Page 85 of The Love Trick

“Family,” I say. “Thisis my boyfriend, Blaze.”

Granny Esme makes a face. “Honey, do you think I have dementia? I met him at Aurora’s wedding, for heaven’s sake.”

Blaze and I exchange a look. We burst into laughter.

Some things are better offnotbeing explained.

I raise my glass and squeeze Blaze’s hand. “Here’s to starting my third decade in a new chapter with the love of my life.”

Epilogue

Blaze

Eight months later…

“Andthat’sit,folks,the Glaciers are headed to the playoffs to compete for back-to-back Cups!” the announcer booms across the rink as I skate out, joining the massive team huddle. It’s been one heck of a season thus far.

“Can’t believe that you blocked that shot.” Cam smacks me on the head, bursting into prideful laughter. “I guess you still have some time to go before retirement.”

I smack him back, shaking my head as I spit my mouth guard free. “Yeah, no thanks. I’m not retiring anytime soon. I have at least another decade.”

“Yeah? What does Addy think about that?” Kade asks as we skate toward the edge of the rink, where friends and family are making their way toward the ice.

“I think she’ll be happy no matter what,” I tell him, spotting my girlfriend in the crowd. She’s got on my jersey, as per usual—and so does the rest of her family, which has unofficially adopted me as one of their own. Even herdadis wearing a jersey with my name on the back.

It’s excessive.

But I’m good with it.

“Hey, baby,” I call out as she picks up her pace, a massive smile on her face.

“Hey, Twenty-Six.” She jumps into my arms, not even caring that she might knock both of us over in the process. She plants a kiss on my cheek and squeezes me tightly.

“I’ll never get tired of seeing my last name on your back,” I whisper.

“I’ll never get tired of wearing it.” Addy laughs and drops down. “So, Mom said you had something for us to do tonight? We’re not going to the party like usual?” She looks up at me with fresh curiosity.

I drape my arm around her. “Yeah, no party tonight.”

She narrows her eyes. “What’re we doing?”

I plant a kiss on her nose. “Maybe you should just wait and see. You don’t always have to know what I have planned.”

She hums, then shrugs. “Okay, then.”

“Okay.” I wink. “See you soon.”

“Love you,” she calls after me as I skate away, my heart pounding in my chest with nerves already.

“Love you, too,” I reply, trying to swallow the way I feel light in the head. Tonight ishuge,and while I’m almost one hundred percent sure Addy will say yes, there’s always the possibility she might change her mind.

Never mind the fact she talks about having kids all the time now.

She started using a generative app that predicts what kids will look like, and I swear, she saves them and sends them to Penny and her sister more than she wants to admit.

Someday, our kids are going to besoconfused when they see those.

I shake my head as I make my way off the ice and into the locker room to strip down.

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