friendship for a chance at winning it all. Note: Road Rules was previously published as a 45k novella on Prolific Works and has since been expanded into a full length novel. less

Rule #1: Rules are made to … bend. Noah Boucher loves his career as a hot-shot NHL goaltender—even after making league history as the first openly bi player. Last season’s catastrophic knee injury sidelined him and ended the Toronto Fisher Cats’ chance in the playoffs but now he’s determined to have one final season to win the Cup before he retires... moreRule #1: Rules are made to … bend. Noah Boucher loves his career as a hot-shot NHL goaltender—even after making league history as the first openly bi player. Last season’s catastrophic knee injury sidelined him and ended the Toronto Fisher Cats’ chance in the playoffs but now he’s determined to have one final season to win the Cup before he retires. Hockey has always come first, but when fate offers him a second chance with his college crush, he’s desperate to not repeat the mistakes of his past. Rule #2: Don’t mess with fate. When a chance meeting on a scenic train trip puts Noah back into Simon Lawrence’s life, he’s wary even though their connection is as strong as ever. Noah walked away from him once to pursue his hockey dreams and the photographer and gallery owner has been burned by long-distance relationships in the past. A future together will require braving not only the distance and time apart, but the media scrutiny that comes with dating a pro hockey player. Rule #3: Trust your heart. When a catastrophe at the gallery hits just as the pressure of the playoffs is heating up, Noah will have to bend the rules and convince Simon that this time, love comes first. ---. Note: Bending the Rules was previously released as a free short story called Train to Snowhere. It has been expanded into a full-length novel and significant parts of the plot have changed. less

Rule #1: Don’t fall in love with the coach. Gabriel Theriault’s been skating on thin ice for the past two seasons with Toronto but his arrest following an off-ice fight is the final straw. His only shot at redemption is to start over in Evanston and prove that he still has what it takes to be a pro player. No more fights. No more drinking. No more random hookups. Rule #2: The team always comes first. Years ago, Lance Tate’s on-ice injury ended his career and marriage... moreRule #1: Don’t fall in love with the coach. Gabriel Theriault’s been skating on thin ice for the past two seasons with Toronto but his arrest following an off-ice fight is the final straw. His only shot at redemption is to start over in Evanston and prove that he still has what it takes to be a pro player. No more fights. No more drinking. No more random hookups. Rule #2: The team always comes first. Years ago, Lance Tate’s on-ice injury ended his career and marriage. His long road to recovery led to a job he loves as assistant coach with the Evanston Otters, and he wouldn’t dream of giving that up. Until he meets Gabriel. The French-Canadian is fifteen years younger, burdened by too much responsibility, and the most intriguing man Lance has ever met. He’s also the absolute last man Lance should get involved with. The draw between them is impossible to resist—even if it could cost them the game they love. Their only chance at winning it all is to change the rules. less

Rule #1: Don't fall in love with your family's sworn enemy. Taylor Hollis brought home gold at the Olympics, then quit competitive skating at the height of his career. Four years later, he lives a quiet life teaching figuring skating classes and looking for the perfect guy to settle down and build a family with. When the Evanston River Otters hire Taylor to take part in a feel-good media piece, he’ll have to defy his father and work with the son of the man he detests... moreRule #1: Don't fall in love with your family's sworn enemy. Taylor Hollis brought home gold at the Olympics, then quit competitive skating at the height of his career. Four years later, he lives a quiet life teaching figuring skating classes and looking for the perfect guy to settle down and build a family with. When the Evanston River Otters hire Taylor to take part in a feel-good media piece, he’ll have to defy his father and work with the son of the man he detests. And his one weakness is a hot older guy who’s good with kids. Rule #2: Choose your loyalties wisely. Last season, Jamie Walsh left the Chicago Windstorm after a nasty divorce and falling out with his linemate. Now he’s getting settled as a new forward for the Otters. His biggest priority is his five-year-old daughter, Ava, but he can’t ignore how attractive he finds her skating teacher. The only man he’s ever been interested in. The more time they spend together, the harder it is for Jamie to ignore his feelings. Too bad Taylor’s father has always blamed Jamie’s dad for ruining his hockey career. Jamie and Taylor are perfect for one another but they’ll have to ignore both of their families’ unwritten rules if they let themselves fall in love with the enemy. less

Rule #1: Don't fall in love with your best friend's brother. After Anders Lindholm lost his wife and baby daughter in a car accident, he knew he’d never find love like that again. Hockey, routines, and his team are all that have kept him going since. But as he approaches forty, an injury makes him consider what life after retirement will be like... moreRule #1: Don't fall in love with your best friend's brother. After Anders Lindholm lost his wife and baby daughter in a car accident, he knew he’d never find love like that again. Hockey, routines, and his team are all that have kept him going since. But as he approaches forty, an injury makes him consider what life after retirement will be like. And when his teammate, who just so happens to be his best friend’s brother, offers him a helping hand—in more ways than one—it reawakens something in Anders he can’t deny. Rule #2: Don’t let anyone know the real you. Kelly O’Shea has been in love with Anders since he was fifteen. He’s been hiding the fact that he’s gay for just as long. He loves his family, but their over-protective meddling is what made him move halfway across the country and hide who he was. Although Kelly and Anders both agreed it would stay casual, Kelly begins to hope that maybe they’ll eventually be more than just friends with benefits. And the more time they spend together, the faster the ice around Anders’ heart melts. But with a playoff spot to clinch, fractures within the team, and overprotective brothers to worry about, Anders’ fear of letting go of the past isn’t the only challenge they’ll have to overcome. TRIGGER WARNING:. Off-page and non-graphic mentions of death of secondary characters including a child. Grief. Brief and non-graphic mention of suicidal ideation. Talk of homophobia and homophobic slurs. Non-graphic mentions of sexual harassment and sexual assault. less

Rule #1: Don't fall in love with your agent. Trevor Underhill is a bottom D-pair grinder. A pest. The kind of player who makes it possible for the talent to score. Off the ice, he looks out for himself and never trusts anyone but his sister to have his back. Fresh off an ankle injury and annoyed that his endorsement deals keep falling through, he’s tired of his stuffy, boring agent telling him to clean up his act and grow up. Love is the last thing he’s looking for with anyone... moreRule #1: Don't fall in love with your agent. Trevor Underhill is a bottom D-pair grinder. A pest. The kind of player who makes it possible for the talent to score. Off the ice, he looks out for himself and never trusts anyone but his sister to have his back. Fresh off an ankle injury and annoyed that his endorsement deals keep falling through, he’s tired of his stuffy, boring agent telling him to clean up his act and grow up. Love is the last thing he’s looking for with anyone. Rule #2: Don’t give up on second chances. Former player Wade Cannon spent years in the closet until his retirement. Now with a successful career as an agent and an eleven-year-old son, his priorities are work and his kid. After the guy he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with bailed on them, he doesn’t trust anyone to stick around. When members of the Evanston Otters team come to him for help, he and Trevor wind up working closely together. Frustration leads to sizzling chemistry and an unexpected connection. Falling in love with a client could jeopardize Wade’s career just as an explosive discovery threatens not only the Otters’ Cup win, but the very foundation of the team. TRIGGER WARNING:. Contains on page scenes of domestic violence. less