“Okay, fine. I’ll have coffee with you. Sheesh.” She chuckles and gives in. “But it’ll be a cup for old times’ sake only. About the past… I don’t see what more we need to talk about.”
“I have a feeling there’s more to our breakup than you let on. Seriously, you came at me with that out of the blue when I thought things were pretty awesome between us. I thought we had a future?—”
“Do you want an apology?”
“Sure, if you’re offering.”
“And that’sallyou want?” Her eyes lock with mine across the darkness of the car, lingering several seconds before she flutters her lashes and glances away.
“What do you think?” I load that with meaning.
“I have a son now, Eli.”
“I’ve met him. He’s pretty awesome. Wish he were mine.”
“What? If he had been, there was no way you would have been able to be a father, heading into the hockey league at twenty-two.”
“I’d have been there for you and Aiden. Every damn time. More than Jerrod.” One hundred percent better than that fucker Jerrod.
“You don’t know how he was with his son.”
“He’s not here now, and that’s all I need to know.”
“Stop.”
“I won’t. Because I think we took a wrong turn years ago. It should have been you and me together all these years, raising a family, and staying together.”
“No, I mean stop. You passed my car back there.”
“Oh. Right.” Fucking small town. The drive ended right when we were getting somewhere. I doubled back, and she jumpedout, tossing a quick ‘thanks again’ back at me. Of course, I followed her home to make sure she made it safely.
In the alley at the shop, I park next to her and quickly hop out. “Look, I don’t mean to pressure you. But don’t you see that we have a chance here again?” I meet her between our cars.
“To do what? Be one big happy family?”
“Why not? We’re two people with a shared past who went their separate ways. Now, here we are. Both divorced. Available. Living in the same area. Something good could come out of it.”
She tilts her head, and the dim light on the back of the building hints at the auburn in her hair. But I can see her eyes this close; she’s searching my face for answers.
Fuck it. I reach up and brush her hair back behind her ears, and cup her cheeks. Her breath hitches and she’s hardly breathing at all while I lift her face to meet mine.
“All I’m asking for is a chance. Do you think you could open yourself up to see what’s possible?”
“Maybe,” she croaks. Her eyes flick to my lips, and she licks hers.
The air between us charges, buzzing through my body. I’m so close, I could kiss her, steal any remaining breath out of her lungs. But I don’t. Instead, I bring her into my arms, fitting her under my chin. My eyes squeeze shut as I breathe her in; our bodies meld together like they always did, saying hello to each other at last. Yeah. This feels so fucking right, exactly where I want to be.
“Thank you for tonight,” she finally admits, softer and sweeter than she has been. “For everything today. The car. Taking Aiden with you. Giving me time to study. I’m not used to people doing things for me.”
That landed harder than I expected.
“Get used to it, because I’m here.” I let her go and I lean back against my van, shoving my hands into my pockets to keep from claiming her lips. “You’re not alone anymore, Stella.”
Her gaze lifts to mine, guarded again. Her walls aren’t entirely down yet, but I’d say there’s a window in the wall that’s been cracked open.
At the top of the stairs, Aiden opens the door and calls, “Good night, Coach Eli!”
“Night, buddy. See you at class.”
