Page 4 of The Love Comeback (Glaciers Hockey #3)

Chapter Four

Kade

“You’re glued to your phone today,” a voice says from behind me. “Are you reading all the hate comments after your embarrassing loss last night?”

I roll my eyes, shifting in the booth at Hidalgo’s to see my not-so-identical twin brother Nate as his palm connects with my shoulder. “You’re late.”

“Yeah, well, Mallory was practically having a breakdown over what to wear to that luncheon with the investor.” Nate slides in across from me and grabs a tortilla chip, popping it into his mouth. “She’s super stressed out over this new job.”

I pick up my water and take a sip. “It’s a pretty big deal to be working for the biggest real estate investment company in the city. I’ll give her that. I’d probably be worried about what to wear to a luncheon, too.”

“You’re way too empathetic,” Nate snorts. “If you had to sit and listen to her debate between navy blue and black, you’d probably be feeling the same way I do.”

“Maybe, but at least you have someone,” I say, my voice coming out more bitter than I expected.

I’m not bitter about being single, but the more time I spend with Colton and Ella, the more I start to feel like I’m missing out.

I’m twenty-seven years old now, and I’m ready to settle down—and have a few kids, too.

“Dude, you’re a professional hockey player. Just pick out some random chick in the crowd and go for it. You have way too many options.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want just anyone,” I mutter, shaking my head. “Besides, I’m not some sleaze trying to pick women out of the crowd. When I’m on the ice, I’m there to focus…”

“You don’t have to tell me that,” Nate grumbles, grabbing another chip. “I know what it’s like to play hockey.”

“Sorry.” I wince, reminding myself that while Nate is always supportive, he doesn’t appreciate hockey being shoved in his face—even if he runs the biggest sporting store in the area. “I’m just saying, I’m not going that route.”

“That’s probably for the best.” Nate chuckles, his smile returning. “If you were to choose someone from the crowd at random, you might end up getting hurt—or robbed. Probably better to get set up by someone you know.”

I lean back against the booth as the waiter approaches the table. We both order the California burrito with extra guac on the side. As soon as he leaves, I let out a sigh. “Ella just moved here.”

Nate nearly spits out his water. “Wait, Ella Ella?”

I nod, shrugging and trying to play it off, but I’m sure my brother can read the look on my face. “She moved here a few weeks ago, and I’ve been giving Colton skating lessons.”

Nate’s brows furrow as he sets his glass down on the table. “Who’s Colton?”

“Katie’s son, but Ella has full custody of him.” I explain what happened to Colton’s parents, unsurprised at the sadness that clouds my brother’s expression. It’s one of the most somber looks I’ve seen on him in a long time.

“Man, she’s really been through the wringer,” Nate finally says once I’m finished explaining. “I can’t imagine getting custody of a five-year-old when you’re only twenty-two. That just sounds brutal. I wonder if that played into the reason she got divorced.”

The mention of her having been married to someone else makes my stomach sick, but I shrug it off. “I don’t know. She didn’t talk to me about any of that.”

Nate narrows his gaze. “Hmm. I wonder why.”

“Probably because we have history. ”

He snorts. “You had history a decade ago.”

“She was my high school sweetheart.”

“Key words being high school .” He shakes his head. “Dude, high school relationships are so small in comparison to the real thing when you get out into the world. You remember Sarah? Yeah, I don’t have any feelings for her, and while we have history , I don’t think I’d ever say it meant much.”

“You and Sarah dated off and on for six months your freshman year,” I counter, folding my arms across my chest. The material of my Henley scratches my arms, but I ignore it. “I was with Ella for nearly all of high school, right up until college, and we were much different than you and Sarah.”

“Right, I get it,” he breathes out with some annoyance. “But if you’re thinking about going there with Ella again, I’d highly recommend against it. Like, do you really wanna be with someone that has a kid?”

“Okay, well—” I feel myself growing defensive as I mull it over. I really like Colton. And I’ve always wanted to be a dad…

“Exes are exes for a reason,” Nate continues when I don’t complete my thought. “That’s the thing. You can easily run back to the person because the old spark is there, but guess what? So are the same old problems.”

“People change,” I say carefully, mostly thinking about myself.

