Page 72 of The Love Comeback
“Our seats are in section 101,” I read aloud from the tickets Kade sent, trying to orient myself with the stadium layout. “That’s … somewhere down here.”
“There!” Aaron points excitedly. “I see 101!”
We follow the signs, and as we approach our section, my heart does a little flip. Front row. Right behind the Glaciers’ bench. These aren’t just good seats—they’re incredible seats.
“Oh my gosh,” Valerie gasps. “These are, like, famous people seats.”
“We’re gonna be on TV!” Aaron exclaims, practically vibrating with excitement.
As we make our way down to our row, Colton suddenly freezes, causing me to bump into him.
“Colton, what’s—” I start, then follow his gaze to a man already seated in our row. A man with familiar features, dark hair, and olive skin. A man who looks exactly like Kade, but isn’t.
Nate.
My breath catches in my throat. I haven’t seen Nate Santos since our high school graduation, and even then, it was just a glimpse across a crowded auditorium. He was never unkind to me, but he also wasn’t particularly warm either. And after Kade and I broke up, I always wondered if Nate had played a role in his brother’s decision.
Colton looks up at me, confusion written all over his face. “Mom, that guy looks just like Kade.”
“That’s because he’s Kade’s twin brother,” I explain, trying to keep my voice steady. “His name is Nate.”
Colton’s eyes widen even further. “Kade has a twin?That’s so cool!”
Before I can stop him, he’s racing down the row toward Nate. “Hi! I’m Colton! You look just like Kade!”
Nate looks up, startled, and for a moment, I see confusion flash across his face. Then his eyes move past Colton and land on me. Recognition flashes, followed by something I can’t quite read—surprise? His gaze lingers for what feels like an eternity, and I find myself frozen in place, unsure of what to do or say after all these years.
“Sorry,” I finally manage, stepping forward to place a hand on Colton’s shoulder. “He’s a bit excited.”
Nate stands, his height and build so similar to Kade’s that it’s uncanny. There’s a stiffness to him that Kade doesn’t have, though—a more controlled demeanor that always sets the twins apart.
“It’s nice to see you, Ella,” he says, his voice genuinely warm, which surprises me. He extends his hand, and I shake it, feeling oddly formal given our history.
“You, too,” I reply, not entirely sure if I mean it. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long,” he agrees, and there’s something in his expression that seems almost apologetic. His eyes shift to Colton. “And you must be the hockey player my brother can’t stop talking about.”
Colton beams, puffing out his chest slightly. “You know about me?”
“Are you kidding? Kade talks about you all the time.” Nate grins, then turns toward a woman beside him whom I hadn’t noticed. “This is my girlfriend, Mallory.”
The woman smiles warmly at us. “Nice to meet you all. Kade’s mentioned you so many times, I feel like I know you already.”
I feel my cheeks flush at the implication that Kade talks about us—about me—to his family. What exactly has he been saying?
“Oh!” Nate exclaims suddenly. “You must be sitting next to us. Kade mentioned he gave tickets to some friends.”
I want to correct him—to say I’m more than just a friend—but then I realize I don’t actually know what I am to Kade right now. So I just nod and introduce Valerie and Aaron, feeling oddly like I’m in a surreal dream where my past and present are colliding in unexpected ways.
I sit down next to Nate, and Colton and Aaron immediately follow suit, sitting between Valerie and me, whispering something to each other, which I assume to be about how cool it is to meet Kade’s twin.
“So,” Nate says, leaning closer to me as the arena lights begin to dim, “Kade tells me you’re a teacher now?”
“Middle school math,” I confirm, surprised that Kade has shared details of my life with his family. “And I coach a robotics team on the side.”
“That’s impressive.” Nate nods. “And this guy”—he gestures to Colton—“he’s your nephew, right? Kade mentioned you’re raising him.”
“Yes, after my sister and brother-in-law passed away,” I say softly. “Though at this point, he feels more like my son than my nephew.”
