I hoped I was still good at reading her because that made me fucking elated.
The group was chatting and not paying attention to us.
I leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Wanna make a baby?”
She pushed me away and gave an eye roll.
“I’m serious,” I told her with a straight face. “Do you want to get married and have babies with me?”
Her doubtful expression turned serious.
“You know you wanna…” I teased, bumping her shoulder with mine. “Or we can just have babies and forget the marriage part... but I really wanna give you a ring and my last name.”
She looked dumbstruck.
“Did you lose your mind?” She finally asked.
“I mean… my mind is probably fucked… but I do mean it. Actually, wanna be a pregster bride? Not really traditional, but it would really show everybody you’re mine,” I joked. I leaned in to whisper in her ear again, “Mine to love and protect. Forever.” I pressed a kiss into her temple. “And I kinda want to now.”
She turned her head and kissed me on the mouth.
I laughed against her lips and cringed in pain as she accidentally elbowed me in the ribs.
“Sorry!” She pulled back and looked at me. Tears were forming on her bottom eyelids as I started to move her off me.
“What are you doing?” She asked, “These are happy tears!”
“I have to get down on one knee,” I grunted.
She pulled at my arm to make me get back in the bed, but it was no use. I was already up and moving.
“Jesus. I got way more beat up for you than hockey,” I struggled. “This is gonna be kinda short, okay?”
She laughed through her tears as I bent down in front of her and took her delicate hands. I looked up at her and saw her as a stressed out, lonely teenager with a beautiful smile, a twenty-somethin excited to start life, and as the strongest, kindest mother I could ever know.
“Juju Louise, I’ve been wanting to do this for over a decade,” the truth of those words almost choked me up. “We didn’t get it right in our Gametime. But I think we were able to get it right in our Overtime. If we’re together, we’ve really won, baby. Marry me?”
She came closer to me and put both hands behind my head and kissed me. Her glassy, happy eyes looked down at me.
“Yes.”
Epilogue- TJ Vonnie
It was kind of a shocking realization that all the guys around me were starting to get married and have kids. I was one of the youngest in the group… and the only one still actually playing hockey… but still… There had been a change in a lot of the Ice League guys that I played beer hockey with all summer.
I sat back in my fancy white wooden chair and looked out around me. It really was a beautiful place to get married. I’d only ever passed though rinks in Michigan, and had never made it to what they called “up north.” They plotted a huge tent, dance floor, and a bunch of tables and chairs right at the base of a lake, and they had a gorgeous summer day. It was perfect for them. Grey had taken Jules outdoor skating up here during a tournament when they were kids I guess.
It was a pretty small wedding. Neither of them had much family. But there were a ton of hockey guys milling around with their girlfriends or dates, and pretty much a whole hockey team of little guys belonging to young families- they were probably on Grey’s team.
I peered a couple rows in front of me where I saw Max quietly burping a teeny baby boy in a onesie that had a graphic suit printed on it. Jesus. I shook my head. Max topped off his suit with a hat turned backwards. Only he would do that. Actually, I was surprised he wasn’t wearing his hockey warm-ups. For as much of a goofball he was, he was taking the dad stuff seriously. Anyone could easily tell that he loved daddy duty. He had yet to relinquish the baby to his longtime girlfriend Paige, who’s blonde head was next to his.
Grey was up front, waiting for the wedding procession to start. The only person standing next to him was Jules’ little son. The kid looked pretty spiffy in a tux with his hair gelled up. But Grey looked like the absolute man. He always did in my mind. He was my idol growing up. I was always watching Grey, Max, and Smitty as a kid. I think all of us younger players were watching them, wanting to be them.
A lot of guys around the rink thought I was Grey’s younger brother because I looked so much like him. I was just a little more Italian looking and a couple inches shorter to my disappointment. I’d only made it to 6 foot even. We had the same dark hair and trimmed beard most of the time. I shaved for the event… Grey had not. I think because his fiancé, well, I guess wife starting today, loved it. He claimed she was mad at him every time he shaved.
I took another swig of my beer. I hoped that was allowed. This was my first wedding. I looked around and realized no one else had brought their drinks to the white seats and nearly choked. Shit. I already fucked up. I doubted that Grey would notice, or care if he did, because he was so love struck by Jules. Watching them was kind of nauseating.
The music started then and everyone got to their feet. I was a second slower. I really should’ve been paying more attention.
