Page 46 of Offside for Christmas
"Will you actually talk to her?" Jamie pressed.
"I'll... hand her the forms. Professionally."
"And maybe ask her out?"
"Let's not get crazy."
The entire kitchen and living room erupted in laughter.
Coach Davies checked the road conditions on his phone and delivered the news everyone was half-expecting: "Looks like we're here for the day, folks, as we expected. Plows won't get to this road for another four to five hours at least. Make yourselves comfortable."
The team groaned good-naturedly. Plans were quickly made—someone suggested board games, Luke wanted to start prep for a big lunch, Jamie found a deck of cards and started shuffling with the kind of ominous enthusiasm that promised high-stakes poker.
"I call Ellie for my Monopoly team," Mac announced.
"No way," Jamie protested. "She's ruthless. That's not fair."
"All's fair in Monopoly and war," Mac countered.
Ellie was about to respond when Mac appeared at her elbow in the kitchen, his voice dropping to a more serious tone.
"So," he said quietly, "you and Cole."
"There is no me and Cole." Ellie focused intently on stirring cream into her coffee.
"El." Mac leaned against the counter beside her. "I've known you for four years. I've never seen you look at someone the way you look at him."
"How do I look at him?"
"Like you're trying really hard not to want something." Mac's usual humor had faded, replaced by genuine concern. "Like you're fighting yourself."
Ellie slumped against the counter, suddenly exhausted. "He's leaving, Mac."
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"He's made it very clear—"
"People say a lot of things when they're scared," Mac interrupted gently. "Doesn't mean they mean them. Or that they won't change their minds."
"What if he doesn't change his mind?" The fear came spilling out before she could stop it. "What if I fall for him and he leaves anyway and I'm right back where I was three years ago? What if I'm that girl again, the one who gave up everything for a hockey player who didn't stay?"
Mac was quiet for a moment, then: "What if you don't take the chance and spend the rest of your life wondering 'what if'? Which sounds worse?"
Ellie opened her mouth, then closed it. Because she didn't have an answer to that.
"Just think about it," Mac said, squeezing her shoulder. "Now come help me destroy everyone at Monopoly. I need your cutthroat business instincts."
The day unfolded with the kind of forced proximity that felt designed by some cosmic rom-com writer who thought subtlety was overrated.
During Monopoly, Ellie and Mac were on opposite teams from Cole and Jamie. The game devolved quickly into chaos—Mac kept making terrible property decisions, Jamie tried to negotiate deals that made no sense, and Luke (who was acting as banker) kept having to referee arguments.
Ellie, true to her reputation, was merciless.
When she landed on Cole's property with three houses and had to hand over a significant chunk of her money, she smiled sweetly. "Strategic placement. I respect it."
"You bankrupted me twenty minutes ago," Cole pointed out.
"Don't start games you can't finish."
