Hard Hit (IceCats 3)

The weight of the world falls off my chest. I step to Jaylin, pulling her into me by her hips as our eyes stay locked. “Lilly is at the lawyer’s office right now, signing away her rights. You can have all you want and more, minus one crazy baby mama.”

Her eyes widen. “Really? How?”

I shrug, but then I shake my head. I’ve done really well not letting Lilly’s rejection get to me, and I refuse to allow it to ruin this moment with my lady. “She doesn’t matter. Only we do. The two people who really love Celeste.”

On cue, Celeste lays her hands on each of our cheeks.

“And each other,” Jaylin adds, and I smile.

“And each other.”

She smiles widely at me. “I’m sorry—”

“Don’t. You don’t have to apologize—”

“But I do,” she insists, her eyes burning into mine. “I shouldn’t have acted like that. You need more than that. You stayed up all night, didn’t you?”

“I did,” I admit, and she nods.

“See? I knew I should have called. I should have eased your concerns. That’s my fault, and I’m sorry.”

“You were upset.”

“Yes, but I shouldn’t take it out on you. It wasn’t your fault.”

I kiss her top lip. “I’m only worried about our future.”

Her lips curve, her bottom lip touching mine. “So, we’re going to do this.”

It isn’t a question; it’s a promise. My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard. “We are, and there is no backing out.”

“Backing out? Please, I’m not going anywhere without you two.”

We share a smile before our lips meet in a beautiful, wanton kiss. A kiss I have been craving since yesterday. A kiss that eases every single concern I had. A kiss that seals my forever.

I pull back only a breath away as our eyes lock. “I love you.”

She strokes her fingers along my jaw before she whispers against my lips, “Same, Kirb. Same.”

Epilogue

Jaylin

* * *

God knew we needed good weather today. The sun is bright, warming our faces. Though, the ocean air makes it a little too chilly for me. Still, the view is incredible.

“I, Aviva, take you, Nicolas, as my husband. My one true love. My forever.”

Aviva is stunning today. She wears a classic, long-sleeved white dress with an open back. Her hair is down, flowing with her veil in the breeze as she gazes up at Nico. Of course, her groom is perfectly handsome in a nice tux but without shoes. While I am cold, I doubt they even feel it. They’re too in love and too caught up in the moment to feel the chill. I glance out to where Callie sits with Vance in her lap. He wears a little tux, while Callie is in a beautiful lilac dress, her hair up in a bun and her makeup unstoppable. Beside her sits Nico’s mom and some more of his family. I don’t know anyone, but it doesn’t matter because I only care about Aviva and Nico.

Oh, and Kirby.

Across from me, he stands in all his glory. Tall as all get-out, his hair brushed to the side, and a sexy beard growing in. While I love him clean-shaven, I do like it when he grows it out some. He never lets it get long, but I enjoy it either way. In a striking tux that hugs his thighs and shoulders, he looks every bit the perfect best man.

Well, the best man for me.

When his eyes meet mine, we share a smile, and my heart flutters in my chest at all we’ve experienced together.

These last few months have been a fairy tale.

Full of magic and love, but also some wicked setbacks.

No matter what, though, I don’t think I could love him any more than I do.

It took over a month for me to finally sleep with him in his house. I found myself waking up in the middle of the night and leaving but coming back before Celeste would wake up. Kirby was patient; he was kind and supportive. When I finally made it through the night, I felt like I had run a marathon and come in first place.

I felt like I’d actually scored a goal instead of falling flat on my face like I almost did when Kirby took me skating. Like I am on the ice, I’m still a bit shaky when it comes to sleeping with him. But just like how Kirby was with me on the ice, he catches me when I fall.

He’s incredible.

I moved in with him a few weeks ago, and I’m so happy. We’re selling my condo so we can buy a bigger house once the season is over. The IceCats are last in the league, but that doesn’t bother Kirby. He’s too happy, he tells me, and I believe him. He still struggles with his anxiety, and he may question us occasionally. But for the most part, he is confident in us. In our relationship. In our little family.