48. Forty-eight
Forty-eight
Ainsley
Three Years Later
“ C an you believe it’s finally done?” I glance around the pristine promenade leading up to the arena in awe.
Payton looks at the brand-new mountain of glass and steel that is Olympus Arena, the new sports complex in downtown where the Atlanta Hydras will take the ice for the first time in their inaugural season. The project took years and millions of dollars to bring to fruition, but here it is in all its glory, people streaming in by the thousands to see our team.
“It’s surreal, but I’m relieved the construction phase is done and we just have the team ownership to look forward to now,” he replies, tucking me into his side as we enter a side door where security knows us by sight and usher us in quickly.
We head down a hallway toward the ice where we meet up with Hayes, Paige, Zander, Harlowe, and all the kids. Madelyn and Hana, both three, look freaking adorable bundled up in matching navy sweatshirts with the Hydras venom green logo on their chests, navy headbands holding back their hair. They’re giggling together next to Hendricks. He’s in a personalized Hydras jersey with Olsen and the number seven, his age, on the back. He’s such a good kid, holding the girls’ hands in his.
Zander waves. “Hey, blondie. Whoa there, buddy.” His attention is quickly diverted to his two-year-old son, Axel, who's nonstop adrenaline and climbing the boards that separate us from the ice.
He captures the tiny terror in his arms and blows a raspberry on his tummy, causing the cute kid to giggle. That child is just like his father, looking for anything dangerous he can get into, giving his parents heart attacks regularly.
Harlowe sees me watching Zander and Axel. “Hey, girl. The offer to babysit still stands.” She gives me a wicked grin, knowing I’ll outright refuse every time because Axel scares the shit out of me. I don’t want to take a kid to the emergency room with a split lip, or worse, because that’s what Axel does. He’s already had stitches in his chin and he’s barely two.
She’s holding her nine-month-old, Everly, the cuddliest, sweetest baby who sleeps most of the time. I joke that this was Harlowe’s gift for having to deal with the hellion that is Axel. Ever’s wearing a large bow on her head of dark hair, but her big gray eyes that match all her siblings blink sleepily at me when I hug Harlowe and kiss the baby’s head. If all infants were as calm and lovely as Ever, I’d possibly consider my own. How Zander and Harlowe have four kids, three of them under three, is crazy to me .
Paige greets me with a hug, tugging at my jersey. “This is cute! I love it.”
“Thanks! I like your outfit. I’ll need to find one of those sweatshirts for another game.”
She went with one of the team’s classic crewnecks with a logo that looks like it’s for a country club. She’s perfectly preppy and so very Paige.
Hayes comes up behind her, one arm wrapping around her shoulders and bringing her close while he holds their one-year-old son, Zachary, in his other arm. Zachary looks like his older sister, Maddy, with bright green eyes and dark hair, but he has his father’s intimidating scowl, whereas Maddy is angelic like her mama. I’m not fooled by it and come in close to tickle him, smiling as he erupts into giggles and squirms.
“Only you can get a full laugh like that. He’s more reserved with everyone else,” Hayes remarks, bouncing Zachary in his arm as the little boy ducks his face against his father’s shoulder.
“We had a moment when I changed his diaper and he peed on me. I freaked out and tried to get the new diaper on him, tickling him in the process as I made all sorts of noise, and he started giggling. It made me laugh and that kept him going. We've bonded through a diaper change, unfortunately,” I explain, reaching out and brushing Zachary’s cheek, making him smile.
“Be careful, Pay, this little guy is gonna steal your girl if you’re not careful.” Hayes raises his eyebrows at Payton, who puts his arms around me and pulls me against his chest.
“I’ve got at least seventeen years until that kid is legal. I’m not worried.” He kisses the top of my head and I melt against him.
“You might hear yourself called daddy sooner than that if she ends up with baby fever, though,” Paige adds, winking at me.
I laugh. “I’m the only one who gets to call him Daddy. No babies necessary.” I look up at Payton and he smiles proudly, reveling in my not-so-subtle acknowledgment of our dynamic.
“And it’ll stay that way as long as you want it to, Princess.” He traces the day collar necklace I still wear as he kisses me and gets groans from both of his brothers while Harlowe and Paige melt.
“You can talk about your kinky sex life all you want, just keep it PG in front of the kids,” Zander says, holding Axel upside down over his shoulder as the toddler squirms. “Who knows, it might lead to another little one for us if it’s hot enough.” He pulls Harlowe in with his other arm and squeezes her ass.
Harlowe tips her head back and bellows a laugh, not at all embarrassed by her husband’s overt sexuality. They’re very open about their active sex life, whereas I tend to be very private and why I may have shocked them just now with my D addy comment. It’s taken years, but I’m opening up more with Payton’s family.
The overhead lights dim and the spotlights start up a crazy dance as music booms over the speakers. The pre-game activities are starting. The Olsens, as the owners of the team, will play a role in the opening ceremony, and as the family, we get to join them. Harlowe and Paige open their bags to pull out ear muffs for the little kids, with only Axel fighting the hearing protection, as expected. Nothing is easy with that child. He makes everything a war. When Harlowe hands him a pack of fruit snacks, he finally stops fighting and forgets the earwear.
