Bonus Epilogue
BONUS EPILOGUE
Our Wedding Day
“If you were going to invite everyone, why not wait and have a big wedding?” War gives me a nudge.
I can’t temper my smile as I survey the lobby of city hall. “What can I say? Hannah couldn’t wait to make me her husband.”
We had to wait the perfunctory three days for our marriage license, but like I promised, like my dream girl wants, we’re getting married at city hall.
When I zero in on her, the same damn flutters I felt when she agreed to have dinner with me ten months ago come roaring back.
She’s a week postpartum and she’s as gorgeous as ever.
She’s wearing a cream-colored sweater dress and a pair of bedazzled white boots—because she said she needed the glitter—and her hair is swept to the side in some fancy way that makes her look like she’s about to walk the red carpet at the Oscar’s.
The prettiest thing she’s wearing, though, is a smile.
She’s holding Mav in her arms and talking quietly to the girls, oblivious to just how entranced she’s got me.
Yes, we are having a simple ceremony at city hall, but every person on the list she rattled off the night I proposed is here. Ava and War will sign the marriage certificate as our witnesses, but all of our friends and family came to celebrate.
My father is chatting with Gavin and Lake just a few feet from me, and my guys stand in a loose circle with me. War, Brooks, Aiden, and Noah are here. And Camden even flew in.
Hannah insisted Beckett and his family be here as well.
It’s a family affair. Noah’s got Hannah’s computer set up so all of her brothers and stepdads can be here virtually.
“You ready to become a husband?” my sister asks as she settles her head against my shoulder.
I wrap an arm around her and press a kiss to her forehead. “Never been more ready for something in my life.”
“Not even your first hockey game in the NHL?” Millie teases, her dark, curly hair brushing my jaw.
“Not even that.” Nothing, and I mean nothing, has ever mattered the way Hannah and our son do. Hannah is everything to me. Every dream I’ve ever had will start and end with her at the forefront.
“Aw, I’m happy for you, Danny.” My sister pops up onto her toes and presses a kiss to my cheek.
The doors to the small room reserved for weddings opens, and an older man steps out. He searches the crowd and when he spots Hannah, he rightfully assumes she’s the bride. “We’re ready for you.”
I make my way over to my bride and hold out my hands so I can take Mav from her.
I want him in my arms during the ceremony because this moment is as much about him as it is about us.
I still can’t imagine that Hannah would have given me a chance if not for him.
What I do know is that I wouldn’t have stopped trying.
She sucks in an excited breath, all smiles and bright blue eyes. “Thank you for making this happen.”
I press a kiss to her lips, gently cradling our son between us. “Are you kidding? It’s probably obnoxious by now, but I’ll say it again. You are my dream come true. This is everything I’ve ever wanted.”
She cups my neck and kisses me again, deeper this time, being careful not to squish Mav.
“Come on, Playboy. Let’s get married.”
We get settled in front of the judge’s bench, both smiling like loons.
Our friends hoot and holler. Can’t take them anywhere. I love every second of it.
“It’s come to my attention that a member of your group is ordained, and he’s offered to make things a little more personal,” the judge says with a smile.
“Well, if you insist.” Beckett stands and tugs on the cuffs of his suit jacket.
“What are you doing?” Liv hisses up at him, trying to tug him back.
“Giving them a proper wedding.” Beckett straightens his tie. “They’re family, and I’m the one responsible for all of this.” He holds out an open hand, gesturing to us.
Though our friends are either chuckling or groaning at Beckett’s antics, Hannah’s blue eyes are misty and her smile is wobbly. “Thank you, Beckett.”
He strides over to her side and presses a kiss to her cheek. “You make a beautiful bride. Now, let’s get you two kids married.”
Snapshot of Daniel dipping Hannah dramatically after Beckett pronounces them husband and wife. Beckett, standing behind them, beams.
“Hey, I didn’t hear him cry.” Hannah walks into Mav’s nursery, wiping sleep from her eyes. Her pajama bottoms are askew, the waistband dipping low enough to expose the soft curve of her hips and stomach.
I lick my lips, distracted by the sight. Holding out my arm, I beckon Hannah to join us as Mav and I rock by the window. It’s become a routine for us. He loves to look out at the twinkling lights of the city, wide-eyed and awake, while the rest of Boston sleeps.
Hannah settles into the crook of my arm and kisses my bare chest. “I love when you hold him like this.”
“Shirtless?”
