Page 30 of The Love Comeback (Glaciers Hockey #3)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Kade

The hotel room door clicks shut behind me, and I drop my bag in front of the king-sized bed with a heavy thud. Tomorrow’s away game against Boston looms over me, but right now, all I can think about is a hot shower and at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep.

I roll my shoulders, trying to work out the kinks that come from being nearly six-foot-four and crammed into an airplane seat, even if it is a charter.

“I’m getting old,” I mutter as I unzip my team jacket.

I’m digging through my suitcase for a clean pair of sweats when my phone starts buzzing in my back pocket. Probably Cam asking if I want to grab food with the guys. My stomach growls, but exhaustion wins. I’ll just order room service and crash.

When I pull out my phone, Ella’s name and picture flashes across the screen, and my heart jumps in my chest at the sight. I stare at it for a moment, almost afraid to answer.

But I do before I can overthink it.

“Ella?”

“Kade.” There’s a pause, and I can envision her biting her lip the way she does when she’s nervous. “I’m sorry to call so late. You’re probably busy—”

“No, I’m not busy,” I cut in, maybe too quickly. I sit on the edge of the bed, suddenly less tired. “Just got to the hotel. What’s up?”

“I…” Her voice wavers slightly. “Something happened with Colton after the game, and I needed someone to talk to. Someone who would understand.”

“Is he okay?” Concern floods through me.

“He’s fine. Physically, at least.” She sighs.

I wait, giving her the space to continue at her own pace, as the silence stretches between us for a few seconds.

“Aaron let out that the other kids on the team think you’re Colton’s dad.” The words tumble out in a rush. “Apparently, after you came to his first game with the signs and everything, they just assumed, and Colton didn’t correct them.”

I grip the phone tighter, unsure how to respond. “Oh.”

“When I asked him about it, he broke down crying. He said—” Her voice catches, and I hear her gulp. “He said he just wants to have a dad, too.”

My chest tightens. “El, I’m so sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize. It’s not your fault.” She lets out a shaky breath. “It just … it broke my heart, you know? He doesn’t deserve this. And I really wish I could help, but I—I can’t bring Brett and Katie back. And I just feel so inadequate right now.”

“It doesn’t mean you’re not enough,” I say gently. “It’s natural for kids to want what other kids have.”

“I know. Logically, I know that.” There’s a rustling sound, like she’s running her hand through her hair or shifting positions. “But it hit me hard. And then I called my mom afterward, hoping to talk it through with her, but she’s having a bad day. She thought I was still in college.”

I close my eyes, hating that she has to deal with so much grief. “That’s rough. I’m really sorry.”

“Chandra was there—that’s her caregiver—but still.

It was just one more thing, you know? I feel like I’m barely keeping my head above water most days between teaching, coaching robotics, hockey, my mom, trying to be both parents to Colton…

” She lets out a shuddering breath. “I didn’t know who else to call. ”

The confession tugs at something deep inside me. Despite everything that’s happened between us, she still turned to me when she needed someone.

I clear my throat, trying to push past the emotion building there.

“I’m glad you called me.” I mean it more than she could possibly know.

“I don’t want to burden you with this,” she whispers. “I know you’ve got your own stuff going on, especially with the game tomorrow—”

“It’s not a burden. Not at all.”

“Colton really looks up to you, and I thought maybe you’d have some insight on how to handle this.”

“Well, I understand why Colton may have done it. Hockey is his new world, and he wants to fit in. Plus, it’s probably easier to go along with their assumption than try to explain the whole situation to kids he barely knows.”

“That’s what I thought as well,” she admits.

“What did you tell him when he said he wanted a dad?”

She’s quiet for a moment. “I told him that Brett would be proud of him. That both his parents would cheer for him louder than anyone else in the world if they were here.”

Something warm spreads through my chest at her words. Even in her emotional turmoil, she made sure to honor his parents’ memory.

“That was perfect,” I say softly. “You’re doing a great job with Colton. You know that, right?”

She makes a sound that’s halfway between a laugh and a sob. “Am I? Because some days I really don’t feel like it.”

“Yes, you are,” I insist. “Colton is kind, resilient, determined. And he’s respectful to others. Those aren’t qualities that just happen by accident. They come from having someone like you to guide him.”

I hear her take a deep breath. “Thank you for saying that,” she says. “I needed to hear it.”

