In May 2017 in Ottawa, Shane Hollander recovers from his concussion and fractured collarbone at his parents’ house after Montreal’s early playoff exit. Watching the second round on TV, Shane’s mother, Yuna Hollander, points out that Ilya Rozanov is protecting his ribs, confirming what Shane already knows: Ilya is playing hurt. Shane feels guilty he couldn’t help Montreal and aches for Ilya, while fearing their secret relationship is ending for good.

As Shane’s parents chat about hockey and mention Rose Landry, Shane considers telling them part of the truth about his love life. He tries to steer the conversation away from Rose and toward the real reason he is single, but he panics and backs down when his mother says he will know “when the right one comes along.” Overwhelmed by the urge to tell Ilya “I love you,” Shane instead texts Rose, joking about his mother expecting them to reunite and about hiring a “hot male nurse” as a way to come out.

Shane snaps at his mother about screen time and recognizes how much living at home is wearing on him, even as he appreciates their help. Alone with his thoughts, Shane fixates on Ilya’s bearded, playoff-worn image on the screen and spirals into dread that he may never be with Ilya again. When Ilya’s team is eliminated, Shane sees it as the moment when Ilya might finally end everything, yet Shane also realizes he wants to fight for them.

In June 2017 in Boston, Ilya sits alone in his penthouse watching New York’s Scott Hunter close out the Stanley Cup Final. Ilya texts with “Jane” (Shane’s contact name), using jokes to mask envy and loneliness, and admits to himself he still hasn’t been able to end things with Shane. Ilya briefly entertains the idea of finding a woman to have a publicly acceptable partner, but the thought feels hollow.

Then Ilya sees Scott Hunter kiss a man on live television—openly and unmistakably—shattering Ilya’s sense of what is possible and intensifying his longing for Shane. After texting shock with Shane, Ilya immediately calls and, cutting through everything he has avoided, tells Shane, “I’m coming to the cottage.”