Page 66 of Offside for Christmas
Ellie gave up trying to lie. "Last night. It just... happened."
"And?"
"And it was incredible. He's incredible." Ellie's voice went quiet. "And now everything is complicated."
"Complicated how?"
"I was about to clear him, Soph. His shoulder's almost healed. And once that bar fight video blows over and some team decides he's not a liability anymore, he'll be gone. Back to the NHL, back to his real life. I knew he was temporary and I fell for him anyway."
"Maybe he'll surprise you."
"Or maybe once his reputation recovers and he gets that call from Chicago or wherever, Evergreen Cove will just be the place he had to kill time." Ellie swallowed hard. "And now I can't even do my job because they brought in someone else."
"Then prove them wrong." Sophie's voice was fierce. "Show them you're the better PT. Show them Cole's progress is because of you."
"How?"
"I don't know yet. But you're Ellie Winters. You're stubborn, talented, and you don't give up. So don't start now."
Ellie took a shaky breath. "What if none of it matters? What if I prove I'm good at my job and he still leaves?"
"Then at least you'll know you tried. For your career and for him." Sophie squeezed her hand. "Don't let fear make your decisions, El. You deserve better than that."
Cole showed up at her apartment that evening with Thai food and a bottle of wine, and when Ellie opened the door in yoga pants and an oversized sweater, her hair messy and her reading glasses perched on her nose, he just stared.
"What?" she asked, suddenly self-conscious, reaching up to take them off.
"Leave them." He caught her hand gently. "You wear glasses."
"Only at home for reading. Why?"
"You look..." He stepped inside, kicking the door shut behind him. "Really cute."
Ellie felt a blush heat her cheeks. She took the food bags from him, turning toward the kitchen to hide her smile. "Cute?"
"Hot." He moved closer, backing her against the counter, invading her space in the best way possible. "You look hot. Better?"
"Much," Ellie said, and pulled him down for a kiss that tasted like wine and promise.
They ate on her couch, some Christmas movie playing in the background that neither of them paid attention to. But despite the easy intimacy, Ellie couldn't fully relax. The meeting with Coach Davies that afternoon kept replaying in her mind—the board’s impatience, their lack of trust in her.
Cole noticed. Of course he did. He set his carton of Pad Thai on the coffee table and turned to her. "Okay, spill. You've been somewhere else since I got here. Is it about today?"
Ellie sighed, putting her own food down. "Yeah, I got blindsided. This arrogant prick, Matthews." She swallowed hard. "They think I’m too slow. Too 'small-town' to handle an asset like you."
Cole’s expression darkened instantly. "Matthews? I know his type. He's all about metrics and aggressive timelines—exactly how my shoulder got mishandled in Chicago in the first place." He reached for her hand, his grip firm. "They're not putting you—or me—through that again. This isn’t just about my shoulder, is it? It’s about your job. You’re scared?"
Ellie nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. "If he clears you when I wouldn't—even if I was about to—it makes me look incompetent. Like I've been holding you back. It undermines everything."
"Then I won't work with him," Cole said, his voice low and fierce. "I trust you, El. No one else."
Tears pricked Ellie's eyes—not from sadness, but from the overwhelming relief of having him in her corner. She found a reserve of strength she didn't know she had. "I'm not giving up on you."
A slow, confident smirk spread across Cole's face. "I should hope not."
Ellie grabbed her phone. "I'm going to text Coach. And Matthews. If he wants to assess you, he should do it properly. Withmein the room."
Today was Wednesday. She typed out the message quickly, before she could second-guess herself, demanding a joint assessment at 8 AM the day after tomorrow. Friday, before the christmas festival and game on Saturday.