“Anytime.” I pause, then add, “Do you think it would help if I talked to him? Not to contradict anything you’ve said, but just to—I don’t know—clarify things? Let him know it’s okay to be honest with his teammates about who I am?”

“You’d do that?” The surprise in her voice stings a little.

“Of course I would. I care about Colton.” I swallow hard before adding, “And I care about you, too. That hasn’t changed.”

The line goes quiet, and for a second, I worry I’ve said too much, pushed too far.

“I know,” she says finally. “I know you do.”

We both let that hang between us for a moment, neither willing to unpack what it really means.

“If you think it would help for me to talk to him, I’ll do it,” I continue. “Also, I’ve been meaning to tell you that I have some extra tickets to next week’s game. No pressure, but I wanted to put it out there in case you and Valerie want to bring the boys.”

“That would be so great,” she breathes. “The boys will love that.”

“Awesome, I’ll send them your way.”

Another silence falls, but it’s less tense than before. I hear her yawn.

“You should get some sleep,” I tell her. “It’s been a long day.”

“Yeah,” she agrees. “You too. Thanks again for listening.”

“I meant what I said before. I’m always here for both of you.”

Her “thank you” is soft, carrying a warmth that spreads through my chest like honey.

“Good night, Kade.”

“Good night, El.”

The call ends, and I stare at my phone for a long moment before setting it on the nightstand.

She called me.

When she needed someone, she chose me .

I grab my toiletry bag and head for the shower, replaying our conversation in my mind.

There’s still so much unresolved between us—her request for space, that kiss at the rink, years of history and hurt.

But tonight feels like a small step forward, like a crack in the wall she’s built around herself.

Under the hot spray of the shower, I let myself imagine a future where calls like this aren’t rare exceptions but part of our daily routine.

Where Colton doesn’t have to pretend that I’m his dad because I’m actually there, not as a replacement for his father, but as someone who loves him in my own right.

Where Ella doesn’t have to shoulder everything alone.

It’s a dangerous path to let my mind wander down. I know better than to get my hopes up. But as I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my waist, I can’t help but smile at the thought.

I just wish I could go back in time and never let her go…

When I finally lay down on the crisp hotel bed sheets, I close my eyes as soon as my head hits the pillow. And suddenly, I’m pulled back into the depths of my mind—back to a whole decade ago, when Ella was begging me not to let her go … and all the things that led up to it.

9 Years Ago

My heart thuds in my chest, the box in my pocket burning a hole. “I need to talk to you for a second,” I say to my parents, both of whom are leaning against the kitchen counter, talking quietly to each other.

My dad, whose hair is graying faster than ever now, sets his cup of coffee down. “What is it, Kade? You look nervous.” His thick brow furrows, and I start to sweat under his gaze .

At my father’s words, my mother also turns around, though she seems less concerned. “What’s up, honey?” She continues to sip her coffee as I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans.

“I bought something yesterday…” My voice doesn’t come out confident. In fact, I sound like a weak little puppy, terrified of his new owners. Well, except my parents don’t own me. No one owns me.

I’m an adult now.

“Okay…” My dad watches as my hand slides to my pocket, just as Nate walks into the kitchen, eating an apple while humming a tune. The song abruptly stops as Nate sees what’s going down between my parents and me.

“What is this?” Nate chuckles, his eyes bouncing until they meet mine. His gaze locks on my hand in my pocket, and the apple he was crunching on drops to his side. “You did it? You actually bought the ring, didn’t you?”

“The ring ?” Mom is now fully invested. “What are you talking about?”

My face grows hot as I feel outed by my brother, and instead of trying to explain, I pull the ring out of my pocket. My mother makes an audible gasp at the sight of it, and my father grunts something incoherent.

“He’s going to ask Ella to marry him,” Nate snorts in the most obnoxious way.

“Are you serious?” Mom turns to me, her voice now sharpening. “You’re going to ask Ella to marry you? But you’re only eighteen! You just got a scholarship for hockey! And the two are about to go off to two different schools…”

“I’m not proposing,” I clarify in a stern voice, shaking my head. “It’s a promise ring. I’ve been wanting to get her one, and now seems like the right time with her moving away and everything…” My voice trails off as everyone stares at me, their skepticism written all over their face.

“Look.” Dad sighs, running a hand over his face. “I get that you and Ella have been together for years now—and we love her, we do—but you’re about to live eight hours apart from each other. It seems a little much to be promising anything right now.”