Page 23 of The Love Comeback (Glaciers Hockey #3)

Chapter Nineteen

Ella

“His first practice.” Kade beams as he holds up his phone and takes a video beside me. “I can’t believe it happened so fast.”

I look up and cock a brow at him, feeling tiny beside his big frame. “You sound like one of those dads behind every home video.” I make the joke light, shaking my head as I catch sight of Colton playing a mock scrimmage.

“He’s doing so well,” Kade continues as he films the entire thing—which as funny as I think it is, it’s also incredibly endearing.

But I try not to focus on that.

“So where’s Valerie tonight?” Kade asks.

“Oh, she got caught up at a parent-teacher conference. Aaron’s dad brought him to practice tonight.

” I glance over to Valerie’s ex-husband who’s sitting a few rows away.

I haven’t formally met him yet, but I saw him walk in with Aaron.

And right now, he looks about as enthusiastic as a man attending jury duty.

Kade nods before becoming engrossed in filming the hockey scrimmage once more. Colton blends in effortlessly with his new teammates—as if he’s been playing hockey for much longer than two months.

“So, what should we do about skating lessons?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest. My thin sweater is no match for the air conditioner blasting in the rink, and I’m suddenly wishing I would’ve brought a parka.

“Now that he’ll have practice two times a week, I don’t want him to get too overloaded. ”

“Well, I was thinking I could probably make most of his practices. I mean, they do fall on skate lesson days, so there’s no reason why I can’t still be here.”

“I see…” I purse my lips together, realizing that he misinterpreted my question.

He thinks I was asking when we’d see him rather than when Colton would have his skate lessons.

I take it that means that Colton doesn’t need to take any more lessons, but I don’t ask the question.

I let Kade think that it was just about Colton seeing him.

After all, it is a relationship that I want to continue to foster. Colton could really use a positive male influence in his life…

However, all my thoughts come to a sudden, startling halt at the sound of a collision between two players.

My eyes widen as I watch Colton tumble violently onto the ice.

His stick launches out of his hand, flying in the opposite direction, and the crash leaves him lying there, motionless.

Panic seizes me as the coach blows his whistle and shouts at the kids to back up, clearing the scene around him.

“Colton!” I call out his name in horror, but Kade is much faster to jump into action than I am. My hands shoot up to cover my mouth as the NHL player is already leaping over the railing and racing across the rink.

My heart constricts as Kade drops to the ground beside Colton, helping him remove his helmet. I gasp when I see the beginnings of a black eye forming, the bluish hue creeping across his skin. My mouth grows dry with worry, and I feel helpless as my pulse echoes in my ears.

Kade helps him up, looking him over with cautious determination alongside the coach, who pulls out an instant ice pack from the first aid kit and hands it to him. Colton squints in my direction as Kade directs him toward me, both of them slowly making their way to the edge of the rink.

“Are you okay?” I ask, the words spilling out in a rush as soon as they’re close. “Do we need to take him to the doctor? Maybe this whole hockey thing was a bad idea. I know that—”

“Easy, Ella,” Kade gently interrupts, his voice low and soft.

His steady calm cuts through the worry raging inside of me.

“It’s just the beginning of a black eye.

Otherwise, he’s fine. It’s just part of hockey.

” He reaches out and squeezes my hand, instantly leaving my skin tingling with warmth. “It’s okay.”

I blink back tears as I look at Colton’s face. “That’s going to be so gnarly…” I lean over to get a better look, my hand still in Kade’s. “But it will heal.” I say the words more for myself than anyone else. Colton and Kade don’t look all that concerned about it.

“Yeah, and it doesn’t hurt that bad,” Colton reassures me, and I breathe a sigh of relief. If he can handle the injury with such nonchalance, then I can deal with being a hockey mom.

“You took the hit like a champ,” Kade declares, his voice full of pride as he pats his shoulder. “Now you can really say that you’re a hockey player. If you haven’t had a black eye, then you can’t be a part of the club.”

“What club?” Colton looks confused.

“The real hockey player club.” Kade winks at him before hopping over the railing.

His hand drops from mine, and I suddenly feel the absence more than ever.

Or maybe it’s the protective way that he ran out to Colton, never thinking once about anything other than his safety, that has me feeling … different.

Ten minutes later, Colton’s feeling ready to get back on the ice. “Go get ’em, kid.” Kade pats him on the back.

“Got it.” Colton gives Kade a wicked grin and then nods to me. “I’ll be okay, Mom. I’m a real hockey player now.”

I blow out a sigh. “Good to know… ”

I watch Colton skate back out to play, joining the kids who are now laughing and shouting on the ice. I can hardly believe that he bounced back so quickly from the injury.

Kade hops up from his seat beside me.

“Where are you going?” I ask, my heart hitting my ribcage with an uneven beat.

“Practice is almost over.” Kade looks back at me. “I’m gonna grab a couple instant ice packs from the locker room so Colton can ice his eye on the ride home.”

