Page 98 of Offside for Christmas
"We're both idiots." Despite everything, he almost smiled. "Both too afraid to just say what we wanted."
"What do you want?"
Cole closed the distance between them in three strides. Stopped right in front of her, close enough that she could see her breath mixing with his.
"You," he said simply. "Just you. I don't want LA or the NHL or any of it if I can't have you. I want morning coffee in your apartment and teaching kids to skate. I want to wake up next toyou every day and know I'm home. I want boring and normal and real."
"Cole—"
"I love you, Ellie. I choose you. Every single day, every single way." His hands came up to frame her face, his thumbs brushing away her tears. "So I'm asking—begging—please let me stay. Let me build a life here. With you. Let me prove I'm not Marcus or anyone else who left. Let me be the one who stays."
Ellie shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "How can I trust that? I want to, Cole, with all my heart, but—"
"I don't know." Cole's voice broke. "I don't have a good answer. All I have is—I'm here. I drove eight hours through the night because I couldn't stand being away from you for one more second. I walked away from the NHL because a life without you isn't a life I want. And I know that's not enough—I know words are cheap—but Ellie, I will spend every single day proving it if you give me the chance."
"What if you wake up in six months and regret it? Regret me? Regret giving up your dream?"
"You ARE my dream now." He said it with such fierce certainty that it made her chest ache. "I didn't know that until I left. Didn't know what I had until I was on my way to the life I thought I wanted, and all I could think about was you. Your laugh. The way you call me out on my bullshit. The way you look at me like I'm more than just a broken-down hockey player. That's what I want, Ellie. Not the NHL. You."
"I'm so scared," she whispered.
"I know. Me too." He took another step closer, but didn't touch her yet. "But I'm more scared of losing you. Of being too much of a coward to fight for us. So I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere. Even if you tell me to leave, I'm staying in this town. I'll wait. However long it takes."
Ellie looked up at him—at this man who'd driven through the night to stand below her apartment on Christmas morning, who was looking at her like she was everything.
"I helped Sarah because I love you," she whispered. "Even when I couldn't fight for us, I was still fighting for you. I wanted you to have everything, even if it meant losing you."
"Then let me make you happy." His forehead touched hers. "Let me spend every day proving you're worth every risk. Because you are, Ellie. You're worth everything."
"I can’t believe it—You really quit LA?"
"Contract's void. They're threatening to sue. I don't care." His voice was raw, honest. "I quit the second I realized what I was giving up. Not the money or the prestige—you. I was giving up you. And that's not a trade I'm willing to make."
"What if—" She couldn't finish the question, too many fears tumbling over each other.
"I'm staying," Cole said firmly. "Whether you take me back or not, I'm staying in Evergreen Cove. I'm playing for the Eagles. I'm building a life here. Because this town became home. You made it home. And I'm not leaving again. Ever."
Something in Ellie's chest cracked open—all the fear, all the walls she'd built. Behind it was just love. Pure, terrifying, overwhelming love.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Yes?"
"Yes, I want you to stay. Yes to all of it." Her voice broke. "Just please don't let go."
"Never." Cole pulled her into his arms, holding her so tight she could barely breathe. "Never again."
Ellie wrapped her arms around him and held on like he might disappear. She was crying into his shoulder, and he was holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world.
"I love you," she said against his neck. "So much it terrifies me."
"Good." His laugh was wet, emotional. "Because I love you so much I turned down $1.2 million and drove eight hours on Christmas to tell you that."
She pulled back just enough to look at him. "You really came back."
"I really came back." He kissed her forehead, her cheeks. "And I'm really staying. Forever. If you'll have me."
"Forever sounds good."
