Months later
Rolling over, Gavin’s bristly scruff rubbed against my cheek. His playoff beard was coming in strong and the only way I could describe how handsome Gavin looked wasdownright panty-melting.
I kissed his soft lips. “Baby, are you ready for tonight?” I whispered.
He wrapped his leg around mine, shushing me. “Not if I don’t get my beauty rest, My.”
I was wide awake, probably way more excited for game seven of the playoffs than he was. Gavin peeked at me with only one eye open, then whistled for Seven, who jumped onto the bed panting and wagging her tail, jingling more than normal.
I noticed that she had a ribbon tied around her neck. Gavin reached up and pulled out the bow, letting three rings drop onto my bare stomach.
He leaned up on one elbow as tears started to flood my eyes.
“Myla, I have thought about how to ask this for months now, but I knew the simplest, intimate moments for us were both of our favorites.” He took the ring that had a solitaire canary diamond and slid it onto my finger. “Please, spend the rest of your life with me.”
I stared at the shimmering stone, completely in shock.
“Say something.” He sighed.
I gasped for breath. “Of course! Yes!” Grabbing the other two rings, I looked over to Gavin, who had the biggest grin on his hairy face. “What are these for?”
“Well, you know how nontraditional we both think these things should be. So, I might have taken care of all of the arrangements.” He tossed me his shirt from the floor and pulled on a pair of gym shorts. “You might want to put that on for this next part.”
Yanking the huge shirt over my head, Gavin opened our bedroom door. On the other side was my brother dressed in a tux, standing next to Karla—whose baby bump was finally starting to pop out—in a gorgeous floor-length dress. Brayden was holding a white dress bag and walking into the room.
“Are we getting married today?” I started hysterically crying.
“Everyone is waiting at our house, including Sean, who got ordained to marry you online last week. We have a hairdresser and makeup artist waiting in the living room for you.”
Karla started giggling. “Did you really think I wanted to try on all those different dresses to get your opinionjustin case Brayden decided to make an honest woman out of me?”
She shoved my brother as he started laughing. “What we have going on is working, why complicate it with marriage? No offense, Gavin.”
Gavin pulled his tux out of the closet and started polishing his dress shoes. “None taken.” He looked over at me. I was still in shock. “Chop, chop, little girl. We’re all waiting on you now.”
Karla grabbed the dress from Brayden. “Why don’t you two head over to the house and help finish getting set up? We have a wedding to get to and a game to win.”
As I was sitting on a barstool, getting my hair curled and airbrush makeup applied, Karla unzipped the dress bag. “So, this is the one I made you try on a few weeks ago. I remembered it was your favorite.”
She pulled out a gorgeous off-white, lace mermaid-style dress with a sweetheart neckline. Within less than an hour I was in my dress, riding in the back of a limo with Karla, on the way to my childhood home.
“I hope they’re all set up and ready to go.” I was getting nervous that there wasn’t going to be enough time for the wedding and to get the guys to the rink in time.
Karla put a reassuring hand on mine, pouring me a glass of champagne. “We have it all timed perfectly, love. This is going to be great and we’re going to the game tonight.”
“I thought Brayden said we weren’t allowed to be there.”
The car pulled over and Karla paused before opening the door. “Gavin was pretty convincing. They started the season with a win, seems fitting that they end the playoffs with you there too. You’re his luck, My. Don’t ever forget that.”
Standing at the altar, staring into Gavin’s stormy eyes with all our closest family and friends standing in a circle around us, it finally hit me—I was about to become Mrs. Myla Hayes.
“And do you, Gavin, take Myla to be your wife?” Sean was way too adorable in his dress uniform, helping us tie the knot.
“I do.” Gavin leaned down and kissed my cheek.
“Hey, no kissing the bride until I say so.”
Gavin chuckled. “Hey, playing by the rules is never as fun.”