Page 30 of My Fair Player

It was gravity.

She wasn’t merely falling for Liam anymore.

She was falling in love with the man who had chosen her—not just once for the sake of a contract, but again and again. The man who made her feel seen and sacred. Who held her up with quiet strength and fierce loyalty. Who cared for her like she was something precious.

Vows were being spoken somewhere behind her. She could hear Jeannie’s voice crack and the quiet response from her groom, but Ashley couldn’t look away. Her eyes stayed locked on Liam’s across the ice, the hum of emotion inside her too loud to ignore, those feelings passing between them like an invisible wire.

And then, he smiled. That familiar, crooked little half-smile that always made her feel like she was the only person in the room. It curled up the edge of his mouth and lit his eyes like fire.

He straightened with purpose, chin tilting up. And then slowly—deliberately—he pointed.

At her.

Then at himself.

You and me.

Ashley’s breath caught. Her lips parted slightly. Was he saying what shethoughthe was saying?

Renewing their vows? Remembering their own? Or was this about something else entirely—about that kiss, that promise, that feeling that something had shifted between them?

He did it again. Finger to her. Then to his chest.

And then, lips barely moving, he mouthed a single word that sent shivers down her spine.

Tonight.

Ashley swayed slightly on her heels, her breath catching in her throat as the world tilted, not with motion, but with the weight of a single word. One small phrase that felt like a promise, a plea, and a thunderclap all at once.

Her fingers curled instinctively around the edge of the seat beside her, grounding herself as a rush of emotions surged through her—soaring anticipation, overwhelming awe, and a powerful, soul-deep certainty that settled into her bones. They were speaking to each other without words, a silent, sacred conversation carved out of a public moment.

You and me – tonight.

Ohhh gosh!The thought thundered through her chest, but it wasn’t panic. It was affection, pure and unfiltered. Her heart thrummed wildly, so full it felt as though it might crack open from sheer emotion. Liam—her Liam—was looking at her in that way again, like she was the only person in the entire world.

And somehow, even in the middle of a crowded arena, he was making her feel known. Seen. Cherished. He had this rare, beautiful ability to strip away everything else and speak directly to her heart—and it wasworking.

She gave a small nod, her decision unwavering. There was no room for hesitation, not when love like this looked her in the eyes.

She saw his face soften with that familiar smile—sweet and just a little smug—before he raised his hands and formed a heart over his chest. A sob caught somewhere in her chest as her eyes burned, blurring with sudden tears. It wasn’t just what he was doing—it waswhenhe was doing it. To anyone else watching, the moment coincided perfectly with the goalie’s vows.

“I do,” the man said, loud and proud for all to hear. But for Ashley, the real vow had come moments before, unspoken yet deeply understood.

Their gaze locked across the space, tethering them in a moment that belonged solely to them, wrapped in its own intimacy. As the crowd around them erupted into cheers and laughter, the wedding celebration officially underway, Ashley didn’t move. Couldn’t.

Her eyes were glued to Liam.

He was already skating toward her, his body gliding across the ice with power and precision. But this time, it wasn’t for the game or the fans. It was forher. His hockey stick lifted and pointed directly at her, like a knight seeking favor from his chosen one.

And she gave it—freely, openly, with her whole heart.

She lifted her hand and blew him a kiss. A gesture that felt light and playful but carried the weight of everything they had shared lately—every conversation, every fear, every breakthrough. He said he wanted this to be real between them, not some contract or agreement, but a real marriage. From the very beginning, Liam promised to be ‘all in’on this relationship – and now she knew what that meant.

Liam caught the kiss with a grin, held it to his chest, right over his heart, and then skated off to join the newlywed man. Ashley exhaled slowly, still clutching the bench, her fingers trembling. Her husband was doing his job. He was the captain, a leader, a player, a friend. And hers.

She had always understood that—his roles, his responsibilities, the way he split himself into a dozen pieces for the people who needed him. But now, she also saw the one role that mattered most in this moment.

He was hers.

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