He laid his hand over my stomach, his breath tickling my neck, and I knew, without a doubt, I was home.
In the city I couldn’t wait to leave, instead I’d found my future.My family.
My purpose.
Epilogue
Ten weeks later
Luka
“Pouting isn’t becoming of a bride,” Naese said, though without his usual snicker.He’d become increasingly morose since that day he’d come over and told me a woman from his past hated him.
I glared.“Fuck off.”
“No can do, Stolly.I’m part of your wedding party.”He found his grin for a moment as he shifted closer, hand raised.“Let’s make sure you’re pretty for your pictures.”
“Touch him, and I rip off your thumb,” Cruz growled as he rose from his spot near the door.
Naese backed away.“That was viciously specific.”
“It’s his wedding day,” Cruz said as he strolled over.
I was getting married exactly one year after I’d sat down at that tiny table and stared into the thick-lensed glasses of my future bride.
I was a lucky bastard.
Cruz’s size and quietness really shouldn’t have gone together, but now I knew his secret: he took ballet.I’d gone with him a few times, so had Cormac and Maxim.That shit washard.
We’d wanted our new goalie to make it part of his daily routine, but hadn’t thought it fair to ask of him if we weren’t willing to try ourselves.At least, that’s what Cormac and Maxim had said when they shoved me into the class with Cruz and watched through the window.
Once they realized I was getting a damn good workout and was more flexible than they were, they came in and jumped all over the springboard floor.Hockey players would always be competitive, and we loved nothing more than getting the edge over our opponents.
“This is a nice place,” Maxim said, looking around.“I mean, I guess I knew Houston had good wedding venues, but I like this one.”
We were at the Bell Tower on 34th, the premier wedding spot in the city—my stipulation for waiting two months.Because we were getting married on a Wednesday night, we hadn’t had a problem with securing any of the vendors, even with such short notice.
Coach had given us Thursday off, and next week we’d start our preseason with an away game against Colorado.
“He touched my hair, didn’t he?”I asked.Grumbling, I stalked to the mirror on the opposite wall.Good.Naese hadn’t messed anything up.I’d spent way too long fixing it so it looked like I hadn’t done anything at all—just the way Millie liked it.I straightened my pale pink tie and turned to find all the guys staring at me.
“What?”I asked.
“Proud of you, man,” Cormac said, slapping my back hard enough to make me hide a wince.“You stepped up for Millie and Bree.”
“And the team,” Maxim said.
“And taking her piece-of-shit father down about seventeen pegs had to feel fantastic,” Cruz said.
“Not as good as I’d hoped.Knowing Bree’s mine and Millie will be today, though, that makes me happy.”
The guys grunted.“Fucker rolled quickly when he realized his freedom was at stake,” Maxim growled.
“Didn’t hurt that Trent turned on him as soon as he realized he was facing some pretty spectacular criminal charges,” I said.“Millie and I bought those flight attendants season tickets for life.”
“Shit, yeah,” Naese said.“I wanted in on that action.Those two were stone cold and unwavering.Still wish Trent would end up in jail, though.”
“I do, too, for Millie’s sake.But knowing her father’s being indicted on a bunch of charges for bribing that judge and lying on his taxes helps.”
