Page 2 of Return To You

“Thanks, man.” Colton was never a talker.

My tank full, I place the pump back and pocket my credit card. “Business is good?”

“Doin’ good. How ’bout you? Where’d you live now?”

“Right now, the back of my bike. Next up, hoping for somewhere warm.”

Colton doesn’t ask questions. Just lifts his chin and pats my bike. “Two thousand eighteen?” He crouches to take a look at the exhaust.

I nod. “Been giving me a little rattle, but other’n that, she runs smooth.”

“Bet she does. Drop her off whenever, I’ll take a look at that rattle.”

“Careful, might take you up on that.”

He unfolds his frame and lays an unsettling gaze on me. “Yeah. Hope you do.” He takes a step back, and I straddle my bike, grab my helmet. “Never took you as a bike guy,” he drops.

“Never thought I’d be one. Just wanna make sure I don’t settle in a place with six months of winter,” I say with a grin. “No offense.”

He gives me a full smile. “None taken. I get it, man. No risk of that with a ride like this.”

Yeah, that’s partly why I bought it.

We’re saved from the awkward moment between us by a teenage girl wearing blue coveralls, her hair in a bun on top of her head, calling from the mouth of the bay. “Yo, Colt! I’m all done here. What next?”

“Just a sec,” Colton calls back to her.

She walks toward us, wiping her hands in a greasy rag, and eyes me top to bottom, a frown on her face, like she’s trying to place me. She does look vaguely familiar. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I answer.

Colton tips his chin at me. “You know who this is?”

She tilts her head. “Maybe?”

“Surprised a hockey girl doesn’t know her legends.”

The girl’s mouth gapes. “Hold on. Ethan King?” she asks tentatively.

Colton nods. “Taught me blocking like no coach ever has.”

I look at him in surprise, but he’s still looking at her. “No way,” she says, her eyes like saucers on me. “The Ethan King who took us to Nationals?”

“The one and only,” Colton answers.

“Coach will be stoked to know you’re in town. Can I tell him?”

“Coach Randall?” I can’t believe he’s still around. Ten years is a lifetime for me. I suppose at his age, it’s nothing. “He must be what—a hundred years old?”

The girl laughs. “I won’t tell him you said that.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t either.”

“He’d have me benched. But hey, you’ll come to the Arena, right? Do some training with us? We have preseason camp soon.”

Being pulled into my hometown’s life is exactly what I don’t want. Just as I bought a bike to prevent me from settling in the Yankee part of the country if I can help it, I gave myself a hard rule of not sticking around too long. Not getting sucked in.

“I’ll probably be gone, but if I can, I’ll stop by.” I don’t want to crush her hopes.

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