Her chin was wobbling and her voice shaky, but there was no misunderstanding what she said next. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”
Her statement hit him like a Mack truck followed by a herd of water buffalo in mid-stampede.
“I do love you,” she said.
Shock didn’t begin to cover it. More like what-a-pair-of-jerks-they-were.
“That’s why I had to tell you we couldn’t…” She glanced over at the crowd, her cheeks turned pink, and she focused back on him. “Well, we couldn’t anymore. I was afraid that I would just keep falling more in love with you and you’d leave me with a broken heart.”
He crossed right up to the do-not-cross line, not stopping until he was right in front of her. “I’d never do that.”
“But, Ian,” she said, her eyes watery. “You did.”
And he’d spend the rest of his life making up for it if that’s what it took. “I was an idiot with his head shoved way too far up his ass. I removed it. I promise: I’ll be with you if we’re ever arrested for trespassing again, go ice-skating, make out in the owner’s suite, or just sitting on the couch talking smack about the hair of the players in whatever classic hockey game is on.”
He glanced over at the TSA agent by the podium and raised an eyebrow in question. She smiled and waved her hand.
Crossing that line was like walking into a new future, one that he couldn’t wait to start. He pulled her into his arms, dipping his head down to kiss her but stopping just shy of her lips. “I love you, Shelby Blanton.”
“I love you, too.” Then she raised herself up on her toes and kissed him, soft, promising, and forever.
Somewhere in the background he heard whistles, claps, and hollers, but he couldn’t be bothered. He had Shelby in his arms and there was absolutely nothing in the world more important than that.
Epilogue
Three years later…
The Pikeville Thundercats were still celebrating their AHL championship victory at a scaled-down hometown parade when Ian got the call. Not that he knew it at the time. He’d taken one look at his phone screen, seen Jasper’s name, and handed it off to Shelby. She handed it right back after answering it.
Now here he was trying to hear the Ice Knights owner over the sound of the crowd cheering the minor league players and process what he’d just said. “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”
Jasper Dawson yelled loud enough that the astronauts in the space station probably heard, “I said, we want to bring you in. Coach Peppers is starting to eye retirement and we want to bring in someone who knows our system to serve as assistant coach and then, in a year or two, head coach.”
He glanced over at Shelby, who was playing peekaboo with one of the Thundercat players’ babies while swaying back and forth with their eight-month-old on her hip. He had a great life here. He was coaching kids and doing his best to win games and get his players to the big time. Shelby worked remotely for the Ice Knights and drove around a classic Mustang outfitted with all the most modern safety gear (a wedding gift from Roger). They’d made their place in Pikesville, and going back to Harbor City was something he hadn’t even hoped to have happen for another ten years.
“Are you sure?” Ian asked.
“Peppers said there’s no one he could imagine doing a better job,” Dawson said. “You are our first choice and not just because you’re Ice Knights family. We’ve been watching you with the Thundercats. We know you’re capable of amazing things. So what do you say?”
He caught Shelby’s eye. She was already giving him a thumbs-up and mouthing, Say yes. Of course she’d already known; she did have an inside track to the team.
“Yes.”
“Great, now hand me back over to Shelby. I want to hear all about how that grandson of mine is doing.”
Ian glanced down at the dark-haired kid in her arms. “He’s crashed out at the victory celebration. I guess he likes the noise.”
Dawson chuckled.“Well then, little Alex is going to love Harbor City.”
Later, after the team celebration was over and the baby was tucked into bed, he and Shelby sat down in front of the fire burning on one of the static TV channels—it was June, after all.
“What do you think of going to Harbor City and house hunting sometime soon?” They’d need to find a place with a yard for Alex to play in and an extra room for baby number two who they were already planning.
“On one condition,” she said, snuggling in closer to him on the couch.
“What’s that?”
“A visit to the cabin first.” She kissed her way up his neck. “My mom has volunteered to run Camp Grandma for the week.”
Buying the actual number six house next door to the Morgans had been one of their first investments as a couple and one of his favorites. “I’ll make sure the sheriff’s office knows we’re coming so we don’t get arrested.”
“You think of everything.” Shelby made a quick move and straddled him on the couch, then started lifting the hem of her shirt. “I love that about you.”
That wife of his always had the best ideas. Getting naked was definitely a sound plan. He picked her up, carrying her toward the stairs while she went to work on his shirt buttons. “No, but I’ll let you remind me of all the reasons you love me when we get upstairs.”
“We’re going to be up there for a long time,” she said, wrapping those long legs of hers around his waist.
Damn. He’d be lucky to stay in control until they got to the bedroom the way
