Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
IVY
The Stanley Cup Finals
Sixteen Months Later
“I’m so freaking nervous.”
The whole Hendrix family is with me in our box at the arena, watching Xander and his team play against Dallas. He’s been back in the game since the playoffs last year, and he’s stronger than ever.
The best part? No concussions.
But I won’t speak that out loud and chance jinxing it.
“He’s doing great,” Tucker says. He’s standing beside me. I can’t sit, so Tucker’s on one side and Easton’s on the other. Zack’s nearby too. It’s like all the brothers are hovering to make sure that I’m okay, as if Xander told them to watch over me.
Which is something he would totally do.
“He’s alert, he’s healthy, and they’re kicking ass.” Easton crosses his arms over his chest.
I look up at the jumbotron and check the score. We’re ahead by two in the middle of the third period.
I may be nervous, but I’m not freaking out, which is a huge win in itself. I’ve only had brief moments of worrying about Xander forgetting me, and when I do, he’s always there to reassure me and listen to me.
“Dada! Dada!” Belle chants, holding her arms out for Blake, who takes her from Zack and props her on his hip.
“That’s Uncle X out there,” Blake says, pointing down at the ice. “Can you wave at him?”
She’s so sweet. I honestly think she’s Xander’s favorite person in the world, maybe even rivaling me. And that’s okay because she’s the most adorable baby ever born.
We’re all smitten with her.
“Come on, ref, pull your head out of your ass!” Greg yells, startling me.
“Holy shit, you can scream,” I say in surprise.
“Only at games,” Easton says, winking at me. “It’s the only thing that riles that man up like that.”
The last part of the game goes so freaking slow and in the blink of an eye all at once. Yeah, I don’t know how that’s possible either. But finally, we’re down to the last few seconds, and the families are being called down so when they win, we can go out onto the ice to congratulate our guys.
Holy shit, he did it.
We’re a chaotic group, hugging and high-fiving, laughing and jumping, and then the buzzer sounds, and it’s even more chaos. When we’re given the all clear, we make our way out there, and Xander immediately skates our way, his face full of utter joy.
He’s breathtaking.
He makes his way through, hugging all his family. He kisses Belle on the cheek, and I admit, I’m getting pretty damn impatient because I want to tell him how amazing he is.
And finally, he makes his way to me, and I’m swept up in his sweaty, stinky, amazing arms.
“Oh my God, I love you so much,” I say as he lifts me off my feet and skates me around the rink, making the fans go crazy again. “I’m so fucking proud of you!”
“I wouldn’t be here without you, Red.” He kisses me hard, and then we’re back with the others, but something is . . . different.
They’re all smiling at me.
And now that I glance around, I see that the team has all turned our way, and they, along with their families, are smiling at me.
And then, Xander kneels, and the entire arena goes bonkers.
I cover my mouth with my hands. He’s just smiling at me because there’s no way I could hear him over the crowd anyway.
But then, Tucker passes Xander a little red box, and I squat in front of him so I can hear these important words.
“I love you, Red. I have so much to say, but for right now, in this wild moment, will you marry me?”
“Of course.” I wrap my arms around his neck as he stands, and when he places the ring that sparkles so beautifully under these lights on my finger, there is more applause, and then I’m caught up in hugs from our family, and Britney and Cooper, and the other players that I’ve come to know so well since I’ve been working for the team.
I started out two years ago with no one. I was so tired, so lonely.
And now, I’m surrounded with so much love, I wonder how I don’t explode from it.
I stand back with the family as Xander accepts the Cup, and we watch the ceremony, and I am so proud.
Xander’s wrong. He would have been here without me. But I’m so damn glad that I get to be here too. That we’re a we, and he shares his family with me.
I’m the luckiest girl in the world.