Seventeen-year-old Violet Sinclair reflects on her one “rule” about dating: “never date a jock” (1). She broke this rule when she met Jeremy Hoffman, captain of the Sunshine Hills Prep Saints hockey team, over the summer. Now, Violet and her cousin Mia rush to his first game of the season, arriving 30 minutes late after a busy shift at the coffee shop and car troubles with Violet’s unreliable vehicle, Betty.

Violet recently moved from California to Sunshine Hills, Minnesota, to live with her uncle Luke while her mother pursues a job opportunity in Europe. The sudden relocation during her senior year leaves her feeling abandoned and out of place. Her no-jock rule stems from her father, a college football star who abandoned her pregnant mother.

Inside the freezing arena, Violet struggles to follow the action on the ice. She becomes mesmerized by player number 23’s impressive skill but is taken aback by his aggression when he starts a brawl and is sent to the penalty box. Mia then delivers shocking news: They are at the wrong game. This is a Ransom Devils match, not the Saints game, which was at one o’clock.