Icing the Grump (Ice Hearts)

Epilogue - Six Months Later

Chase

I adjusted my bow tie for the hundredth time, nerves fluttering in my stomach. It was ridiculous, really. I'd faced down the toughest enforcers in the league without breaking a sweat. But the thought of walking into this gala with Trinity on my arm had me more worked up than any playoff game ever had.

"Would you stop fidgeting?" Trinity's voice came from behind me, warm with amusement. "You look perfect."

I turned, and my breath caught in my throat. Trinity stood there in a deep blue gown that hugged her curves in all the right places, her hair swept up in an elegant updo. She was breathtaking.

"Wow," I managed, drinking in the sight of her. "You look incredible."

Trinity smiled, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "You clean up pretty well yourself, Callahan."

I crossed the room in two strides, pulling her close. "You sure you want to do this? We could always stay in, order pizza, watch a movie..."

She laughed, swatting my chest playfully. "Nice try, but no. This is your night, Chase. The whole team will be there to celebrate your comeback season. And I want to be right there beside you."

I kissed her softly, marveling at how lucky I was. The past six months hadn't been easy. We'd faced scrutiny from the media, raised eyebrows from colleagues, and more than a few heated discussions about maintaining professional boundaries. But we'd weathered it all together, growing stronger with each challenge.

"I love you," I murmured against her lips. "You know that, right?"

Trinity smiled, her eyes shining with emotion. "I love you too. Now come on, superstar. Let's go show them how it's done."

As we walked into the gala, hand in hand, I felt a surge of pride. Not just for my accomplishments on the ice, though those were considerable. But for the woman beside me, for the life we were building together.

The room was a sea of designer gowns and tuxedos, the cream of the hockey world mingling with celebrities and bigwigs. But I only had eyes for Trinity.

"Chase! Trinity!" A familiar voice called out. We turned to see Mike approaching, a grin on his face. "About damn time you two showed up."

I laughed, clapping my teammate on the shoulder. "Some of us like to make an entrance, Roberts."

Mike rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't forget who had to listen to you pine over this one for months." He winked at Trinity, who laughed.

"Don't worry, Mike," she said, squeezing my hand. "I'll make sure he remembers who his real MVP is."

As the night wore on, I found myself constantly amazed by Trinity. She charmed my teammates, held her own in discussions with team owners and league officials, and never once let go of my hand. It was like she belonged here, in this world that had been mine alone for so long.

"Dance with me?" I murmured in her ear as the band struck up a slow song.

Trinity smiled up at me, her eyes sparkling. "I thought you'd never ask."

I led her to the dance floor, pulling her close as we swayed to the music. "You know," I said softly, "a year ago, I never would have believed this was possible. Being back on the ice, playing better than ever, and having you by my side through it all."

Trinity rested her head on my chest, and I could feel her smile against my jacket. "Funny how things work out, isn't it? Who would have thought that grumpy patient who stormed out of my office would end up being the love of my life?"

I chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I think you knew. Deep down, you saw right through me from the start."

She looked up at me, her expression soft and full of love. "Maybe I did. Or maybe we just needed each other, in ways we didn't even realize."

As the song ended, I pulled Trinity closer, not ready to let her go just yet. "Thank you," I whispered.

She tilted her head, a question in her eyes. "For what?"

"For believing in me. For pushing me to be better. For loving me, even when I was being an idiot." I brushed a strand of hair from her face, marveling at how beautiful she was. "For everything."

Trinity stood her toes, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. "Always," she murmured. "We're in this together, remember?"

As we made our way back to our table, hand in hand, I couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man in the world. My career was back on track, better than ever. But more importantly, I had found something I never even knew I was missing.

I had found my home. And her name was Trinity Owen.