Chapter 21
It took nearly an hour to get through introductions to Maddie’s family, her friend Monique, and a handful of friends Jamie had thoughtfully flown out. Then they had a magnificent dinner while Garrett answered what felt like a thousand questions from everyone about what they were going to do, where they were going to live, what was going to happen next. He didn’t mind—it was kind of fun—but it was a little overwhelming too. He’d been putting on a strong front because she needed him to, but part of him was just as scared as she was. He didn’t believe they’d made a mistake, but they definitely had a rough road ahead of them. He wasn’t na?ve enough to believe love could conquer everything, even though it came pretty close, but there would be tough days ahead. If and when his NHL career ended, he was going to lose a part of himself too, and he hoped Maddie would understand he’d need time to mourn .
Staring at her across the room where she was now sitting and laughing with Monique and her mother, he couldn’t help but smile; he loved seeing her happy. She’d been right about her family too—they’d accepted him with open arms. No one had asked any uncomfortable questions except the usual silliness about when they were having kids, and the homophobic slur incident never came up. He wondered if that had been Jamie’s doing or if they were giving him a break because technically this was their wedding .
“Excuse me.” Jamie stood up clinking a spoon on his wine glass. “I have a toast for the happy couple .”
A waiter carried in a small wedding cake and another walked around refilling wine and champagne glasses .
“A few days ago, I got a call from my sister. She sounded a little weird and blurted out that she needed to borrow money. To buy a bike . So she could train for a triathlon.” He paused as several people turned to stare at Maddie. “Now, in case you didn’t know, Maddie and I are close. Mom and Dad could barely wait six weeks after I was born to get knocked up again and Maddie came along about ten and a half months after me !”
“Jamie!” His mother threw a napkin at him, but she was laughing .
“So Maddie and I are almost twins—we look alike, we’re built alike, and we’re both really athletic. Somewhere along the way… I became the big hockey star and Maddie went to college. I was so wrapped up in my career that I kind of forgot that one of the reasons I have such an accurate shot is because she and I used to practice that. Together . Before school. After school. On weekends .
“When I started getting attention from scouts, she’d take a bus to wherever I was playing and take notes so I knew what to work on. Maddie would get out on the ice and show me what I was doing wrong to help me become the player I was— am .” He coughed slightly at the correction; the doctors still didn’t know if he would play again after all his injuries. “But I never thought to ask what I could help her with…and I’m sorry, Maddie.” He met his sister’s gaze. “That was wrong. I love you and think you’re amazing. Even though you’re married now, I’m still buying you that triathlon bike and I will run, swim and bike with you every moment I possibly can either until the race or when I’m back on the ice. Deal ?”
She nodded tearfully, holding up her glass .
“And then she called me again.” He paused to look at Hawk this time. “To tell me this crazy story about gangbangers shooting at her and some guy with a mohawk saving her life…and I thought, who the hell is this guy and what the hell is going on over there in freakin’ Honolulu ?!”
Everyone laughed .
“You were my teammate, Hawk, and my friend. Now you’re my brother. I’m not going to bother telling you to take care of her because you will. And in return, I have a wedding present for you.” He nodded at someone off to the side and one wall of the tent turned into a projector screen. A video came on showing a room full of reporters and an empty podium. Suddenly Roger Culkin entered the room with what looked like his lawyer. He walked to the podium and cleared his throat before he began to speak .
“My name is Roger Culkin and I’m here today to set the record straight about what happened on Thursday, the seventeenth of October, in Tampa. During the game, I was hit from behind, pushed face first into the boards by Evgeni Barkonov. Whether it was done intentionally I don’t know, but at the time I was mad. I lost my temper and said something I never should have said—something racist, homophobic and mean-spirited. The words came out in a fit of rage. I didn’t even realize I’d done it until the linesman sent my teammate Garrett Hawkins off the ice. At the time, I was only thinking about the game and myself. It didn’t occur to me that Hawk was taking the fall for me, that he would be fined by the league, suspended five games and have his reputation slung through the mud. I didn’t think about any of that until I saw some stuff online the other day. I wasn’t sure what to do, who to tell, so I didn’t say anything. Then I heard through the grapevine that his girlfriend was being hounded by the press and she was also the sister of one of our former teammates… based on the history between us, I knew I couldn’t stay quiet anymore .
“I’m here tonight to clear the air. I’m responsible for what was said—not Hawk. He didn’t even skate into the fray until I was done running my mouth. I’m asking the league to find other tapes, other angles, so they can verify that it wasn’t him. I’m taking full responsibility for what happened and I want to apologize to Hawk, his girlfriend, Madison, and to her brother, Jamie Teller. I don’t know what came over me, but it’s not what’s in my heart or what I meant …”
Jamie made a motion and someone turned the video off. He turned to Hawk and smiled. “Welcome to the family, bro .”
