Page 90 of Offside for Christmas
Her entire body went rigid. Fight or flight kicked in, and she chose flight.
She abandoned her cart and walked quickly toward the exit, keeping her head down, praying he wouldn't see her.
"Ellie."
She stopped. Couldn't help it. Turned around.
Cole stood ten feet away, holding a basket with what looked like frozen dinners and beer. He looked terrible—unshaven, dark circles under his eyes, his hair a mess. His eyes were red-rimmed.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi."
They stared at each other in the middle of the grocery store, with shoppers moving around them and Christmas music playing overhead and everything about this moment being wrong.
"How are you?" Cole asked, like it was a normal question and not something that made her want to scream.
"Fine." The lie tasted like ash. "You?"
"Fine."
Another lie. They both knew it.
"Ellie, can we please just talk? Five minutes. Just—"
"I can't." She took a step back. "I'm sorry. I can't."
She turned and walked out, leaving her groceries, leaving him standing there, leaving before she broke down completely.
In her car, she sat in the parking lot and cried for twenty minutes.
When she finally looked up, Cole's truck was still there. He was sitting in the driver's seat, his head in his hands.
She started her car and drove away before she could do something stupid like go to him.
The call came on Friday afternoon. Day five. Almost christmas eve.
Ellie was in her office, staring blankly at paperwork, when her phone rang. Unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Winters? This is Rick Morrison, Cole Hansen's agent. I'm calling to request Cole's medical records and PT documentation. The LA Kings need his full file before they finalize the contract."
The words hit like a physical blow. "The LA Kings?"
"Yes. Cole accepted their offer this morning. We're coordinating his transfer now. I'll need his shoulder evaluation reports, treatment notes, and your final clearance documentation sent to their medical team by end of day."
"I see." Ellie's voice sounded distant, like it was coming from somewhere far away. "I'll... I'll get those to you."
"Appreciate it. Please send them to this email—" He rattled off an address. "Cole speaks very highly of your work, by the way. The Kings' staff will want to coordinate with you on his continued care plan."
He hung up.
Ellie set down her phone with shaking hands.
He'd accepted. He was leaving.
She'd pushed him away, and he'd actually gone.
