31. Epilogue
Epilogue
Nila
One year later...
“Okay, so I don’t get this whole after the after-party thing,” Brittany hums as I carefully paint the red lipstick onto my lips. “We already had a party, and now we’re having another party?”
I giggle, shaking my head at my best friend. “Well, the team likes to have a lot of get-togethers, but in their defense, this one is private. No photographers or anything like that.”
“And it’s at Cam’s.” Brittany eyes me. “That’s kind of different.”
I shrug. “I don’t know, I guess.” I finish fluffing my hair and lean back from the mirror. As much as I love Atlanta, the humidity hates my hair. That being said, it’s reigned in tonight with the help of Brittany. Somehow, even after I moved to Atlanta six months ago, we’ve managed to stay best friends despite the distance between us.
Though it might have something to do with Garrett jetting her here whenever she wants to visit. He’s still as busy as ever with his business, but the two of them are inseparable—which is why I hear him clear his throat on the other side of the door.
“Are you guys ready yet?” he calls out, exhaling a sharp breath. “Everyone’s going to be wondering where we are.”
Brittany rolls her eyes. “You know, for as high maintenance as he is, he has no patience for us getting ready. But then again, I guess we have taken a little longer than usual.”
“I’m trying to look my best,” I tell her, my cheeks flushing with heat. “This is the end of the season, and I keep hoping...”
She cocks a brow at me. “Keep hoping that Mr. Hastens will up his game and propose?”
“Something like that,” I admit, my eyes dropping to the black knit skirt I have on with my matching blue tank top. It’s the team colors, and I’ve grown accustomed to wearing them. A lot.
“Have you been hinting at it?” She eyes me. “I hint to Garrett all the time. I keep waiting for him to put a ring on it. My ovaries are going to shrivel up and die if I don’t get with the program.”
I burst into a fit of laughter, shaking my head. “You’re only thirty-one, Britt. You’re going to be just fine. Take a deep breath. Besides, aren’t you two headed to Aruba next month? ”
“We go on trips all the time.” She sighs. “I don’t put any stock into them.”
“Well, maybe you should.” I wiggle my brows at her, and she grins.
The truth is, I know something she doesn’t know. Because it took a two-hour FaceTime session with Garrett before he was able to pick out the perfect ring for Brittany. That’s how he is, meticulous in all stages of his planning.
And it’s exhausting.
I’m glad Cam is more of a go-with-the-flow kind of man. I might lose my mind if we had to detail every little thing about our relationship.
“You look hot.” Brittany beams as her blue eyes rake over me. “Are you ready to do this?”
“I suppose so.” I giggle, giving her a funny look. “Let’s go.”
We exit out of the apartment bedroom and are greeted by a pacing Garrett. “What took you guys so long? Cam has already texted me three times trying to figure out when we’re going to show up.”
“Relax,” I dismiss him as I pad over to the entryway closet to dig out a pair of my black Jimmy Choos. “It’s just a small get-together. It’s not a big deal at all. If we’re fashionably late, they won’t care. Besides, if I showed up early, they might worry about my well-being.”
Brittany snorts from behind me. “The life of a pampered NHL girlfriend. ”
“Says the pampered girlfriend of a billionaire businessman.”
Brittany giggles and reaches for her purse from the arm of the couch. “I seriously can’t believe how much has changed for us in the last year.”
“Someone is feeling nostalgic,” Garrett muses, sliding his arm around her waist and planting a kiss on her temple. “I kind of like it.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “I have to admit that when I think back to where we were a year ago, it’s hard to believe where we are now. It’s nice though. It’s nice to have friends that feel like family.”
“We are family.” Brittany gives me a soft smile. “And I like it.”
“Me, too.” I return the smile and lead the way to the front door of my apartment. My lease will be up in six months, and I won’t lie, I’m tempted to bring up the conversation with Cam—just to see where his head is at when it comes to us. I don’t know that I would’ve married him right off the bat, but it didn’t take me long to realize that it was meant to be between us.
And I’ve never second-guessed it since.
Cam is the most amazing man I’ve ever known. Not only is he a wonderful partner, but he’s incredibly supportive. My career is absolutely thriving. And thanks to Cam’s positive influence on my life, I’ve gotten much better at balancing and making time for the things that truly matter. It also helps that the majority of my work can be done remotely from anywhere .
I hold onto the railing as I descend the steps, Garrett’s rented Mercedes parked right out front of my place. Atlanta feels a lot like home now, though I have to admit, I’m pretty sure it has a lot more to do with Cam than anything else.
I can go anywhere with him, and I still feel like I’m home.
“I’ll ride in the back,” I say to the two of them behind me. They’re talking in low voices. I raise an eyebrow at the couple. “Did you hear me?”
