Page 71 of Offside for Christmas
"This isn't a shoulder injury you can rehabilitate."
"I'm not trying to fix you," Ellie said, stepping closer, her hands gentle on his arms. "I'm just trying to be here for you."
"That might be harder than fixing me would be."
She took his hands, forcing him to meet her eyes. "Then it's a good thing I like challenges."
Cole pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her hair. He didn't respond, but his arms tightened around her like she was the only thing keeping him anchored.
He woke sometime later to find Ellie sitting up in bed, her phone glowing in the darkness, illuminating her frown.
"What's wrong?" he asked, voice rough with sleep.
She jumped slightly, then set down her phone. "Nothing. Just... a text. It's fine."
"At—" he checked the clock on his phone "—one in the morning?"
"Wrong number, probably." But her nose was doing that little scrunch.
Cole sat up, suddenly wide awake. "Ellie. What is it?"
She was quiet for a while, then handed him her phone. The screen was open to a new message.
Unknown Number:Hi, this is Sarah Chen. I'm the reporter Cole defended in Chicago. I heard he's in Vermont now. Is there any way I could speak with him? There's something important I'd like to discuss. He’s not answering my emails, or calls.
Cole stared at the name, his heart pounding. Sarah Chen. The past he'd been running from had just shown up on his girlfriend's phone.
"How did she get your number?" he asked, his voice low.
"I don't know. Team staff directory, maybe." Ellie was watching him carefully. "Cole, this could be good. Maybe she wants to help."
"Or maybe she wants to dredge it all back up." He handed the phone back. "Delete it."
"What? No! You should at least hear her out—"
"I don't want to hear it. That part of my life is over. I'm here now."
"By pretending it never happened?"
"By leaving it in the past where it belongs."
"Even if it could give you back everything you lost?"
Cole took her face in his hands, making sure she could see the truth in his eyes. "I didn't lose everything. I found something better right here. Can't you see that?"
"I want to believe that," she whispered.
"Then believe it." He kissed her softly. "Delete the message, Ellie. Please."
She hesitated for a long, painful moment, then nodded. "Okay. If that's what you want."
But as they settled back into bed, Cole couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over. Sarah Chen reaching out was a loose thread, and he knew, sooner or later, someone was going to pull on it.
Outside, the snow kept falling, covering Evergreen Cove in another layer of white.
And somewhere in Chicago, a reporter he'd tried to protect was looking for answers.
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