Hat Trick (Fake Boyfriend 5)

Soren reaches forward to high-five Miller. “How are your first few weeks of retirement?”

Miller sniggers. “I get to sleep in while these two get up for training.” He points to Talon and Matt. “I’m loving it.”

Miller’s retirement came after he had a rough season with the leg he injured a few years ago, but clearly, he’s not overly upset about it.

Soren turns to me. “See. Miller’s retired, and he gets to sleep in.”

“You get to sleep in.”

“After staying out until should-be-asleep o’clock.”

Everyone in the room makes an old man comment. I’m pretty sure Jackie even tries to say “old man.” She’s smart, this one.

“So, uh …” I glance at Soren who nods. “We have some news, and I can’t remember the last time we were all in one room together—”

“Talon and Miller’s wedding,” Matt and Noah say in unison.

“Okay, so yeah, this kinda can’t wait a few months, so I’m sorry for hijacking your one-year-old’s birthday party, but …”

Soren and I look at each other again.

He stands and makes his way over to me, putting his arm around my shoulders and bopping Jackie on the nose with his finger. “I asked Jet to marry me.”

Before everyone can jump in, I add, “And seeing as we’re hardly ever together as a group anymore, and we’re about to hit the European part of the tour, we figured we should make the most of this. So, we’re doing it tomorrow.”

Everyone’s excitement drops a little.

“Tomorrow? As in tomorrow, tomorrow?” Matt asks.

I cock my head at him. “No, as in the day after today. That tomorrow.”

“We got the marriage license today, booked to get hitched at the courthouse tomorrow, and I’ve already bought flights for my parents and sister to fly in from Toronto.”

I tell them the best part. “And because it’s such short notice, the paparazzi won’t be fucking crazy like at Talon and Miller’s wedding.”

That was insane. There were photographers jumping fences to try to get a shot of the grooms.

“It’s all we want. Our closest friends.” I glance at Ollie and Lennon. “Our chosen family.” I turn to Damon, Maddox, Talon, and Miller. And then I turn to Matt, Noah, and Wade. “And my brothers.”

Soren clears his throat.

“Oh, and his family too, but I’ve met them, like, once, so that’s more for him.” I pat Soren’s chest.

The room is silent apart from Jackie, who’s starting to squirm and fuss in my arms.

“You want to get down and crawl, baby girl?” I look up at Matt as I put her on the floor. “Is she walking yet?”

He doesn’t answer me. He just keeps staring at me. Even when his daughter crawls her way toward the coffee table and puts someone’s wallet in her mouth. Have no idea who’s it is.

I reckon everyone in the room must be taking their cue from Matt.

I sigh. “Go on. Say it.”

Matt at least averts his gaze as he says, “Isn’t it … fast? It’s fast.”

I balk. “Fast? Says the guy who married Noah after a few months. Soren and I have been together for over a year. Known each other for four.” Technically. We’ll pretend those few years of avoiding each other count.

“Yeah, I married Noah after a few months, and now I’m stuck with him.”

“Hey,” Noah complains.

Matt turns to his husband. “Love you.” But now his focus is back on me, and I hate—hate, hate, hate—that he’s making me feel like a kid again. I thought we were past this, but nooooo. “I’m sorry,” Matt says, surprising me. “I’m happy for you. It’s just hard to let go. You’re not old enough to be married.”

“Need I remind you that you were my age when you married Noah? And you did it the exact same way we are. Courthouse wedding with the only people who matter to us.”

“I’m offended,” Talon says. “We weren’t there.”

Matt ignores him. “I know you’re not the kid I left back in Tennessee, but sometimes I need reminding.” Matt steps forward and hugs me tight, and then the rest of the guys follow with rounds of congratulations.

The guys mutter, “You hurt him, I kill you” and other variations in Soren’s ear, but he laughs them all off.

I lift my head to look at Soren behind me. “Are you sure you want to marry into this? You can still get out.”

“Not on your life. I’m not going anywhere. Never will.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Soren

FOREVER LOVE

The best thing about a courthouse wedding?

No frills.

We’re both in jeans and button-down shirts. Jet’s wearing a leather jacket, and I’m wearing a tie, but that’s as formal as we get.

It’s legal and that’s all we need.

Jet and I don’t need big declarations of love because what we have is complete confidence in each other and our relationship. We just want to make it official.

Our epic love is inside him. Inside me. It encompasses us as a couple and as individuals.