Page 55 of The Love Comeback
Forher.
“Ella, I know how much you do,” I say, keeping my voice soft. “I see it every time we’re all together. You’re an amazing mother, and you work so hard to ensure that Colton has everything he needs—I was just trying to help becauseyoudeserve it. You shouldn’t have to do this all alone.”
“I’m not alone.”
“You’re right, you’re not alone, but I can see—”
“You’re makingsomany assumptions right now.” She holds up a hand to stop me from saying anything more. “I just hope the rest of your team was actually on board with this, and you weren’t out there forcing them to pay for everyone’s fees just because you wanted to impress Colton.”
“They wanted this. We all saw it as an opportunity to help the community, and yeah, it helped you and Colton out, but is that really such a bad thing? I mean, you guys have become my best friends. I literally want to spend all my time with the two of you.”
“That’s only because you like skating and hockey. That’s all this is.” She backs up, bumping her back into the side of her car door. “You would’ve never taken an interest in us had we not been at that hockey game where Colton mentioned wanting to learn to play.”
“That’s not fair to say,” I exasperate, feeling the need to pull her into me and console her. “I hadn’t seen you in so long… I didn’t know what you were up to, or how you were. I didn’t even know you had Colton! But when I saw you at that game,it was like seeing you for the first time all over again, Ella. You’ve always been the kind of woman that leaves an impact.”
She scoffs. “That’s rich coming from the man who chose hockey over me.”
“That was—”
“Please don’t. Even if you call our breakup a mistake, it doesn’t change the fact that it happened. You made your choice. And whatever brought on that kiss from you tonight … I don’t think that should happen again.”
It feels like my heart is freaking shattering into a million pieces. She’s quiet, her eyes brimming with moisture that I wish wasn’t there.
I wish I hadn’t caused it.
I wish I could take back the stupid mistake I made of letting her go.
I can see it in her eyes that she’s not over me. And I’m definitely not over her.
“I still have feelings for you, El … is it really too late for us?” I plead.
Ella turns away from me, and I feel something in my chest break. “I—I can’t do this right now.” She bats her tears away.
I swallow hard, trying to come up with some way to convince her that I won’t hurt her again. That I can be trusted with her heart. But honestly, I don’t knowhow I could possibly convince her.
“I’ve got to get out of here.” She meets my gaze, breathing out a sigh. “Goodnight, Kade.”
And with that, she climbs into her car and shuts the door.
Right in my face.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ella
I shouldn’t have left like that.
I shouldn’t have been so cold.
“But he went behind my back,” I reason to myself, shaking my head as I stare at my computer screen. It’s been a couple days since our confrontation in the parking lot, but I’m still reeling from it all, replaying everything that happened over and over.
I just hate the fact that onlyminutesafter choosing to let my guard down with him—minutes after beingwrapped up in his arms and feeling his lips on mine—Kade gave me yetanotherreason to put it back up.
And then he has the audacity to admit he still has feelings for me.
How dare he? How dare he go behind my back to pay for Colton’s hockey and then declare his feelings for me? As if I’m supposed to just swoon into his arms in gratitude?
I push my chair back, standing up to pace the small space between my desk and the whiteboard. The Glaciers’ sponsorship is exactly why I can’t let myself fall for him again. He thinks he can just sweep in and fix everything with his NHL connections and bank account. He doesn’t understand what it’s been like for me—scraping by, making tough choices, building a life for Colton and myself brick by painful brick. And now he wants to waltz in and take credit for making everything better?
