Page 83 of The Southern Submission

“You can talk about your kinky sex life all you want, just keep it PG in front of the kids,” Zander says, holding Axel upside down over his shoulder as the toddler squirms. “Who knows, it might lead to another little one for us if it’s hot enough.” He pulls Harlowe in with his other arm and squeezes her ass.

Harlowe tips her head back and bellows a laugh, not at all embarrassed by her husband’s overt sexuality. They’re very open about their active sex life, whereas I tend to be very private and why I may have shocked them just now with my Daddycomment. It’s taken years, but I’m opening up more with Payton’s family.

The overhead lights dim and the spotlights start up a crazy dance as music booms over the speakers. The pre-game activities are starting. The Olsens, as the owners of the team, will play a role in the opening ceremony, and as the family, we get to join them. Harlowe and Paige open their bags to pull out ear muffs for the little kids, with only Axel fighting the hearing protection, as expected. Nothing is easy with that child. He makes everything a war. When Harlowe hands him a pack of fruit snacks, he finally stops fighting and forgets the earwear.

The door to the ice is opened and a carpet is rolled out to make it easy for the guys in their suits and leather shoes to walk on the slippery surface. The NHL commissioner, the teamgeneral manager, the coach, and the brothers, all walk onto the ice as the full team skates into place behind them. They welcome the fans to Olympus Arena, thank them for supporting the Hydras in their first season, and the commissioner officially recognizes the team as part of the NHL.

The GM, coach, and commissioner leave the ice, and we’re beckoned on with the kids. I walk out between Harlowe and Paige, amidst the crowd of kids, feeling like part of a family. They set up the goal with our new goalie, Ryder Kingston, set to block the first shots that we get to shoot as the owners and family. The kids get to go first, and it’s adorable to see them using mini sticks to shoot pucks at Ryder, who kindly lets them score.

When it’s Axel’s turn, he pushes the puck toward the goal and lets out a blood-curdling war cry as he throws the stick like a spear at Ryder, who uses his blocker to bat it away. Axel kicks the puck between Ryder’s legs into the goal, then launches himself at Ryder’s legs, clinging to his pads like a monkey as he howls in triumph.

The crowd erupts into cheers and laughter as Zander hurries across the ice to pull his deviant of a child off the unsuspecting goalie, who’s trying to shake the kid off gently. Zander manages to unlatch Axel from Ryder’s pads and they both laugh about it as Zander once again throws the toddler over his shoulder where he’ll be out of trouble.

The brothers get to take their shots next, and Ryder easily blocks Zander’s attempt in retribution for his child’s recent attack. Hayes takes it a little too seriously, squaring up with the massive goalie and shooting the puck like he’s been practicing but still not making it past Ryder. I’m laughing along with the girls when Ryder skates out of the goal and hands me his stick.

I take it, confused. This wasn’t part of the plans we’ddiscussed. “What are you doing?” I’ve met all the players briefly but don’t know Ryder well.

He lifts his mask. “Everyone’s thinking that the Olsens aren’t making their shots because I’m in the net. I think you need to give your man hell and stand in for me. Show all these fansit’s not who’s in the net that matters, it’s their poor shooting skills keeping them from scoring.” He winks at me and puts his blocker on my other hand and pushes me toward the goal. He flips a puck to Payton and skates after me, positioning me in the net and showing me how to stand and where to put the stick.

When he moves to the back of the net and clears my vision, Payton is facing me about fifteen feet away, holding a stick like it’s the most natural thing in the world while I feel like this is the most awkward thing I’ve ever experienced. The blocker on my arm is warm and heavy, and the stick’s too big for my hand.

And everyone is watching me. Oh, God, this is so embarrassing. My face is on fire and my knees are shaking. But I want to prove that Payton ain’t shit when it comes to hockey and I can block his shot. I tap the stick on the ice and poke my tongue out at him. He throws his head back and laughs, taking his position and slapping the puck so it slides toward me.

Immediately, I notice something’s off about the puck. It slowly slides toward me, and I stop it with the stick, dropping the blocker so I can pick it up. There’s silver writing on the black puck that sayslook up, Princess, with a circle drawn in the middle with stars around it.

The crowd is screaming when I drop the stick and look up. Payton’s there, on his knees in front of me, taking the puck from my hand so he can hold my fingers. “Breathe, baby,” he coaxes, and I realize I haven’t taken a breath since I realized something was off.

“What’s happening?” I ask, though I’m pretty sure I know exactly what’s going on. When he speaks, I realize he’s been given a microphone and the whole arena can hear his words.

“Ainsley Montgomery, I’ve been yours since the moment you snarled at me for stopping you from ruining a perfectly good computer in the most heinous café. We’ve spent three amazing years together, but a lifetime with you wouldn’t be enough. I’m so deeply in love with you I’ll never be the same. I’ll be yours until the oceans swallow the earth and then you’ll still be the moon that controls my tides. Life has been so incredibly good with you, but I want it to be even more amazing, and the only way I see that happening is by you becoming my wife and making me the happiest man alive.”

He pauses to pull out a velvet box and opens it to reveal a stunning diamond ring that has me gasping. Hot tears spill down my cheeks as he looks up at me with such ardent devotion and affection.

“Ainsley, my sassy Spitfire, beautiful Princess, and love of my life, will you marry me?”

No other answer even crosses my mind. “Yes.” I quietly tack onDaddyafter, just for him to hear.

I throw myself into his arms as his face splits into the stupid grin I love so much. He catches me but goes sprawling out on the ice as I cover his face with kisses and my happy tears. He holds me tight and murmurs into my hair until I stop crying. He sits us up, takes my left hand, and slides the beautiful ring onto my finger.

“How about we get off this cold ice and I take you up to our suite to enjoy the rest of our night?”

I sit up, pulling on his arm to bring him with me, and we return to our family, who are beaming at us. Payton pulls a mic out of his collar and hands it to one of the arena employeesas we leave the ice. Paige and Harlowe pull me in for hugs while Hayes and Zander pound Payton on the back. My hand is stretched out to show off the ring and I get to admire the details along with everyone else.

It’s stunning and so perfect. The large, pear-shaped diamond is the prettiest, delicate blush pink, haloed by round white diamonds, on a platinum band studded with pave diamonds. It’s elegant and graceful and fits me perfectly.

We troop up to the family box, but Payton pulls on my hand to keep me from going inside with the rest. “We have our own box. I have plans for you.”

Forty-nine

Payton

The owners' suites are midway up in the arena, with seats on outdoor balconies should we choose to view the game from there, but the large flat-screen TVs on the walls are playing everything that’s happening below in high definition and it’s easier to follow this way. Tonight, I don’t plan on watching the game. I’m going to devote my full attention to my brand-new fiancée.

Ainsley’s fingers tremble in my grip. “How are you feeling, Princess?”

“I’m so happy I don’t know what to do. I’m kind of freaking out at how public that was and how many people just watched us get engaged. What’s that going to mean with the news and gossip?” She worries herlower lip with her teeth.

We’ve kept our relationship as private as possible, but inevitably, there have been stories about us. The end of the Atlanta Haute List left a void that several new copycat sites filled. They don’t do it quite as well as Ainsley did but still manage to post stories and get views.

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