Page 37 of The Love Comeback
I wonder if she knows how much that simple gesture affects me, how it takes me straight back to high school—to study sessions in her mom’s kitchen, to bleacher seats at hockey games, to the back of my beat-up old truck under star-filled skies.
“Finished!” Colton declares triumphantly, setting his pencil down. “Can you check it, Ella?”
She scans the completed worksheet, nodding with approval. “Perfect. Your teacher will be impressed.”
“We make a pretty good team,” I say, the words slipping out before I can censor them.
Ella’s eyes meet mine, a flash of something vulnerable crossing her face before she masks it with a smile. “We do,” she admits softly.
Colton beams up at both of us. “That waswayeasier with both of you helping. Usually, it’s just me and Ella at the kitchen table, and sometimes she has to look stuff up on her phone.”
“Well, even teachers don’t know everything,” Ella says, ruffling his hair affectionately.
As the academic crisis subsides, the world around us seems to filter back in—the restaurant noise, the late hour indicated on the wall clock, the reality of our complicated situation.
But for those twenty minutes, it felt like we were so much more than a professional hockey player, a struggling single guardian, and a kid who’s lost too much.
We were three people who fit together in a way that feels as natural as breathing.
Chapter Fourteen
Ella
“Hey, happy Friday!” Valerie pokes her head into my classroom as the students flood out into the hallway. “You wanna grab lunch today? Since we both have the next period off, I was thinking we could discuss the robotics team applications…”
“Oh, sure, yeah,” I reply, struggling to hide my hesitancy about spending the extra money right now.
“Lunch is totally on me,” she adds with a warm smile. “And I can drive!”
“Oh, you don’t have to—
“Don’t be silly.” She waves me off. “You’re always so good about bringing your lunches from home. But as you know, I’m not nearly as disciplined. And since I’m dragging you out with me, the least I can do is pay.” She giggles as her red curls bounceagainst her shoulders, which are covered in an olive-green, floral-patterned maxi dress. The woman has some way of pulling off the most eccentric of clothing, and she’s absolutely adorable.
I grab my purse and follow Valerie out of the room, relieved by the now-empty hallways. I love my students, but I also love the silence that comes with lunch break. My heels click on the linoleum as we make our way to the parking lot. Valerie presses the key fob for her white Ford Explorer, and I climb into the passenger seat.
“So…” Valerie eyes me as she starts the car. “You’re kind of quiet today. Is everything okay?”
I force a smile. “Yeah, it’s just one of those days.”
“It’s Friday.” She narrows her eyes at me. “But okay. I can take that if you don’t want to talk about it.”
“It’s…” I start, then stop, uncertain how much I want to share. Valerie and I have become genuine friends over the past month, the kind where she notices when something’s off. But financial worries feel so personal, so … embarrassing, somehow. Like I should have this figured out by now.
“It’s…?” Valerie prompts. “Not trying to pry or anything, but, scientifically speaking, talking about your problems actually reduces cortisol levels in the brain. So if you want to vent to me, it’s basically free therapy, just saying.”
I can’t help but laugh at the random scientific fact.
“It’s Colton,” I finally admit, grateful for her persistence. “He wants to try out for the spring travel team.”
“Wait, really?! That’s great! He and Aaron can do it together!” Valerie exclaims, then catches my expression. “Or … not great?”
“The hockey part is great. He’s talented—Kade thinks he can make the team. It’s just…” I hesitate, feeling my chest tighten. “I finally looked up the costs and between the league fees, tournaments, travel, equipment—it’s a lot. I feel like I’m in way over my head.”
Valerie’s lips turn downward. “Oh, girl, I feel you. It’ssoexpensive. It’s just insane how much it costs for kids to be involved in things these days. It’s like we have to gouge ourselves to even give our children a chance.” She shakes her head, frustration written across her face. “If it weren’t for my ex-husband chipping in, I don’t think I could afford it.” She sighs.
“Yeah, it honestly feels impossible. I mean, I’m stretched thin as it is. Between rent, utilities, insurance, saving for emergencies, there’s nothing left. And I can’t just…” I trail off, blinking rapidly as unwanted tears emerge.
“Hey,” Valerie says softly. “It’s okay to be overwhelmed by this.”
