The Breakaway

                            Nora Kim lives life at full speed. As a sports physio intern at Lakebridge University’s athlete center, she’s focused on one thing: top grades, a flawless reputation, and a career she can control. Emotions? Too slow. Too risky. Too expensive.

Evan Hale is the quiet captain of the LBU Titans—steady, disciplined, the guy everyone relies on. But his body is sending warning signs he can’t afford to admit: shortness of breath after sprints, dizziness under pressure, panic that hits at the worst possible moments. If anyone finds out, he could lose everything—his draft chances, his captain image, and the future he’s fighting for.

When Evan collapses after practice, Nora reacts on instinct: breathing techniques, grounding, clear instructions. Afterward, he asks her for off-the-record help—outside the official channels. Nora knows it’s a rule she shouldn’t break. But she says yes.

They strike a deal: secret micro-sessions, recovery routines, breathing resets—strictly “professional.” Yet late-night calls, quiet car rides, and touches meant to calm his pulse spark something neither of them can control. The closer Evan gets to breathing again, the harder it becomes for Nora to keep her own heart steady.

Then a photo surfaces: Nora’s hand on Evan’s chest—an innocent breathing reset that looks like intimacy. Suddenly their secret becomes gossip, and gossip becomes a scandal. PR pressure, scholarship politics, and social media rumors threaten to destroy both their careers.

The Breakaway – Too Fast for the Heart is a steamy, story-driven New Adult college hockey romance packed with slow-burn tension, forced proximity, emotional vulnerability, and the one love worth slowing down for.