“Yeah, okay.” Nate huffs as our food is set before us. “I just think it’s a bad idea. Nothing against Ella. I honestly liked you two together, but dude, you broke up with her because of college . So, clearly your feelings weren’t as strong as you’re thinking they were…”

I was an idiot.

I shrug it off as Nate digs out his phone from his blazer pocket and starts to text someone back. I take the moment to eat my lunch, my mind running back to the past. I did break up with Ella for a stupid reason, but everyone was putting so much pressure on me…

‘You won’t be able to focus on college hockey if you’re worried about your long-distance girlfriend.

Don’t you want to go pro?’ I frown as my parents’ words swirl around my head.

‘If you throw hockey away, it would all be for nothing. And then you’ll be stuck trying to provide for Ella on a grocery boy’s salary.

Don’t you think she deserves better than that? ’

I know I shouldn’t have caved to the pressure, but I was just a kid—and I was pretty lost about it all. I broke things off with Ella the day before she left for college. I thought I was doing what was best for both of us.

It was a huge mistake.

Which didn’t take long to realize. In fact, I tried to make up with her a few weeks later. But it was too late. She wouldn’t answer my calls.

Then she found someone new … and married him.

“You’ll find someone.” Nate’s voice breaks my thoughts, and I look up mid-bite, my brother giving me one of his famous ‘ I’m a little worried about you’ faces. “You’ve just got to put yourself out there more.”

“Yeah, I know,” I grumble, adjusting my focus back on my burrito. I mean, I’ve dated since Ella, but the relationships with those girls never lasted. “Ella just sparked something in me, I guess.” She reminds me of everything I’ve ever wanted wrapped up in one person.

“That’s the thing with exes—they can get under our skin faster than anyone because they’ve already been there.”

“You just said that Sarah wouldn’t get to you.” I tear into the burrito filled with chicken, rice, beans, and spices.

“Just because Sarah doesn’t get under my skin doesn’t mean that I don’t have an ex that would. Do you remember that girl I met when I was in London a few years ago?” He looks up at me, a frown pulling at his lips.

“Yeah, what’s her name? Erin? Something like that?”

He nods and sets his fork down. “I only knew her for a month, while I was there on business, but she left the kind of impression that I’ll never forget. I thought I’d never feel something like that again—until I met Mallory.”

“So, you wouldn’t pick her over Mallory?”

“Oh, heck no,” Nate immediately says. “Mallory is by far the best thing to ever happen to me, and not to mention, she outdoes any woman in the room every time. Not that I’ve looked,” he adds. “She’s just the kind of woman that is high caliber and challenges me. You need to find your Mallory. ”

“Hmm.” I drum my fingers on the table, my eyes drifting around the restaurant. I understand, I do. However, no one I’ve ever been with has come close to the way Ella made me feel. She’s the best I’ve ever had.

“I know you think Ella is it,” Nate says, basically reading my mind. “But it’s only because she’s fresh in your mind right now. You’re giving Colton skating lessons, so you’re seeing her all the time. That’s all this is. She’s stuck in your head.”

“And she’s amazing as ever.”

“You mean she’s hot, right?”

“No,” I scoff, shaking my head. “I mean, she is . But it’s so much more than looks. You can throw a rock into a crowd and hit a pretty woman anywhere, but that doesn’t make them right for me.”

“Okay, well, no one should be throwing rocks into crowds.”

“You know what I mean,” I shoot back at my grinning brother.

He ignores me and digs into his lunch. His phone vibrates on the table.

I focus on finishing my meal, giving up on the conversation.

It’s not like I’ll sway Nate’s opinion about me pursuing Ella.

Besides, she’s not even interested in me anymore.

That’s been very clear, given that she does the same thing every time I give Colton a skating lesson:

Avoid me.

Well, maybe she doesn’t completely avoid me—she’s cordial, but that’s it. Even at pizza. Ella loves pizza, which is why I offered to take her and Colton to The Wedge. And yet, she still barely told me a thing about what’s going on in her life. She just let Colton talk away—and I’m good with that…

But I want to hear from her, too.

My brother’s phone vibrates again, and this time he picks it up. “Got you a date.”

My head jerks up. “Wait, what?”

“One of Mallory’s friends. She’s really excited to go out. See?” He raises his brow. “No more Ella.”

Yeah, we’ll see about that.

Bzz. Bzz. Bzz.