Maddie was crying again, running to throw her arms around her brother and Hawk got up to join her. He waited until she’d stopped crying and then wrapped his arms around both her and his new brother-in- law .
“How the hell did you manage that?” he whispered in his ear .
Jamie just winked .
T hey drank and danced late into the night. Hawk had never been so in tune with a woman or so easily accepted into a family. Holding his wife in his arms as he drank and joked with her two brothers and brother-in-law was as easy as anything he’d ever done and he truly didn’t want this night to end, for these people to leave. Though they were family now, it was a special evening with special people, and nights with this kind of magic didn’t happen that often .
When Maddie moved off to sit and chat with her parents, he joined Jamie and Viggo at the bar .
“You appear to have made my sister happy,” Jamie said, grinning .
“That’s my plan,” he said, getting a beer from the bartender .
“We eloped too,” Viggo said, “but you guys wasted no time. This happened quickly. Do you actually have a plan for when you get home ?”
“We’ve got a plan for the next two weeks,” Hawk admitted. “After that, we’ll have to reassess. If it was up to me, she’d quit her job and move to Ottawa immediately, but she’s got to tie up her life in Toronto first, and I’ll be on the road quite a bit coming up .”
“Anything I can do to help,” Jamie offered. “I’m not playing right now, so if you need anything at all, just let me know .”
“I appreciate that. I can’t think of anything offhand, but if I do, we’ll ask. I want this to be as easy as possible for her and I hope… well, I hope she’s accepted into the fold back in Ottawa .”
“It’s not going to be easy for her,” Jamie said. “I never really got to know any of the wives and girlfriends when I was there, so it’s going to be up to you to help her get used to life as a hockey wife .”
“I’ll do whatever I can.” He cleared his throat. “And Jamie, seriously, I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you for what you did for me, how you got Culkin to admit the truth .”
“I didn’t do it for you.” Jamie looked at him with the same big brown eyes as his sister. “I did it for her . You get one chance with this, with us . If you hurt her, you won’t get another .”
“That’s irrelevant,” Hawk said firmly. “There’s nothing on this earth that would make me hurt her .”
“Then you have nothing to worry about.” Jamie draped an arm across his shoulder. “Except how many shots we’re going to do before you head off to your wedding night .”
“No bachelor party, so we’ll have to do this the hard way,” Viggo laughed, motioning to the bartender .
“Bring it,” Hawk grinned. “Pretty sure I can drink my new brothers-in-law under the table .”
“He doesn’t know me,” Viggo chortled, shaking his head .
M uch later, as Garrett and Maddie walked to their new suite on the top floor of the main building of the resort, she squeezed his hand. A breeze was blowing, bathing them in salty air and the scent of the ocean. Waves crashed lightly on the shore in the background, a romantic backdrop to one of the best nights of her life. This entire night had been perfect and she was a little sad to see it end. However, there was one thing still missing .
“I have a bone to pick with you, Mr. Hawkins.” She glanced up at him .
He looked down. “Already? Have we even been married a day yet ?”
“Yup. It’s been thirty-three hours, forty-one minutes and…” She glanced at her phone. “Aw, crap, this doesn’t tell me how many seconds .”
He laughed. “What’s up, baby ?”
She held out her left hand and wiggled her fingers. “I still do not have a wedding ring. What’s up with that ?”
“We haven’t had a whole lot of time, you know ?”
“Am I gonna get one ?”
“Absolutely. As soon as we move you out of Toronto, move you to Ottawa, the team isn’t on a road trip, and I have a day off .”
She wrinkled her nose. “So…next summer ?”
“Sooner than that. I promise.” He leaned over to kiss her. “Much sooner .”
“Garrett?”
“Yeah, babe ?”
She stopped walking and turned to face him. “Are we crazy ?”
“Absolutely. Crazy in love… Crazy about each other… What else do we need ?”
“Nothing,” she replied after a moment, looking deep into his eyes. “It’s kind of funny, but I can’t think of a single thing I need other than you .”
“Still scared ?”
She shook her head. “No. You ?”
“Nope. I got my girl, my career and a wonderful new family—that’s more than I deserve .”
“I’m really glad you saved me a week ago .”
“I’m really glad you married me yesterday.” He brought his fingers to her cheeks. “Are you ready for forever ?”
“With you? I’m ready for anything .”
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