"Deal." His lips find mine in another kiss. "I love you, Mia Harper."
"I love you too, Ryder Scott."
We fall back onto his tiny twin bed, laughing as we struggle to fit our adult bodies onto the mattress where we first discovered what love felt like.
It's cramped and uncomfortable and absolutely perfect.
Just like us.
Epilogue
Ryder
Nine Months Later
The sound of skates carving fresh ice echoes through The Nest as I finish my final lap of practice. Six months married, and I still get that same rush when I spot Mia's new truck in the arena parking lot through the glass walls.
The shiny black Ford F-150 with "TAILS & PAWS RESCUE" emblazoned across the side in bold green lettering is a far cry from her old Honda. The truck that the last of the fundraiser money bought her isn't just transportation—it's a mobile command center complete with kennels, medical supplies, and enough room to transport entire litters when emergencies hit.
Hell yeah. My wife drives a badass rescue truck.
The thought that she's now my wife still makes me grin like an idiot.
After losing one too many years apart, Mia and I couldn't stand to wait another day. We agreed on a three-monthengagement… just enough time to plan something worthy of her, but not a second longer than necessary.
And of course, Iron Ridge had never seen a wedding like ours.
The entire ice rink transformed with white flowers and a runway over the ice. Gandalf the goat served as our ring bearer, complete with bow tie and pillow strapped to his back. He nearly ate the altar decorations before finally cooperating.
When Mia appeared in that flowing white dress, everything else disappeared. The past didn't matter anymore. We'd wasted enough time, and I wasn't about to waste another moment without her as my wife.
"Scott!" Coach Brody's whistle pierces the air. "Stop making heart eyes at the parking lot and get over here!"
I skate over to where the team's gathering at center ice, all of us breathing hard from the intense session. Coach has been pushing us harder than ever as we head into the playoffs to defend last seasons Stanley Cup, and it shows in how sharp we look out there.
"Alright, listen up," Coach announces, his arm casually draped around Natalie's waist as she stands beside him in her physical therapy gear. "Season's winding down, and before we hit the final stretch, I wanted to say something."
Blake raises an eyebrow. "You about to get sentimental on us, old man?"
"Shut it, Maddox."
Coach can barely hide the smile on his face as he paces before us.
"This team... this group of absolute…misfits..." We all laugh. "You've become something special. Not just on the ice, but off it too."
I glance around at my teammates, my brothers, really, and see the same pride reflected in their faces.
Connor's leaning on his stick, that cocky grin softened by the genuine affection in his eyes as he spots Lucy watching in the stands. Jackson's nodding along, clearly thinking about Cassie waiting for him at home. Logan's actually smiling from his post at the café overhead, and it's obvious Emma's influence has been nothing short of miraculous.
"Whatever magic's been happening in your personal lives," Coach continues, "it's made you better players. Better men. I'm proud as hell to coach this team."
"Coach getting emotional," Connor stage-whispers to me. "Someone mark the calendar."
"I heard that, dipshit." Coach's glare hasn't changed a bit. "And speaking of emotional, has anyone seen Eli today? I heard he's been actingweirdall week."
As if Coach has 'summoned' him, the sound of squeaking wheels echoes through the arena. We all turn to see Eli Thompson wheeling a massive cart onto the ice, loaded with what appears to be enough champagne to float a small boat.
"What the hell is that?" Jackson asks.
