Page 60 of Love Me Boldly

We were done now. Tomorrow, I’d head home and go back to Denver.

I should have been happy about it. Instead, as I skated to the crowd of kids stepping off the ice and starting to strip out of their skates, there was a heavy sinking feeling in my stomach.

I was leaving Boone. Leaving Deer Creek. Leaving the memories of Holly behind again.

None of it felt right.

While the kids went to the locker rooms and changed, I finished writing down some instructions and helpful tips for Jonah.

He dashed out of the locker room, straight toward me, worn shoes on his feet in almost the same condition as his skates, but his smile was as large as Texas. His hockey gear bag slammed against his legs and hit the floor as he ran.

“Hey, Mr. Coach.”

I squatted down to get to him at eye level and handed him the paper. “This is what I have, okay? It’s what we worked on earlier, but you can do it in a garage or anywhere with a flat, smooth surface. You don’t need ice to practice. Got it?”

“I got it.”

“Jonah!”

His grin grew larger. “That’s my mom. Thanks, sir, for everything.”

He bent to grab his gear bag near his feet, and when he stood again, I settled my hand on his head and ruffled his hair. “Good meeting you, Jonah.”

He turned and called out, “Mommy! Mr. Coach says I’m agreat passer!”

“That’s great, kiddo…”

Her voice came to a halt. Something sparked in the air. In my memory.

Iknewthat voice, but it couldn’t be. It couldn’t be her.

Still, I found myself pushing from a squat…turning…

And I came face-to-face with a ghost.

The world stopped. I was pretty sure I stopped breathing. I shook my head to clear it. Blinked to make sure I wasn’t mistaken, but when I opened my eyes, she was standing there, reaching out for Jonah.

She had…a son? My brain didn’t work fast enough to do the math, but if he was six…and I saw her….

“What the hell?” I muttered. It didn’t make sense. We’d barely done anything more than kissing. She hadn’t seemed ready. I hadn’t rushed…hadn’t felt the need to when every time I was near her I felt like I had forever in my hands and arms. Boy, was I wrong about that.

“Holly,” I breathed out.

The kid…no, Jonah…grinned up at me. “You know my mom?”

Her face went white as snow, and her jaw dropped. “Graham.”

My name fell from her full, pink lips with a raspy gasp, drawing it out. At least she was as surprised as I was.

We stood there, both of us gaping at each other, at a loss for words. I was completely unable to move, to say anything more but her name.

Holly blinked first. “Hey, Jonah. We need to get going, kiddo.”

She took his hand and reached down to grab his bag. That got me moving, and I got to the bag first.

“You’re not going to say hi?” I asked and hated the twinge of sadness in my voice.

Holly’s eyes said everything. They always had. It was how I knew she wanted me even when she tried to fight it. It was the interest in her eyes, the way they beckoned me closer and could so easily freeze me in place.