She smiles. “Yes. I like you naked. What can I say?”
“Our baby’s right here ,” I whisper-hiss in mock horror.
“You hungry, little guy?” She pulls him into her arms, unhooks the clasp on one side of her nursing bra, and helps our son latch on. I could watch them like this all night. Hannah was meant to be a mother. It’s wild to think that she ever worried at all.
“You should go to bed. You’ve got to travel in the morning.” She tucks her chin and smiles at our little guy. “You’re only gone a couple of days, right?”
My chest tightens. I hate leaving her. Eventually, she and Mav can come with me sometimes, but traveling with a two-month-old would be hard. I’m already itching for summer break, even though we’ve still got a lot of juice left in this season.
But the team’s chemistry is back, and we’ve got a real shot at the playoffs, so I’m doing my best to be content with the situation.
The only good news? Camden Snow is officially a Bolt again.
We got him back just before the trade deadline.
He’ll meet us in Toronto for our away game.
I can’t wait to play with him and never have to look at freaking Smiles again.
Miserable fucker that he is. Hope he enjoys New York.
He’ll fit in much better with all the assholes there.
“I’ll be back on Friday. Then you and I have plans in Bristol.” Lake and my father will keep Mav so I can take my wife on a proper date. Lake even offered to keep the little guy overnight so Hannah can actually get some rest.
Lennox has been spending a lot of time here when we’re on the road. She’s lonely without Aiden and she’s been a great help to Hannah, snuggling with Maverick and insisting she take a nap in the afternoon or get some writing done without distraction.
“Can’t wait.” Hannah looks up and smiles.
God, she’s gorgeous. I pull out my phone and snap a picture of her.
She giggles and dips her head. “You better not have gotten my boob in that.”
“Of course I did.” I snap another and smile. This image—the one of my wife gazing down at our son while she feeds him—might be my favorite picture in this album yet.
collage of pictures of Hannah feeding Mav because Daniel couldn’t pick just one
“Do you think he’s warm enough?”
I love seeing the two of them wearing matching Hall jerseys, but I worry that Mav will be cold in the arena.
Hannah rolls her eyes. “He has on a long-sleeve sleeper on under the jersey, Daniel. And he’s wearing little gloves and booties. If we add another layer, he’ll swelter.”
“But his head.” I run my hand over Maverick’s dark silky hair. So far, it looks like he might have inherited his Aunt Millie’s curls.
“Oh, I’ve got a hat for him.” Hannah reaches into the diaper bag and produces a beanie.
I recognize the blue hat immediately. Eyes narrowed, I snatch it from her hand. “No way is my son wearing that?”
“Brooks’s puck bunny,” Aiden reads from over my shoulder. “Nice!” He gives Hannah a fist bump, then grasps Mav’s wrist and bumps his hand too.
“Not nice,” I grind out. It was one thing when my wife wore it. Yes, it’s a joke between the girls, but my son is not wearing that. “Anybody have an extra toque?”
In a room full of hockey players, it’s almost a guarantee. We’re ten minutes from game time, so everyone is dressed, and Millie snuck Hannah into the locker room with Mav.
“He needed the full tour,” she told her husband, who didn’t look thrilled. He can’t really complain because he used to wear Vivi on his chest during practice.
“Oh my god. You’re ridiculous,” Hannah says on a laugh.
“The hockey man jealousy is rearing its head, huh?” my sister jokes.
Brooks ruffles my hair roughly. “Aw, let the little guy live. He looks good in my hat.”
“My hat!” Sara shouts as she appears out of nowhere. “Come on, I got one for you too, Daniel. Let’s get a family picture.”
With a sigh, I give in and let her slip it over my head. And when she insists on a picture of the three of us wearing our matching number 18 jerseys, with Brooks’s Puck Bunny hats on our heads, I oblige.
And I even smile.
Picture of the girls all wearing the hats, with Hannah and a smiling Mav in the middle
“There’s no way this is real” War eyes every person we walk by like they might recognize him. They won’t. We may be a big deal in Boston, but here at this convention, we’re nobodies.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” Sara says as she surveys the booth we’re passing. “Oh my god, that’s the girl who went viral for the way she says peanut butter.” She points at a woman who’s barely visible behind a long line of people.
“This is so weird,” Brooks grumbles. “Why are we here?”
“Because you’re all supportive friends.” Hannah loops her fingers with mine. “These guys are important to Daniel, so we’re going to support him and let him geek out over his weird daddy kink.”