Chapter 10 Cole
TEN
COLE
On Christmas, I don’t have anyone else to celebrate with. Rather than sit around my apartment alone, I spend it with the Lombards.
Yesterday, before joining them for the annual Christmas Eve pizza and beer night that they’ve hosted for as long as I can remember, I FaceTimed my parents to catch up while their cruise was at port.
They’re thoroughly enjoying the traveling they’ve been doing more and more since I graduated and moved out.
I get my love of travel from them, and I’m glad to see them doing all the things they dreamed of that they put off for my sake.
I turn up at the Lombards’ place in the afternoon with a bottle of wine and a bag of gifts I scraped together two weeks ago. A bit last minute, but at least I got something. I wanted to avoid coming empty handed, and to show how grateful I am that they always treat me like I’m part of their family.
The sight of Eve’s new camper parked in the driveway brings a smile to my face before I head in through the side door. David and Mrs. Lombard are in the kitchen. I shake his hand and she gives me a big hug.
“Here, I brought you this.” I hand her the wine. “Thanks again for having me over.”
“Of course.” She pulls down the reading glasses perched on her head to read the label. “Thank you. You’re such a sweet boy.”
“Can I help with anything?”
“You can help by getting out of my kitchen until I need your muscles to cart all this food to the table.” Mrs. Lombard shoos me with a wave of the holiday-themed dish towel in her hand. “Go on, the kids are in the living room.”
I head there to find Eve, Benson, and Jess hanging out.
“Merry Christmas,” I say warmly.
“Didn’t we do this about twelve, thirteen hours ago?” Benson lumbers off the couch.
“Shut up.” There’s no heat in it.
“I told you last night, you should’ve crashed here.”
My gaze darts to Eve—drawn to her first whenever I walk in a room these days—before I force it back to him. “My duplex is only a five minute drive from here.”
He gives me a bear hug. “Merry Christmas, man. Glad you can be here with us.”
Jess is right behind him. I hug her next, then freeze when I face Eve.
Before I left yesterday, I was able to hug her, no problem. But she wasn’t wearing one of these sweater dresses that fill my head with ideas I shouldn’t be entertaining, like fisting the soft material and peeling it off to unwrap her like my own filthy little present.
The deep green dress has a wide neck that shows her shoulders, and her hair is half down with big curls, the top swept back from her face in two braids tied off with a dainty burgundy bow.
“Merry Christmas, Cole,” she says.
My eyes close when she slips her arms around me. Her hair smells nice. I resist the urge to squeeze her closer just to find out how her curves feel pressed against me.
“Happy birthday. Almost,” I add.
She sticks out her tongue, then brandishes a mug. “Mulled wine—which is amazing, but super potent this year—or hot cocoa?”
“Hot cocoa,” I decide because she’s having it and it smells as sweet as she does.
Her teeth sink into her tempting bright red lower lip and her beautiful eyes gleam. “I was hoping you would say that. Come see what I put together.”
She all but drags me over to a hot cocoa station. It’s got mugs on a wooden tree, a variety of mix choices, and all sorts of toppings. She also included labels for everything and a menu with suggested combinations.
“Nice,” I say.
“It’s a masterpiece,” she gushes. “I had fun designing the signs.”
“I’m torn. Do I want marshmallows and a peppermint stick, or whipped cream and cinnamon powder?”
“It’s the holidays. Go big or go bigger.”
I snap my fingers and point at her. “True. Do you need a refill?”
“Please.”
She hands me her mug. We work together to create two of the most ridiculous looking cups of cocoa I’ve ever seen. They’d fit right in with those milkshakes with full pieces of cake on them from a popular restaurant down in the city.
I watch her enjoy her first sip and rub at the pull in my chest.
If she wasn’t my boss’ daughter and my best friend’s sister, I would’ve taken my shot with her ten times over by now. She’s fun to be around with her energetic personality. She’s kind and has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever known. She’s beautiful, inside and out.
I don’t make time for relationships, but if I did… Eve’s the type of girl I’d want to share a deeper connection with.
Except we can’t. Friendship is all we get to have together.
Suppressing a sigh, I clink my mug with hers.
“To good times and the sugar high these will give us.”
She covers her grin. “Too late. I’m three cups deep and have been feeling the oncoming hyper jitters for the last half hour. Catch up.”
I snort. “You’ve already got the zoomies?”
Her amber eyes gleam and she releases a laugh that isn’t unlike a little gremlin. I secretly get a kick out of it when she gets like this. I’m glad she’s still comfortable enough around me to show me her goofy side.
I pretend to mess with her hair. A wild laugh escapes me when she gets me back by poking my side until she finds a ticklish spot.
How could that asshole she used to date not see her and think she’s the most awesome girl he’s ever met? How could he tarnish this vibrant light she shines with?
It doesn’t matter. I’m here to protect her from guys like that, just like high school. Her brother and I took care of the few that hurt her.
If I had five minutes with him on the ice, the gloves would fly off and I’d end him. I rein myself in, rolling my shoulders to dispel the instinct to find her ex and give him hell. It’s a holiday and I’d rather be here with her and her family.
A commotion at the front door draws our attention. We head to join everyone welcoming Mr. Boucher, Theo, and Lainey. Neil Cannon is right behind them.
“Stopped by to wish you all a happy holiday,” Mr. Boucher says.
Theo spots me and high fives me. I ruffle his hair before he switches places with his shy sister to greet Eve.
“Mr. Cannon.” I shake hands with one of my hockey idols growing up.
While he was still coaching for Heston U with David, he’d come by our junior league games in high school from time to time to give us pointers.
