Epilogue
EPILOGUE
CONSTANCE
Ten years later
Constance stood in the grand arena, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on her chest. The air buzzed with anticipation, the murmur of conversations blending with the distant hum of cameras clicking and microphones adjusting. Bright lights illuminated the polished ice, casting long shadows that stretched toward the stands where a sea of eager faces watched.
It had taken so much to get here—endless meetings, flights that blurred together, overwhelming discussions that had left her head spinning. The sheer number of attorneys involved had been enough to make her want to scream. And yet, despite the chaos, despite the sleepless nights, and the uncertainty, they had made it.
This moment was real.
A small tug at her hand brought her back to the present.
“Mommy, I’m bored…”
She looked down at her seven-year-old son, Elliott, his golden-brown hair slightly tousled from his impatience. He had his father’s eyes—deep, warm, and full of quiet intelligence. But oh, when he got upset, that stubborn fire flared bright. Being the youngest, surrounded by older sisters, meant he had learned early how to hold his ground.
She crouched slightly, smoothing his hair with a gentle touch. “Hang on, sweetie,” she said softly, offering him a reassuring smile. “This is really important tonight—this is why you’re dressed in a suit.”
He wrinkled his nose. “It itches.”
“I know,” she cooed, adjusting his tie. “But it’s just for a little while, and then we’re heading over to Coeur’s house for a party. And because this is such a special occasion, you get to stay up late.” She tapped his nose playfully. “Now, play your game a little longer, or go talk to Matthew. Okay? But when they call your daddy’s name, I need you in the aisle immediately. Got it? Kayla is down there with both headphones in her ears. Can you tell her I said to take one out so she can hear the announcements?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled, already scooting down the row to where a dark-haired boy sat slouched in his seat, looking equally unimpressed with the proceedings.
A soft voice at her side pulled her attention back. “Are you ready for this?”
Constance turned to find Irene beside her, her expression a mix of nerves and excitement. Laurel joined them, her presence grounding, always the one to add humor when the tension ran high.
Constance let out a long breath, shaking her head. “So how bad would I be if I said I wished day-drinking was acceptable—but we can’t afford it anymore?”
The three women shared a knowing laugh.
“Are you as nervous as I am?” Constance whispered, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her dress.
“Terrified,” Irene admitted.
“This is going to be okay, right?”
“According to Keith—yes.”
“Dustin said the same,” Laurel added.
“Barrett did, too,” Irene smirked. “And then he made the attorney put it in writing.”
A beat of silence passed between them, the weight of the past ten years pressing down.
“I can’t believe this,” Constance finally said, her voice laced with awe and disbelief.
“I can’t either,” Irene agreed.
“It’s been ten years…”
“Dustin knew he wasn’t playing much longer.”
“Keith too—but they managed to squeak it out, didn’t they?”
“And now we’re on the other side of the fence…”
Irene’s gaze turned distant, her fingers tightening slightly where they rested on her arms. “It’s a whole new world.”
Constance grinned, nudging Laurel with her elbow. “Feel free to break out in song now.”
Laurel, never one to resist an opportunity for mischief, dramatically lifted her arm and opened her mouth, ready to belt out the infamous Disney tune.
Constance barely managed to grab her wrist in time, laughing. “Hang on, they’re taking photos.”
Almost on instinct, the three women linked arms, standing side by side as if they belonged here—as if they weren’t inwardly terrified by the weight of what their husbands had just done. They smiled like they didn’t have a care in the world, like their lives hadn’t just shifted into something new and uncertain.
But they knew the truth.
This wasn’t just a change. This was a legacy being built beneath their feet.
“How’s it feel to be the upper crust?” Laurel muttered between her teeth, her expression frozen in a picture-perfect smile.
“Petrifying,” Irene hissed, her lips barely moving.
“I’ve had diarrhea for three days,” Constance confessed in the same whispered manner, maintaining her flawless, camera-ready expression.
And that was it.
That was the moment they lost it.
Their carefully composed smiles shattered into wild laughter, full and unrestrained, doubling over as the cameras flashed. It was real, raw, and perfectly them.
That was the photo that made it into Sports Illustrated .Alongside that photo is a shot of three legendary hockey players holding the Stanley Cup from a decade ago when the Wolverines won their precious trophy at the end of their first season.
And now, another image—one of those same men standing on the red carpet on the ice, the team they once played for now in their hands.
Family wasn’t always blood.
Sometimes, it was friendship.
The article that accompanied the photo said it best:
Here, we have a candid moment of three friends brought together by a common bond—hockey. Their husbands, Barrett Coeur, Dustin Lafrenière, and Keith Boucher, have just purchased the Dragons, resurrecting the team name once owned by the Detroit Dragons.
When asked why Detroit, Mr. Lafrenière simply said, “It’s sentimental to my beloved wife.” Interesting side note: Mr. Lafreniere’s sister-in-law, Kendall Martin is the marketing manager for the team.
Barrett Coeur’s son, Stephen, will be playing defense this year, proudly representing the deaf community, following in the footsteps of Jim Kyte. “I want to be a role model for anyone who dreams big,” Stephen stated during his interview.
Keith Boucher’s daughter, Paige, will be wearing her father’s number for the Dragons, playing right defense, just like her father did for the Wolverines for the past ten years.
When asked who they credited for this moment, all three men gave the same answer: God, their wives, their families, and the unwavering support of their mentor and coach, Jeff Starnes, as well as the team’s owner, Alaric Finnegan.
And so, in a whirlwind of laughter, nerves, and history in the making, a new chapter begins once more.
A whole new world indeed.
Fake marriage? Check .
A job on the line? Check .
Accidentally falling for the hottest goalie in the league? … Oops ?
M atthieu Larsson wasn’t looking for a wife—just a loophole. All he had to do was technically be married to secure his dream spot on the Wolverines. Easy, right? That was before he met Jeannie.
Jeannie had no idea that standing up for herself would backfire so spectacularly. One minute, she was telling off a jerk. The next, a six-foot-something golden-haired goalie was swooping in like an avenging angel, offering her protection with a little white lie. It was all supposed to be temporary… until the truth came out.
Now, she’s playing the role of hockey’s newest wife, fielding awkward questions, dodging suspicious teammates, and realizing the biggest lie of all? She might actually like being Matthieu’s wife.
I n Pucks, Lies, and Sticktape, a fake marriage turns into real trouble when feelings get involved—because in the game of love, even the best goalies can’t always block what’s coming.