Juicy Rebound (IceCats 1)

“No, not there,” he says, nipping at my lip. He pulls back from me, and slowly, he falls to one knee as he reaches into his pocket. I hear my mom cry out as he opens the box to a stunning diamond. “I bought this for you the other day. I showed it to Ryan last night and asked if I could ask you. He said he hopes you say yes.”

“You asked Ryan?” I ask around the sob in my throat.

“I did because I couldn’t ask your dad.”

And I’m crying. I cover my mouth as the sob bubbles in my throat. “Oh, Chandler.”

He takes my hand, kissing my palm and then my finger where he wants to put the ring. “Will you marry me, Amelia Grace Justice?”

“I love you with my whole heart.”

He grins. “I love you more.”

I wipe away my tear, and then I nod. “Yes.”

The room erupts as he slides the ring down my finger, and then he stands, wrapping his arms around my hips to lift me. Our lips meet, and everything else just fades away. I hold his face as we kiss, my heart pounding against his.

When I pull back, his eyes are watery as he grins at me. “Soon they’ll be announcing Mr. and Mrs. Chandler Eugene Moon.”

When I cringe, he laughs. “Can we drop the Eugene?”

“Totally.”

Epilogue

Amelia

I stand by the window with Sadie doing the same while we wait for Chandler to get home. He’s been gone for six days on a great four-game winning streak. I tap my foot as I spin my amazing engagement ring around my finger.

I’m freaking the fuck out.

I bite the inside of my cheek as I wait. I lift my phone, calling Chandler. “Where are you?” I ask when he answers.

He laughs. “About ten minutes away.”

Ugh. I hang up and continue to tap my foot. Sadie whines, and I nod. “I hear you, girl. I’m ready for him to come home too.”

It’s been a month since Ryan and Sofia’s wedding. A week after we came back to South Carolina, I moved in. My grandma was a little upset with me, but now that she has renters, I don’t think she cares. I sure don’t. I absolutely love living with Chandler. While he can’t cook or clean, and it still freaks me out when his mom comes to help out, I love living with him. I fall for him more and more each day. It’s just so easy. He makes it so easy.

We’ve fallen into a wonderful rhythm. I go to the gym Monday through Saturday to coach, and when there is downtime, I’m with him. He has a lot of away games this month, but that doesn’t mean he won’t sit on FaceTime when he’s free and watch me coach. The girls at the gym call him Moony. It’s sweet and gives me butterflies. When he is in town and I’m at the gym, he’ll come and hang. Everyone loves him, and it’s so nice.

I’ve somehow found myself at every home game for the IceCats. I have a seat that is all mine and a jersey that I must wear with my man’s number twenty-three on the back. I absolutely love hockey again. I have so much fun, and last week, the Assassins came into town to play the IceCats. So Sofia flew out and met Ryan here. We had a blast. We hung out on the beach, we played cards, and it was perfect. Apparently, my mom is pressuring them to have kids, but Sofia isn’t ready. Ryan is, but he’s always been really good about going at Sofia’s pace. Meanwhile, Mom is pressuring Chandler and me to have a wedding, but we’re just fine the way we are. We’re happy.

With my aunt and uncle, everything is going the way I always wanted it to. I talk to them again just as much as I talk to my mom. Chandler and I are supposed to go home in May for Posey’s graduation, and I can’t wait. I miss my family. It’s funny how everything has completely changed. Or is changing. For the best, I hope. I feel like my life is on fast-forward. Or maybe I’m just really freaking out.

When my phone rings, I jump at Shelli’s ringtone. Her voice fills the line as soon as I answer, “You’ll never guess where I am going!”

I really don’t have time for this. I need to see Chandler. “I can’t even guess.”

“Oh, I know, and I’m going to tell you.”

“Now?”

“Now!” she gushes. “I am going to a party at Aiden Brooks’s penthouse!”

“Now?”

“Now!” she squeals, and my face breaks into a grin.

“We sound like idiots,” I observe, but she’s too busy squealing.

“I don’t care! Oh my God, what if he falls for me?”

“I think he has to talk to you first.”

“What if we kiss?”