Page 29 of The Love Comeback
Kade smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Fair enough.”
I open the door, letting in a rush of cool evening air that feels good against my flushed skin. “Thanks again for your help tonight. With the bookshelf and … everything.”
He steps out onto the porch, then turns to face me. “Anytime, El. I mean that.”
The sincerity in his voice makes my resolve waver for just a moment. Which is exactly why I need to keep my distance.
“Goodnight, Kade,” I finally say, my voice firmer than before.
I close the door before he can respond, leaning back against it and letting out a long, shaky breath.It’s better this way, I tell myself as the sound of his engine fades into the night. Better for everyone.
But as I turn back to face my half-unpacked living room, now empty and silent without his presence, I can’t quite convince myself that I believe it.
Chapter Eleven
Kade
The rumble of the jet engines is the only sound breaking through the thick silence that’s settled over the cabin of our team’s private plane. We lost our away game tonight, and it shows. The cabin lights are dimmed, most of the guys are either sleeping or lost in thought, headphones blocking out the world.
Coach Wilson sits up front, already reviewing game footage on his tablet, the blue light illuminating his furrowed brow. Typical. We haven’t even made it back to Atlanta, and he’s already breaking down everything that went wrong.
A lot went wrong. Starting with me.
I twist thecap off my water bottle, then back on. Off, then on. The rhythm is mindless, but comforting. I should’ve stopped that last goal. It was savable—the kind of shot I usually anticipate.
“You’re gonna break that cap if you keep that up.”
I look up to find Cam sliding into the seat across from me, his usual post-game suit replaced with team sweats.
“Sorry,” I mutter, setting the bottle down. “Just thinking.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He stretches his long legs into the aisle, wincing slightly. “That’s kind of the problem. You’ve been ‘just thinking’ for about two weeks now.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you let in that last goal because you were somewhere else entirely.” He doesn’t sugarcoat it, but there’s no malice in his voice. That’s Cam—brutally honest but never cruel. “And it’s not just tonight. You’ve been off your game since—” He pauses, eyes narrowing. “Since right around when you started giving those skating lessons to that kid.”
My jaw tightens. “Colton has nothing to do with it.”
“Maybe not Colton,” Cam says carefully. “But what about his mom?”
My shoulders tense.Am I really that obvious?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cam snorts. “Sure you don’t. That’s why you practically sprint off the ice after every practice when it’s lesson day. That’s why you’re constantly checking your phone. That’s why you’ve got that look on your face right now. What’s going onwith you, Santos? And don’t you dare say nothing. We’ve known each other too long for that.”
I hesitate, fidgeting with the water bottle cap again. Talking about Ella right now feels like exposing a raw nerve. But if there’s anyone I can trust to open up about this with, it’s Cam.
“You remember I mentioned my high school girlfriend?” I finally ask, eyes fixed on the bottle in my hands.
Cam nods slowly. “The one that got away. Sure.”
“Well, she’s Colton’s aunt. His guardian, actually—and the woman who’s been bringing him to skating lessons. They just moved to Atlanta.”
“Wait—” Cam’s eyes widen. “She’syour one that got away?”
“That’s her.” I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. “Ella Smart.”
