All Chapters of North & Rye: The Billionaire Hockey Captain Next Door: Chapter 1 - Chapter 6

EMMA: I woke up late, which was the one thing I never let myself be. I had stayed up too late the night before, telling myself I could finish one more chapter, one more concept, one more hour. By the time I woke up, the morning already felt ahead of me. It was not a disaster, just enough to knock me out of rhythm, which somehow felt worse. I liked knowing exactly where I was in my day. Today I was already catching up. The key sticking in the lock at North and Rye did not help. I forced it until it gave, stepped inside, and shut the door behind me with my hip, already moving toward the lights and the espresso machine. The bakery still smelled like yesterday, warm sugar and butter and bread, and the familiarity steadied me as I tied my apron and got to work. “Please cooperate today,” I muttered, tapping the espresso machine. It sputtered, then came to life, and I let out a breath. “Thank you.” The first hour usually belonged to me, and I was not giving it up entirely just because

ETHAN: By the time I left the park, my coffee had gone lukewarm, but I kept drinking it anyway. It gave me something to do with my hands as I walked back through the neighborhood, blending into the quiet rhythm of people going about their morning. A couple debated which direction to take their dog, neither of them particularly invested in winning. A teenager nearly wiped out on his skateboard and laughed it off while his friends shouted commentary from the curb. No one paid me any attention. After the past week, that still felt surreal. My pace slowed as I crossed the street, my attention drifting back toward the bakery without much effort. North and Rye. It wasn’t flashy, just a clean sign and a steady stream of customers, but it had already carved out space in my head. I replayed the interaction as I walked, trying to understand why it had stuck with me. She had recognized me. I was certain of that now. There had been a flicker when she turned around, a brief pause that most peo

ETHAN: I noticed the phone before I heard the click, which had become second nature lately. Every time I stepped outside, my attention went straight to reflections, windows, anyone holding a device just a little too carefully. It was automatic now, like checking traffic before crossing the street. The guy stood with his dog halfway down the sidewalk, angled toward a shop window as if he were studying whatever was on display, but his phone kept creeping higher in his hand. He snapped one photo, then another, and didn’t even bother pretending after that. I kept walking at first, figuring he’d get what he wanted and move on like most of them did, but when he didn’t, I stopped, turned around, and headed back. Up close, he looked like he’d been caught doing something he couldn’t explain his way out of. “You planning on filling your storage,” I said, keeping my tone light, “or are we good?” His face drained of color. “Oh. God. I’m sorry.” “It’s fine,” I said, and I meant it more than