Page 52 of Second Chance Faceoff

Not that it matters, he is just not gone, yet.

I turned back to the car. Got in. Closed the door gently.

I sank back into the seat, letting the cold bite at my fingers. Maybe it was good that he was leaving. Perhaps I just had to let it be.

I stared at the key in the ignition. Through the windshield, the rink banner flapped once, then settled.

The rest of the day passed in fragments—refilling kibble bins, fixing a glitchy space heater, untangling two leashes that had somehow braided themselves together on the fence. I kept myhands busy, and my mouth shut, letting the noise of Timberline fill the gaps.

By late afternoon, I found Tessa in the office, balancing a half-eaten granola bar on top of a stack of intake files.

"The lawyer's calling in a few," I said, setting my phone on the desk. "Stay, yeah? Might be good for you to hear this."

"Already planning to," she said, sliding into the chair across from me.

When the call came through, I tapped speaker and leaned forward.

“Hi Riley, it’s Marla Breckman. Can you hear me okay?”

“Yep. I’ve got Tessa here too.”

“Great. So, I looked into the trust lease language. Technically, you’re month-to-month with a courtesy clause that gives you nine months’ notice. That’s... not a lot of protection.”

Tessa frowned. I stared at a coffee stain on the desk.

“The trust is entertaining other offers,” Marla continued. “There’s no guarantee they’ll renew, especially if a private buyer comes in with development plans.”

“What about first right of refusal?” I asked.

“That’s your best shot,” she said. “You’d need to petition for it formally, which involves showing Timberline is both viable and valued by the community. That means testimonials, financials, and a good-faith down payment.”

“How much of a down payment are we talking?”

“Depends on the appraisal, but it won’t be cheap. And you’ll need to retain counsel if the trust pushes back.”

Tessa gave me a long look. “We’ll make the case,” she said.

“I’ll draft what I can,” Marla added, “but the sooner we rally support, the better. You’ll want public backing. Media, if you can get it.”

“Thanks, Marla,” I said. “We’ll get started.”

As the call ended, the office felt too still. Tessa didn’t say anything right away, just gathered the files with quiet precision.

Then the digital frame on the corner shelf flickered.

I glanced over. The next photo rolled in. Colton, standing behind two of our volunteers, grinning like an idiot, one dog under each arm.

It was a full-body jolt.

Tessa’s voice cut in like she’d been waiting. “So… are we just gonna pretend you didn’t flinch like the photo bit you?”

I reached for a pen, like I might need it. “It was a weird angle.”

“Uh-huh.” She didn’t even bother looking up.

I clicked the pen, then clicked it again. “It’s not like I even liked him.”

Tessa let the silence breathe for a second. “Okay.”

---