“You thought we were crazy for doing this at first,” Aiden reminds him.
Wyatt appears thoughtful. “Yeah, but then I saw you two together. It was real. So you should ignore your feelings and finding your person just because Scarlett’s dad is the coach? That’s freaking stupid.”
“I don’t know how I can thank you for what you did,” I say.
“Just don’t break this guy’s heart. That’s all I ask,” Wyatt says, his expression serious.
“I can promise you I won’t.”
“Good. Now I’ve got a gingerbread house to finish. Christine is very impressed with my decorating skills.”
“How did you learn that, anyway?” Aiden asks.
“Because you’re always watching those holiday baking shows on Food Network when we’re on the road. I must have absorbed something against my will.”
Wyatt turns and leaves the room. As soon as he shuts the door behind him, Aiden pulls me into his arms, his hands sliding around my back and drawing me into his chest. “I love you,” he says. “I love you so damn much, Scarlett.”
“I love you. You have shown me over and over what love is. What it means. I’m so lucky to call you mine.”
“I’m yours,” he murmurs, bending down closer, his lips hovering right above mine. “And I will always be yours. Happy Christmas Eve, baby. You are all I could ever want.”
Aiden breathes the words over my lips, and then he kisses me. I move my hands up his back. His tongue dances across the seam of my lips, and I open for him, kissing him slowly. Deeply.
Lovingly.
With my kiss, I let him know that I love him more than I ever thought I could love someone. But I want to say the words again.
“I love you today,” I murmur against his mouth. “Tomorrow. And forever.”
I can feel Aiden smiling against my mouth as he kisses me again. “You’re my forever,” he murmurs back.
I run my hands up to the nape of his neck, breaking the kiss and staring into the eyes of the man I’ve fallen in love with.
And I know I’ll be kissing him every Christmas Eve.
For the rest of my life.
Epilogue
October
Miami
I finish loading my camera bag, double checking to make sure I have everything I need to shoot tonight’s game. I can’t stop the butterflies in my stomach. It’s the first game of the Miami Manatees season, and I can’t wait for the puck to drop this evening.
Aiden is returning on the top line for defense, the A still on his sweater. Wyatt and Beckham are also back this year after a great playoff run last season, and some important pieces have been added over the summer to make a great team even stronger. They looked amazing in training camp and preseason games. So I can’t wait to see what this team will do this year.
I especially love the vantage point I’ll have of the Manatees as I watch this season play out.
Because tonight is my first night working as the official team photographer.
I stare down at my camera, hardly believing this is my life. How this path began last year, after Aiden encouraged me to be brave enough to chase this dream.
And I became brave enough to do it.
I leave my bag on my bed and go over to the mirror in my bathroom, staring at my reflection. I’m wearing jeans and ablack sweater—my go-to for working in the arena. I have my new team staff credential around my neck, and there’s no denying the smile that reaches my eyes tonight. This road wasn’t easy, but it was so worth it.
I started by telling my dad about my interest in shooting the Manatees. I said I was going to reach out to the communications team, show them my portfolio, and that I would happily take any freelance work that was available. When I had that meeting, I made it clear I wasn’t applying as Coach’s daughter, but asScarlett. They loved my work, and soon they were testing me on social media assignments.
