Then I turn to Stella. I pull her into my arms right there in front of him—and everyone—and dip her low, dramatic and unapologetic. I kiss her like I’ve waited my whole life to do it.
“I love you, Stella,” I say as I bring her back upright.
“My wish came true,” Aiden announces proudly.
Stella tilts her head, startled. “Your wish?”
“I wrote it on my ornament,” he explains. “I wanted you two to be together and to make each other happy.”
Her eyes shine as she drops to his level, brushing his hair back gently. “Yeah,” she says, her voice thick. “A second chance was my wish too. And it came true.”
“Mine, too.” I take both their hands in mine. And for the rest of the party, I stand proudly and protectively. I don’t step foot on the ice, and stay right here by his side.
Turns out, there’s more to my life, with people who mean the world to me, than anything that happens on the ice.
EPILOGUE: 1 YEAR LATER
STELLA
“Whoa there.What do you think you’re doing?” Eli comes flying down the stairs as if the house is on fire, bare feet pounding, hair still damp from the shower. He’d promised himself extra sleep before tonight’s game, which means something must beverywrong.
“Like my text to you said just now, I’m taking Aiden to get a haircut,” I reply calmly, sliding my purse over my shoulder. “School pictures are next week.”
Our son barely looks up from the ham sandwich he’s annihilating at the island.
“No can do, baby mama,” Eli says, planting himself squarely between me and our son, his hands also on my growing belly where our daughter is percolating. “You’d be violating the Law of the Streak.”
I blink. Then sigh. “Oh, right.”
How could I forget this law from college, the year he grew his hair out and refused to shave because the team kept winning? They won the Cup—and I won, too, when he dragged that stubble along my inner thighs like he knewexactlywhat he was doing.
“But come on,” I say. “Surely those laws don’t apply until he’s at least in juniors.”
“They fully apply to any age group,” Eli replies gravely. “You don’t fu—mess with it. His team is on a winning streak, and tonight they’re taking the big W for the season.”
The two of them fist-bump across the island.
Aiden looks up. “Yeah, Mom. You don’t fu… with it.”
I glare at him. “Two minutes ago, you probably never even heard of that law.”
“And now I have,” he says, crossing his arms. Just like Eli.
The resemblance still hits me sometimes—bone deep. Same mouth. Same stubborn chin. Pretty blue eyes that carry so much love and heart. Both with enough confidence to carry them through anything.
I shake my head, defeated. “Fine. But when he looks like a sheepdog in school photos, this is on you.”
Eli grins. “I accept full responsibility.” He steals a kiss and then dashes away.
“Well, you’re off the hook.” I wink at Aiden. “I’ll be in the office until it’s time to go to the game.”
“Good because the new Mighty Thor comic book came out. I’ll be reading in my room.”
I head down the hall to what is currently the headquarters of the foundation we run. Life looks different now, much better than a year ago, so different than how I expected things to turn out.
Aiden’s last name is now Lewis. We got it legally changed, and it’s proudly worn on his jersey for the Boulder team Elico-coaches when his schedule allows. The day we signed the paperwork to change the last name, Eli cried harder than he did the night he found out Aiden was his.
I finished my degree, and Eli also teared up the day I walked the stage for it, telling me how proud he was to see me finish something I set out to do so long ago.
