Maverick saw Emmy and her friends arrive at the restaurant and was watching her, finding her incredibly attractive. When he approaches their table, Emmy is annoyed. After some banter, she heads to the bar for another round of drinks, and Maverick follows to help her carry them.

At the bar, they play their “question of the day” game. Emmy asks about the “J” tattoo on his hand, and he confirms it is for his niece, June. When a woman propositions Maverick, he comically rejects her by pretending that Emmy is the mother of his child; Emmy plays along. After the woman leaves, Emmy calls Maverick frustrating for being simultaneously cocky and sentimental. He points out that he turned the woman down, suggesting that action reveals more about his true character. As Emmy returns to her friends, Maverick calls out that he will win her over one day and is pleased to see her trying to hide a smile.

The next morning, Maverick texts Emmy to inform her she will be playing on the first line in that night’s game. Before the game, Maverick and Hudson discuss the sold-out crowd. Maven, who is the team photographer says that Dallas and June are in attendance. Hudson teases Maverick about his interaction with Emmy at the restaurant the previous night.

When Emmy joins them, she and Hudson share a friendly moment that makes Maverick jealous. Per tradition, Maverick insists Emmy lead the team onto the ice for her first start. On the ice, he is stunned to see the stands filled with women wearing Emmy’s jersey and holding signs for her. He has a deep realization of how special and inspiring she is. The game, however, goes poorly, and both Maverick and Emmy end up in the penalty box.

After the crushing loss, Emmy feels deeply disappointed in her performance. After the arena empties, she returns to the rink to practice, a ritual she once shared with her father to work through frustration. While she is running drills, Maverick appears, angry that she is overworking herself. He reveals he is still at the arena because he was giving a Make-A-Wish tour to a young fan named Rachel, who idolizes Emmy.

Emmy explains that the post-game skate helps her move on. Concerned she will exhaust herself, Maverick insists on joining her, citing his duties as team captain. They practice together for 45 minutes before collapsing on the ice. Maverick tells Emmy that Rachel wants her autograph despite the loss, and Emmy confides her fear of disappointing people. Maverick reassures her she is a trailblazer. When her stomach growls, he insists on taking her for food, threatening to carry her out if she refuses. He also lets her use the main locker room’s shower, vowing to get her a proper locker instead of the supply closet she was assigned.

Maverick drives Emmy to a small diner called The Nook, a place he frequents for its anonymity. The waitress, Darla, greets Maverick warmly and asks Emmy for an autograph for her granddaughter. During their meal, they play “question of the day.” Maverick asks what she wanted to be when she grew up, and Emmy says a veterinarian, sharing a memory of a family ranch in Colorado. Maverick reveals he grew up in Las Vegas and wanted to be a dolphin trainer.

Emmy then asks about his tattoos. He says his favorite is the “J” in a heart for his niece but also mentions his first tattoo of a hockey stick and a secret one on his backside. When the meal ends, Maverick pays and leaves a large tip, explaining that Darla is her granddaughter’s guardian. Emmy is touched by his kindness. He tells her she’s not alone because she’s part of the team. Later, after she texts him that she’s home safe, they have a brief, flirtatious exchange, and she falls asleep smiling.

Maverick proposes starting a book club in the team group chat, mentioning that Emmy reads romance novels. The team decides to add Emmy to the chat, renaming it “Professional Stick Handlers” (128). She and Liam both leave immediately but are added back. Maverick reminds them of the weekly Tuesday team dinner at his apartment.

On the evening of the dinner, Maverick is anxious about whether Emmy will attend. Dallas teases him about having a crush, but Maverick insists he just wants her to feel like part of the team. Their friend Reid Duncan arrives, and soon the apartment is full of teammates arguing over who gets first access to the food. Amid the chaos, Maverick hears the door open and is captivated to see that Emmy has arrived.

Maverick is struck by Emmy’s appearance. She tells him that Piper’s persistent texting convinced her to come. To escape the crowd around the food, Maverick gives Emmy a tour of his penthouse apartment. She notes his puzzle collection, and he explains that working on them helps quiet his mind, a feeling she relates to from her love of gardening.

In his bedroom, she is surprised to find a signed Mario Lemieux jersey. Maverick explains he received it at a charity event. Emmy admits she may have been wrong about him, acknowledging he is a nice person. On his balcony, he offers her a hoodie against the cold, which she stubbornly refuses. He plays “question of the day,” asking about her favorite food (potatoes). As they head back inside, Maverick reminds her to avoid the strawberries on a cheese board, remembering her allergy. Emmy is visibly flustered and surprised that he recalled this detail about her.

The narrative moves forward in time. On the team’s charter plane to Chicago, the Stars are in a losing streak, and Maverick feels unfocused. Hudson observes that Maverick has been acting differently lately and forgoing his usual one-night stands. Maverick claims he is just focusing on hockey.

Restless, Maverick approaches Emmy, who is sitting with Piper and Lexi. She is immediately hostile, and he confronts her about her cold behavior since the team dinner. She states that she has had bad experiences being friends with teammates and wants to keep her distance. The conversation escalates into a heated argument where they each criticize the other’s recent on-ice performance. Frustrated by her refusal to let him in, Maverick gives up, tells her he is done trying to be her friend, and walks away.

The Stars suffer a major loss in Chicago. The mood is tense, and Maverick storms out of the arena. Back in her hotel room, Emmy plans a quiet night in, but Maverick pounds on her door. He barges in, and they immediately begin arguing about the game.

The fight’s intensity quickly shifts to sexual tension. Maverick pins Emmy against the wall, confessing he cannot stop thinking about her. He asks if they can have sex, and she agrees. They begin to kiss passionately. They quickly set rules for a one-night stand: It is only sex, they will not speak of it again, and he must leave immediately after. They also confirm they have both been recently and negatively tested for STIs. The encounter moves to the bed, where Maverick kneels before her, ready to perform oral sex.

Maverick is determined to give Emmy an unforgettable sexual experience. He admires and kisses her two tattoos, an hourglass on her ribs and a bouquet on her hip. During foreplay, Emmy reveals that while she likes rough sex, she has never had an orgasm from penetration. Maverick promises to make her come twice. After he brings her to climax, he asks her to reciprocate.