Page 71 of Finn

“I guess not,” she concedes.

“I know not,” I correct.

And then, because I do know I can’t live without her, with my thumb caressing her cheek, I say, “Let’s get married, Sammie.”

Her brows shoot up. “Wait, what?”

I think I may have shocked her more than the possible bear encounter.

“You heard me,” I go on, placing my other hand on the opposite side of her face and depositing one chaste kiss on her lips. Leaning back, I reiterate, “Marry me, Sammie Monroe. You can stay working at Boots and Applebee’s, or do whatever you want—”

“I want you,” she interjects, smiling as her hands come up to cover mine. “And yes, I’ll marry you. But there is one additional thing I want.”

“Anything,” I tell her. “Just name it.”

In a serious tone, she says, “I want to have a family, Finn. I want children.”

The joy I feel in my heart intensifies. Not only is Sammie going to marry me, she wants to have kids with me.

Bringing my lips down to hers, I murmur, “Then that’s what we’ll do, sweetheart. We will have as many kids as you want.”

She pulls back slightly. “Promise?”

I nod. “Yes, I promise.”

We then seal that promise with a kiss, and it just may be our best one yet.

Finn

Sammie and I get married in July, two months after returning from our trip to Alaska.

It’s not a big, extravagant wedding; as neither of us wants that. We opt instead for an intimate ceremony with our parents, my brother, and our closest friends.

Everything is perfect.

Lifeis perfect.

Sammie stays on at her jobs for a short while.

But then she gets pregnant.

Now life is better than perfect.

We both agree on that.

When Sammie first told me we’re going to have a baby, she was so happy she was glowing.

I was beyond excited as well, so I picked her up and spun her around.

Then I got worried and put her down. “Shit, maybe I shouldn’t do that,” I said. “I don’t want to hurt the baby.”

That made her laugh. “Finn, we’re not that fragile.”

Maybe she’s right, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I’m still not.

From that point on, I have become the most overprotective father-to-be that you could imagine.

I hate when I have away games, because I can’t be with Sammie. But, man, I play my heart out when I’m on the ice. I’m motivated to be the best provider I can be.

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