Page 38 of Tropical Inferno

“What are you doing here?!”

“Hawk and I talked night before last. Are you okay? Are you happy?”

“Yes.” Her eyes danced as she glanced back at her husband.

“You can’t get married without a party, so I called up here yesterday and planned a little something for the two of you. I hope you don’t mind?”

She shook her head, feeling a swell of emotion. “Thank you. I’m so happy you’re here. Did Viggo come?”

“Of course.” He turned and whistled, his burly red-headed husband coming out of the tent and joining them.

“Hi!” Maddie ran to hug him and he scooped her up and spun her around as well.

“Hello, love.” He bent to kiss her cheek.

“What’s with all the spinning of my wife?” Garrett approached Viggo, holding out his hand. “Garrett Hawkins. I don’t think we’ve crossed paths off the ice.”

Viggo shook his hand. “I don’t think so either.”

“Honey, this is my brother-in-law, Viggo, and you know Jamie already.” Maddie took her husband’s arm.

“Welcome to the family.” Jamie met Garrett’s eyes meaningfully.

“Can I come out now?” Dwight called out.

“Dwight?!” Maddie shrieked again, running back into the sand to greet her other brother.

“You’ve made her day,” Garrett smiled, watching her.

“Wait till she sees everyone else,” Jamie chuckled.

A moment later more laughter came from the tent as Maddie was reunited with her family.

“So…what did you and Maddie decide?” Jamie asked Hawk carefully, hands in his pockets as he faced his ex-teammate.

Hawk sighed but didn’t look away. “She wants me to come clean.”

Jamie nodded. “How do you feel about that?”

“No one in the NHL will want me in their locker room,” he said finally, looking away. “But she’s worth it. She knows the money could dry up at the end of the season if I do this and she doesn’t care.”

“Maddie’s not a gold-digger.”

“I know.”

“Sometimes things have a way of working out,” Viggo said, smiling as he and Jamie headed back toward the tent.

21

It took nearly an hour to get through introductions to Maddie’s family, her friend Monique, and a handful of friends Jamie had thoughtfully flown out. Then they had a magnificent dinner while Garrett answered what felt like a thousand questions from everyone about what they were going to do, where they were going to live, what was going to happen next. He didn’t mind—it was kind of fun—but it was a little overwhelming too. He’d been putting on a strong front because she needed him to, but part of him was just as scared as she was. He didn’t believe they’d made a mistake, but they definitely had a rough road ahead of them. He wasn’t naïve enough to believe love could conquer everything, even though it came pretty close, but there would be tough days ahead. If and when his NHL career ended, he was going to lose a part of himself too, and he hoped Maddie would understand he’d need time to mourn.

Staring at her across the room where she was now sitting and laughing with Monique and her mother, he couldn’t help but smile; he loved seeing her happy. She’d been right about her family too—they’d accepted him with open arms. No one had asked any uncomfortable questions except the usual silliness about when they were having kids, and the homophobic slur incident never came up. He wondered if that had been Jamie’s doing or if they were giving him a break because technically this was their wedding.

“Excuse me.” Jamie stood up clinking a spoon on his wine glass. “I have a toast for the happy couple.”

A waiter carried in a small wedding cake and another walked around refilling wine and champagne glasses.

“A few days ago, I got a call from my sister. She sounded a little weird and blurted out that she needed to borrow money. To buy a bike. So she could train for a triathlon.” He paused as several people turned to stare at Maddie. “Now, in case you didn’t know, Maddie and I are close. Mom and Dad could barely wait six weeks after I was born to get knocked up again and Maddie came along about ten and a half months after me!”

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