Page 108 of Offside for Christmas
Thomas’s expression broke into a grin. "Relax, I’m kidding. Excellent taste. Come on, let’s crack it open. Man to man."
"Right now?" Cole shot Ellie a helpless look as her father stood.
"No time like the present." Thomas clapped him on the shoulder. "Jake! Ryan! You two want in on this?"
Ellie's cousins materialized from the living room—Jake and Ryan, both broad-shouldered and wearing matching protective-cousin expressions. They'd driven up from Burlington that morning, and apparently her dad had recruited them.
"Oh no," Ellie said. "Dad, you don't need—"
"Just want the boys to get to know Cole," Thomas said innocently.
"We've heard a lot about you," Jake said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.
"All good things," Ryan added with wink, following them into the study and closing the door in Ellie's face.
Ellie paced in the kitchen while her mother calmly frosted cookies.
"They're not going to hurt him," Caroline said.
"Dad brought Jake and Ryan in there. That's... that's an interrogation squad."
"Your father just wants to make sure Cole's serious."
"Cole drove eight hours on Christmas morning to come back for me. I think that proves he's serious!"
Sophie, who'd arrived early to help with dinner, grinned from where she was chopping vegetables. "Your dad made Marcus cry during the 'man to man' talk, remember?"
"Marcus was twenty-two and scared of his own shadow."
"And Cole?"
Ellie thought about the man who'd stood up to drunk assholes in a parking lot, who'd taken a beating to protect a stranger, who'd faced down the entire NHL's rejection and kept going. "Cole doesn't scare easily."
"Then he'll be fine."
From the study, they heard laughter. Then more laughter. Then what sounded like Jake saying "—no way, you actually did that?"
Ellie exchanged a confused look with her mother.
Twenty minutes later, the study door opened. Cole emerged first, his face slightly flushed—probably from the whiskey—but he was smiling. Actually smiling. Her father had his arm around Cole's shoulders, Jake was clapping him on the back, and Ryan was laughing about something.
"Welcome to the family, son," Thomas said, his voice warm and genuine.
Cole looked dazed. Relieved. Happy. His eyes found Ellie's across the room, and his smile widened.
"What did you say to him?" Ellie grabbed her father's arm as the men dispersed.
"Just asked about his intentions." Thomas's eyes twinkled. "He said, and I quote, 'Sir, I turned down a $1.2 million contract to stay in a town I originally hated because your daughter made me believe in home again. My intentions are to spend the restof my life proving I deserve her.' Pretty good answer, if you ask me."
Ellie's throat tightened. "He said that?"
"He did. Also told us about the bar fight—the real story. And how you helped that reporter. And how you're the toughest person he knows." Her dad squeezed her shoulder. "He's good people, Ellie-bear. Bit grumpy, but good people. You did well."
Jake appeared at her side. "He's also got some great hockey stories. Did you know he once fought three guys at once in juniors? Knocked two of them out."
"That's not romantic, that's concerning—"
"It's badass," Ryan corrected, joining them. "Also, he asked your dad's permission. To date you seriously. Old school."