The door to the ice is opened and a carpet is rolled out to make it easy for the guys in their suits and leather shoes to walk on the slippery surface. The NHL commissioner, the team general manager, the coach, and the brothers, all walk onto the ice as the full team skates into place behind them. They welcome the fans to Olympus Arena, thank them for supporting the Hydras in their first season, and the commissioner officially recognizes the team as part of the NHL.
The GM, coach, and commissioner leave the ice, and we’re beckoned on with the kids. I walk out between Harlowe and Paige, amidst the crowd of kids, feeling like part of a family. They set up the goal with our new goalie, Ryder Kingston, set to block the first shots that we get to shoot as the owners and family. The kids get to go first, and it’s adorable to see them using mini sticks to shoot pucks at Ryder, who kindly lets them score.
When it’s Axel’s turn, he pushes the puck toward the goal and lets out a blood-curdling war cry as he throws the stick like a spear at Ryder, who uses his blocker to bat it away. Axel kicks the puck between Ryder’s legs into the goal, then launches himself at Ryder’s legs, clinging to his pads like a monkey as he howls in triumph.
The crowd erupts into cheers and laughter as Zander hurries across the ice to pull his deviant of a child off the unsuspecting goalie, who’s trying to shake the kid off gently. Zander manages to unlatch Axel from Ryder’s pads and they both laugh about it as Zander once again throws the toddler over his shoulder where he’ll be out of trouble.
The brothers get to take their shots next, and Ryder easily blocks Zander’s attempt in retribution for his child’s recent attack. Hayes takes it a little too seriously, squaring up with the massive goalie and shooting the puck like he’s been practicing but still not making it past Ryder. I’m laughing along with the girls when Ryder skates out of the goal and hands me his stick.
I take it, confused. This wasn’t part of the plans we’d discussed. “What are you doing?” I’ve met all the players briefly but don’t know Ryder well.
He lifts his mask. “Everyone’s thinking that the Olsens aren’t making their shots because I’m in the net. I think you need to give your man hell and stand in for me. Show all these fansit’s not who’s in the net that matters, it’s their poor shooting skills keeping them from scoring.” He winks at me and puts his blocker on my other hand and pushes me toward the goal. He flips a puck to Payton and skates after me, positioning me in the net and showing me how to stand and where to put the stick.
When he moves to the back of the net and clears my vision, Payton is facing me about fifteen feet away, holding a stick like it’s the most natural thing in the world while I feel like this is the most awkward thing I’ve ever experienced. The blocker on my arm is warm and heavy, and the stick’s too big for my hand.
And everyone is watching me. Oh, God, this is so embarrassing. My face is on fire and my knees are shaking. But I want to prove that Payton ain’t shit when it comes to hockey and I can block his shot. I tap the stick on the ice and poke my tongue out at him. He throws his head back and laughs, taking his position and slapping the puck so it slides toward me.
Immediately, I notice something’s off about the puck. It slowly slides toward me, and I stop it with the stick, dropping the blocker so I can pick it up. There’s silver writing on the black puck that says look up, Princess , with a circle drawn in the middle with stars around it.
The crowd is screaming when I drop the stick and look up. Payton’s there, on his knees in front of me, taking the puck from my hand so he can hold my fingers. “Breathe, baby,” he coaxes, and I realize I haven’t taken a breath since I realized something was off .
“What’s happening?” I ask, though I’m pretty sure I know exactly what’s going on. When he speaks, I realize he’s been given a microphone and the whole arena can hear his words.
“Ainsley Montgomery, I’ve been yours since the moment you snarled at me for stopping you from ruining a perfectly good computer in the most heinous café. We’ve spent three amazing years together, but a lifetime with you wouldn’t be enough. I’m so deeply in love with you I’ll never be the same. I’ll be yours until the oceans swallow the earth and then you’ll still be the moon that controls my tides. Life has been so incredibly good with you, but I want it to be even more amazing, and the only way I see that happening is by you becoming my wife and making me the happiest man alive.”
He pauses to pull out a velvet box and opens it to reveal a stunning diamond ring that has me gasping. Hot tears spill down my cheeks as he looks up at me with such ardent devotion and affection.
“Ainsley, my sassy Spitfire, beautiful Princess, and love of my life, will you marry me?”
No other answer even crosses my mind. “Yes.” I quietly tack on Daddy after, just for him to hear.
I throw myself into his arms as his face splits into the stupid grin I love so much. He catches me but goes sprawling out on the ice as I cover his face with kisses and my happy tears. He holds me tight and murmurs into my hair until I stop crying. He sits us up, takes my left hand, and slides the beautiful ring onto my finger.
“How about we get off this cold ice and I take you up to our suite to enjoy the rest of our night?”
I sit up, pulling on his arm to bring him with me, and we return to our family, who are beaming at us. Payton pulls a mic out of his collar and hands it to one of the arena employees as we leave the ice. Paige and Harlowe pull me in for hugs while Hayes and Zander pound Payton on the back. My hand is stretched out to show off the ring and I get to admire the details along with everyone else.
It’s stunning and so perfect. The large, pear-shaped diamond is the prettiest, delicate blush pink, haloed by round white diamonds, on a platinum band studded with pave diamonds. It’s elegant and graceful and fits me perfectly.
We troop up to the family box, but Payton pulls on my hand to keep me from going inside with the rest. “We have our own box. I have plans for you.”