“Good to see you,” he says gruffly.
They stay long enough to have a couple of drinks. David and Neil start reminiscing about their days of coaching together while Mr. Boucher talks with Benny and Jess.
Theo gives me shit for not getting him a present when I pass out gifts. Eve promises to make him something, darting out the door and returning with two balls of yarn in Heston colors and a crochet hook.
Lainey watches with interest while she works, talking quietly with her about books while the four of us sit together in the living room.
Twenty minutes later, she holds up a finished hockey stick that Theo rubs in my face for getting the best gift.
I smirk, not telling him about the scarf she made me with my name in block letters and hockey sticks lining the edges.
Once we’re seated for dinner after they leave, Benson lifts his glass. “I’m glad we can all be together as a family this holiday. Before we eat, there’s something we want to share.”
Jess lays a hand on her stomach. “We were keeping it a secret until we were sure after finding out recently. We’re having a baby.”
“Holy shit.”
I’m the first one to break the beat of silence before Mrs. Lombard gasps and everyone else bursts with elation. We all get up to hug and congratulate them.
David’s face is red and he swipes at the few tears he sheds. Eve hugs him when she’s done fussing over Jess with her mom.
“Dude,” Benson says through a laugh when he turns to me.
“You’re gonna be a dad.” I hug him again. “I’m so happy for you.”
“It’s crazy. I don’t feel ready, you know?”
“Does anyone?”
“True.”
“You’re gonna be a fantastic dad.”
His eyes shine. “Thanks, man.”
As I take my seat, I get a sense of what I’m missing. After I finished my time as a hockey player and graduated, I only needed myself. Maybe I’m ready for something more.
I don’t feel like I’m here displaced from my family. I’m right where I feel at home. I fit in here. It’s not hard to picture staying in Heston Lake. I could build a life that makes me happy, one where I don’t feel like I need to stay on the move to keep ahead of my own doubts.
This town knew me as a guy that was a little too lax and got into trouble too often.
I have the chance to overwrite that if I continue to change into a dependable guy, rather than move before anyone realizes I don’t know what I’m doing and haven’t made an effort to figure anything out after college.
Eve snags my focus when she tries one of her mom’s dishes and mumbles that I have to try it. I should take a page from her book. She’s starting her business and it gives me the courage to pursue my passion with the same conviction.
Before now, I thought I was playing it safe.
I think I was afraid I’d fail and go back to my old ways.
Maybe it’s the same with the impression I’ve always gotten from my old teammates, and the guys I coach now.
It’s not that they have things more together than I do because they’re not secretly struggling.
They’re the ones who have the guts to believe in themselves, win or lose.
I take hold of that drive, not only motivated for myself but to show the people in my life who matter to me what I’m truly capable of when I start to believe I’m good enough.
Later, after another round of presents and dessert, David dozes in an armchair by the fireplace with the football game muted on the TV.
Mrs. Lombard isn’t far off from napping herself, lounging on the sofa with the new book Eve gifted to her.
Benson leads me and the girls down to the finished basement.
It’s been our hangout spot for years. Some of our old posters still plaster the walls by the air hockey table, though it looks like the furniture we trash picked in middle school has been replaced and there’s a sweet mounted flatscreen.
“Why am I—?” Eve stares at the bundle of ribbons she collected from the wrappings that she carried with her. “I didn’t mean to bring this down here.”
“Are you sure you’re turning twenty-five and not ninety-five with that spotty memory of yours?” Benson teases.
“Shut up,” she says with a sigh. “I picked it up because I didn’t want to forget it, but got sidetracked. I meant to put it by the door so I’d take it for my craft supplies when I went to bed. Don’t let me leave this down here because once it’s out of sight, poof—gone.”
She shakes the ribbons to underline her point. I cover her hand with mine, ignoring the thrill contorting my stomach.
“I’ll remind you.”
“Thanks.” She looks past me at her brother. “See, that’s called being helpful and supportive. Cole’s a team player.”
He waves her off while searching for something to put on in the background. The girls pull blankets from the basket in the corner and sit on the couch.
“What else is going on this week? Feel like hitting the slopes with me?” I ask.
“I have to get back to work tomorrow. You know how it is. Eve’s party is coming up this weekend, though. You should come.” Benson gets her attention. “Cole’s invited, right? To your birthday party.”
Her giggling with Jess trails off and her gaze flicks to me in surprise. “Sure.” She lifts a brow playfully. “It’s not one of my birthday parties until you crash it.”
The corner of my mouth tugs up. When we were kids, I’d always be Benny’s guest to her parties at the skating rink or when her parents allowed each of them to bring a friend on a ski trip her family took to Vermont to celebrate her birthday.
It was a given that if he was going to be there, so would I.
“Duh, free junk food and your friends in high school were sorta cute,” Benson says.
Eve rolls her eyes while Jess snorts and pinches his arm. He grins, murmuring an apology with his hand resting over her stomach.
“Don’t be mad, baby cakes. It was all in the past before I knew you existed. You’re the only one for me.”
She groans. “I hate it when you call me that.”
“No you don’t,” he teases. “Not when I—”
She covers his mouth before he can finish his sentence. His brows bounce suggestively.
“God, you two are gross.” Eve mimes gagging. “We get it, you’re married.”
My gaze lingers on her. “I’ll be there.”
Her face flushes and she tears her attention from me, fussing with the ribbons.
Once again the thought enters my mind that this is what it would be like if I stay in Heston Lake. If I make this place my home again. The more the possibility takes shape in my head, the more I want it.