“Oh…” I stand up and follow along mindlessly, still reeling from the adrenaline. I follow Kade through the double doors leading to the locker room area. The rink is quiet back here, the sounds of skates and whistles muffled behind us.

“They’re in the trainer’s room,” Kade explains, leading me down a short hallway, now completely out of sight of the rink. “The team keeps a supply for situations just like this.”

The trainer’s room is small and utilitarian—a padded table in the center, medical supplies organized neatly on shelves. Kade goes straight to a cabinet, retrieving a handful of ice packs.

“Here,” he says, handing them to me. “You’ll want to ice his eye twenty minutes on, twenty off, for the rest of the evening.”

I take the ice packs, suddenly overwhelmed by his competence, his calm in the face of my panic, his instinctive protection of Colton.

Sensing my emotion, Kade reaches for my hand again, giving it that familiar squeeze. “He’s okay, El. He’s a tough kid.”

I nod, gazing up at him, meeting those warm brown eyes. “I appreciate you jumping out there to go check on him… I never would’ve known what to do…” I swallow the lump in my throat at my admission. “I don’t know enough about sports to do this well.”

Kade’s expression softens. “Ella, you don’t have to do anything.” His body is suddenly closer, his cologne filling my lungs, wrapping me up in memories. “Just be there for him. He’s a good hockey player. He’s going to get hurt because he’s ambitious.”

“You’re right.” I offer a small nod, feeling the gaping pit of worry slowly close itself up. “I guess it’s just something I’ll have to get used to…”

“Yes, but you don’t have to do this alone. I’ll be here for him, too. And for you.”

I catch my breath at his last two words.

“Ella…” His voice trails off, the sultry tone rattling my insides and freezing me in place. The panic gives way to something else, something I can’t hide from. “I want to be here for you.” His words are deep and sincere, reaching into all the places I’ve locked away. “For the both of you.”

Kade’s gaze drifts to my lips, and I find myself parting them instinctively as he takes a step closer, sweeping his free hand across my cheek, a gesture so tender it makes my heart ache.

Our eyes lock, and something electric passes between us—an acknowledgment of all the unspoken feelings that have been building since he came back into my life.

In an impulsive surge of emotion, I close the distance between us.

At the first brush of his lips against mine, I’m struck by the familiarity in the movement—something that I thought would be foreign by now. But it’s not…

It’s Kade .

And he’s kissing me.

His arms wrap around me, strong and sure, sending a jolt of electricity down my spine. I lean into him, the ice packs forgotten as they tumble to the floor.

As Kade deepens the kiss, I find myself melting into him, my mouth meshing perfectly with his.

He lets out a light groan, just loud enough for me to hear, as his tongue traces the curve of my bottom lip with a tantalizing slowness.

It’s something he always used to do, but now he’s doing it with intention and need.

I grab for those biceps, curling my fingers around them like an anchor as he comes for me, invading my mouth and sending a thrill of excitement through my body. Years of history and weeks of tension crystallize into this perfect moment.

I feel like I’m eighteen again, before life got complicated, before heartbreak and loss carved their permanent marks on my soul. For this suspended moment in time, there’s only Kade, me, and the rightness of us together.

His heart thunders against my palm, where it now rests on his chest, matching the rapid cadence of my own. The scent of him surrounds me—that cologne mixing with something uniquely Kade, a smell that I’ve never been able to forget no matter how many years passed.

We break apart for air, his forehead resting against mine, our breathing ragged. His amber eyes are dark with desire, and I know mine must mirror the same intensity.

“Ella,” he whispers, my name like a prayer on his lips.

Before he can say more, the crackle of the PA system breaks the spell. “Attention all players and parents,” the coach’s voice echoes through the building. “Please gather around for a special announcement.”

We step apart, breathless and disoriented by the sudden intrusion of reality.

“We should…” I gesture vaguely toward the door, my voice unsteady.

“Yeah,” Kade agrees, though the look in his eyes suggests he’d rather stay right here, in this room, reliving what just happened between us. “You go, I’ll be right behind you.” He bends down to retrieve the scattered ice packs.

I step into the hallway and hurry back out to the rink, leaving Kade behind as I try to compose myself. My lips tingle, my cheeks burn, and my mind spins with what I just did.

I spot Colton standing with the rest of the team, looking completely unbothered by the fact his eye is now sporting an impressive purple bruise. The director is standing in the center of the ice, wearing a Glaciers jersey .

“As you all know, we’ve been running this youth hockey team for over a decade.

” The director pauses as the gathered people clap in support.

I join in, but mostly in a robotic, unthinking motion, because I still can’t get over the way my lips are tingling.

“This year,” he continues once the applause dies down, “is a little different. For the first time, we’re able to operate without any fees to the players.

Even the equipment costs have been covered in full. ”

Everyone around starts muttering, and I’m left in the same confusing state. Who in the world would pay for the entire team’s fees?

Oh no.

No, he wouldn’t have…

“The Glaciers have sponsored the team, covering all costs.”

And suddenly, all I feel is anger.