My phone rattles insistently against the coffee table, the vibration echoing through my living room. I pause the television and scoop it up, glancing at the caller ID before answering.

“Hey, Mom,” I greet, my voice light despite the knot that forms in my stomach. “How’s your cruise going?”

“Oh, it’s going wonderfully, as always,” she chirps. In the background, I catch the low hum of chatter, punctuated by a piano playing jazz music. “We’ve made friends with a couple from Australia! Did you know that kangaroos can be dangerous ? This whole time, I assumed they were cuddly creatures. ”

My lips curl into a smile at the mental image of my mom trying to snuggle up to a kangaroo. “Yeah, they can be feisty.”

“Your father says hello,” she continues. “Here, let me put you on speaker.”

“Hey, son,” my dad chimes.

“Hey, Dad. Are you having fun?”

“Yes! The weather’s been great. And your mom’s been making friends everywhere we go, as always.”

She giggles. “We’re having a blast. And we’ve really gotten used to the five-star service and dinners.

Not sure how we’ll cope when we get back home.

” She laughs, the sound a comforting and familiar chuckle.

“Which is why we already booked our next one! Did you know they give discounts if you book another cruise while onboard?”

That explains why they’ve been on four cruises in the past year.

“We’re going to Tahiti in a couple months!” she squeals.

“That’s great. I’m so happy for you guys.” I mean it. My parents worked really hard when I was a kid and made a ton of sacrifices to ensure Nate and I had opportunities they didn’t. It’s exactly why I paid off their house and retired them early so they could travel and live the dream.

“Anyway, we were able to stream the game last night. That was a tough loss…” Mom says.

“Yeah, it was,” I admit, feeling the weight of the defeat settle on my shoulders.

It’s not like I need reminding—as the goalie, I can’t help but feel like it’s my fault whenever my team loses.

But I’ve learned over the years to compartmentalize those feelings and focus on improving for the next game.

Though something tells me this call is only going to make me feel worse…

“You looked a bit … off,” Dad adds. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Can’t win them all. The defense fell apart in the third…”

“We’re not trying to pile on. We just worry.” Mom sighs. “This isn’t the first shaky game you’ve had in the past couple weeks. And it just seems like you’ve lost … focus.”

There it is. The pressure I knew was coming. I know my parents mean well, but it’s exhausting to feel like I’m constantly under the microscope.

“I am focused,” I assure her, but the words feel flimsy, even to me.

“Nate said Ella’s in town?” Dad asks. “And that you’ve been giving her nephew skating lessons twice a week…”

Freaking Nate … always throwing me under the bus with his big mouth.

“His name’s Colton. And yeah, I’ve been helping him out.”

“We know it’s your personal life, but don’t let it interfere with your game. This is your prime, and you’ve worked too hard to get here,” Dad says.

It’s true—it has taken a lot to get here. And to my parents’ credit, their high expectations are probably part of the reason I got to where I am in the NHL, but it still grates on my nerves sometimes.

“We just don’t want to see you lose your edge. Distractions—even good ones—can cost you at this level,” Mom adds.

“Colton’s not a distraction. He’s a kid who’s been through a lot in life and needs someone. And I like spending time with him.”

Now Ella, on the other hand…

“We’re not saying you can’t have a life. Just be careful where you invest your time and energy, okay?” Mom cautions.

“Yeah. I hear you—”

A loud bell rings in the background, cutting through our conversation.

“Oh, shoot,” she exclaims hurriedly. “We’ve gotta go! Trivia is about to start. We love you!”

“Love you,” I say before disconnecting the call.

I let out a deep sigh, rubbing my temples as my parents’ words sink in. They’re not wrong—distractions have no place in the game. But Colton isn’t a distraction. If anything, he’s given my life even more purpose. And honestly, our skate lessons have become the highlight of every week.

And so has seeing Ella…

My heart thuds at the thought of her, her hazel eyes filled with a kind of warmth that always drew me in, her laughter that used to be a melody to my ears.

Before I ruined everything .

Every part of me wants to just wrap Ella in my arms and sweep her off her feet and tell her everything is going to be okay. But deep down, I know I can’t let myself get carried away by these feelings. Especially considering she’s made it pretty obvious that I have no chance.

I’d just be torturing myself.

Maybe it’s a good thing Nate set me up on that date after all …