Brittany whips her head in my direction. “Um, yeah. Of course, sorry. I was just trying to figure out the directions to Cam’s from here.”
I make a funny face at her. “You act like we haven’t made the drive a hundred times.”
She smiles, a strange twinkle in her eye. “Well, tonight just feels a little different.”
I mull the thought over and then shrug it off. All I know is that I’ve got a feeling in my stomach that it’s going to be a good night.
Camero n
“My hands are sweating so bad.” I groan, pacing the floor of my bedroom. “What if she doesn’t like this? What if she says no? What if it’s not romantic enough?”
“Dude, you hired her favorite band. There are fireworks. The backyard looks like an entirely different place.” Kade places both hands on my shoulders. “You got this.”
I nod. “You’re right. It just seems like I don’t.”
“But you do,” Dad says, leaning against the wall. “She’s going to say yes. She’s going to love it—and we’re going to all laugh about this moment at your wedding.”
“Everyone gets this nervous proposing,” Dylan adds, folding his arms across his chest. “Not that I know from personal experience, but yeah.”
My gaze darts over to him, scrutinizing the look on his face. “If you say so.” He’s been different lately. Maybe even a little elusive. I’m pretty sure there’s a girl involved. I just don’t know who—yet .
“Are we ready?” Blaze peeks in, looking as dapper as ever in his black pants and dress shirt. The way he’s dressed would make someone think he is the one proposing. But I don’t think that’s the case. I think he’s just spent a lot of time with Addy’s upper-crust family lately.
“When are they supposed to be here?” Kade asks. “We should probably go ahead and get in place. I mean, we all know the three of them are naturally late ... to everything. But still. ”
“Right, yeah. We should go.” I nod, heading for the bedroom door. My knees feel weak, and the ring in my pocket feels like it’s burning a hole in my leg. I’ve had the ring since our three-month anniversary, but I wanted to wait until tonight.
Tonight marks one year since she showed up to the game with the cute sign.
It marks one year of her really being mine.
I lead the way through the dark house to the French doors. I open them, content with what I see. The band is already preparing to play, and there are lights that lead to the waterfall at the end of the pool. It looks perfect. Everyone is here, standing around and sipping their drinks.
It’s going to be a great night. She’s going to say yes.
I make my way to the front. If someone didn’t know better, they might think this is a wedding, and that’s kind of worrisome. I don’t want her to think that I’m skipping the proposal—though I’m not so sure she’d care.
I know she’s been talking to Brittany about it. Garrett and Brittany helped me set this entire plan into motion. They know what’s coming, and Brittany knew she was supposed to take longer than normal to get ready to show up to this thing.
I just hope she didn’t let it slip.
Those two tell each other everything .
“They’re here!” Addy shouts, jumping up and down. Her voice is laced with excitement from where she stands beside Blaze, and the two of them exchange a look that I don’t understand. They’re different. That’s for sure.
I look over to the band, who are watching the door. They know the drill. They’re going to start playing our song the moment she steps through.
My heart is pounding in my chest. I’m more nervous than ever before.
Playoffs have nothing on this.
I run my tongue along my bottom lip, my eyes fixated on the doors. I think I might pass out as I see it slowly pull inward and out steps my girl—my breathtaking, incredible girl. Her eyes widen as the band starts to play, and she searches the crowd before landing on me.
Her cheeks flush under the string lights as she makes her way toward me, the first verse of our song playing in the background.
It took a lot of bribery to get them here. But it was worth it based on the smile stretching across her face as she walks to me.
“Hey.” I grab her hand and give it a squeeze.
“What kind of party is this?” she asks me, her voice wavering with nerves.
I swallow hard and go down on one knee, pulling the square-cut diamond ring from my pocket. “Our engagement party.” Tears fill her eyes as I continue. “Nila Christianson, you’ve been everything to me from the moment I met you, and if I could go back and do life all over again, I somehow would’ve found you and made you mine sooner. However, I’m truly grateful that you’re here now. That we’re us. There’s no one I’d rather spend the rest of my life with, build a family with, and grow old with. I love you more than life itself. Will you marry me?”
Tears spill down her cheeks as she nods her head. “Of course. I can’t imagine doing this life with anyone else.”
I choke back my own tears and stand to my feet, sliding the ring onto her left finger. I lean in and give her a soft kiss, wrapping her up in my arms as the crowd cheers around us. She hugs me back even tighter as she breaks into a full-blown sob.
“Are you okay?” I murmur into her ear as she buries her face in my chest. I know she said yes, but I also know there’s grief in these big life moments—especially as they happen without the people we love.
She tilts her head back just enough to catch my eye. “Cam...” Her voice trails off as she sniffles. “I have never been so happy in my entire life, and to be honest, it’s all thanks to you. I know your mom and my gran are looking down at us and cheering. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”