Mia burst out laughing.
But as soon as the energy was spent, the seriousness of the situation flooded back in. And she could not believe she was standing here considering saying yes to a marriage proposal from Rafe Savage.
“And,” he said, “I think you might also like to know that I got a call from John Silver about an hour ago. Sounds like he and Dad hit it off and they’ve been talking. John made some inquiries with NHL and they’ve agreed to discuss contract options that will allow you to start your own line of jerseys. Of course, that includes a cut of the profit to NHL and the individual teams, but Dad’s a negotiating shark. He’ll get you a good deal.
Mia was going to hyperventilate.
Rafe winced and pulled his extended arm back. “Sorry, it’s still right here.” He held the ring closer to his body. “I just can’t keep my arm out for that long. I also heard,” he said, “that Ted was—”
“Upset that I offered the jersey idea to Silver first,” she finished for him. “I just heard.”
Rafe nodded. Shrugged. “Right now, the world is looking like your oyster, baby. Stay here and work in Hollywood, live with all your family back east, and run your own company.” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what you choose, I’ll be with you all the way.”
She piled her hands over her heart. “Oh my God.”
Holy shit. This was terrifying. A fist of fear tightened around her heart.
“I know, baby,” he said. “It scares me too.” He lifted the ring again. “But I’m still here. This is still here. Neither of us are going anywhere.”
She sipped a breath and held it. Then finally pushed more words out. “This is forever for me, Rafe. Ever since I was a little girl, I knew when I got married, it would be forever.”
A slow grin spread across his face. A big, deep joyous grin that mirrored itself inside Mia.
She laughed, her heart filled, and she stepped into him, ignoring the ring for the moment. “What are you thinking right now?”
She cupping his face and stroked her thumb over the multicolored bruises marring his skin.
Rafe turned his head, kissed her hand as best as he could with the cuts on his lips, and met her gaze with those silvery eyes. “I’m thinking that forever sounds perfect.”
Epilogue
Mia pressed her hands to her face, smushing her cheeks. “Aye, aye, aye, this is like herding cats.”
Rafe chuckled and ran a hand down her back. “You just couldn’t settle for models.”
She was standing in a photo studio, surrounded by everyone she loved—Rafe, Tate, Beckett and Eden, Grant and Faith, Tina and Jake Croft, and Beckett’s sister, Sarah. The cats requiring herding in this situation were the three little angels modeling the beginning of Mia’s children’s line of jerseys—Lily, Amy, and Rachel.
Sarah and Tina were doing their best to get the girls to stop playing and pose for the camera, but, man, when those three got together…
“Did someone give them giggle juice this morning?” Faith asked.
“I think their heads have grown a little too big for their bodies,” Sarah said, finally getting the girls to hold in a pose long enough for the photographer to snap three split-second images before Amy poked her finger in Rachel’s armpit and all three girls melted into giggles again. She sighed. “I’m sorry. All this attention has them thinking they’re all that.”
“They’re so adorable, you can’t even get mad,” Mia said, then asked the photographer, “Tom, can you get some shots of them playing? I think those will look just as cute in the catalogue.”
The older man chuckled. “I think that’s a smart idea.”
He spent the next fifteen minutes snapping more photos while the girls acted like they’d been infused with honest-to-goodness fairy dust.
When Tom stopped shooting, looked back through the photos, and smiled, Mia slumped with relief.
“Yay!” she told everyone. “Almost done. We just need a few group shots.”
Tina and Sarah handed corralling duties over to the men before joining Faith, Eden, and Mia in front of the camera for several poses.
“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about,” Beckett said, grinning at the women.
“Ogle on your own time, please,” Mia told the men at large.