At the 2017 All-Star weekend in Tampa Bay, Shane Hollander arrives uneasy but determined; after ending things with Rose Landry, Shane feels clearer about wanting Ilya Rozanov and is anxious about what Ilya wants now that their last private encounter ended awkwardly. For the first time, Shane and Ilya are assigned to the same All-Star team, and the media buzz about their “rivalry” makes Shane wary of giving anyone fuel.

Ilya, who has avoided texting Shane for months out of fear of rejection and humiliation, watches Shane enter the bar looking confident and newly polished. When they finally speak, Ilya probes about whether Shane brought anyone; Shane says he came alone. Their flirting is interrupted by Mike Brophy loudly celebrating them as teammates and warning Shane not to trust Ilya, reinforcing how public their dynamic is. Ilya learns Shane hired a personal stylist, then catches the important subtext when Shane confirms he and Rose are no longer together because they were not “compatible.”

The weekend continues with downtime by the pool, where Shane watches Ilya clown around with other players’ kids and recruit Shane as a “ref.” Ilya escalates the teasing by soaking Shane’s shirt and hugging him in front of everyone, which reads as harmless goofing to onlookers but leaves Shane flushed and wanting more. Their attraction spikes, yet both remain careful in public.

In the All-Star Game, Ilya even shifts from center to right wing to play on Shane’s line, and their on-ice chemistry feels effortless and exhilarating. They connect repeatedly, culminating in a slick exchange that sets up Shane’s fourth goal. In the rush of celebration, Ilya embraces Shane and kisses him hard on the cheek—easy to disguise as taunting behavior, but fueled by real feeling—leaving Shane amused and unsettled.

After the game, while others party, Shane sits alone on the beach to decompress and to protect the “rivalry” narrative that shields their secret. Ilya finds him, circles back to the word “compatible,” and Shane confirms again that Rose wasn’t right for him. In the dark, Ilya hooks their thumbs together; Shane then quietly asks what room Ilya is in and says he wants to talk somewhere private. Ilya slips away with a promise: “See you soon.”