Epilogue

Bristol

Five months later

"You look like a princess," I gushed at Dakota. Dressed all in white, she was finally ready to marry the man she loved.

She peeked over her shoulder from where she'd been viewing her reflection in the floor-length mirror inside the in-law suite of Jaxon and Natalie's Minnesota lake house. "Lucy knows a thing or two about that." Dakota winked at the petite raven-haired woman in question who had designed her gown.

Lucy wore the same strapless lavender bridesmaid dress as the rest of us gathered in preparation of Dakota and Braxton's wedding. "Everyone should feel like a princess on their wedding day."

"Unless you're like me and walking bow-legged down the aisle because you got railed the night before like the good little slut you are," Hannah chimed in, slinging back her third mimosa. Or was it her fourth? It was hard to tell because they were strong as hell, and my vision was beginning to blur after only two .

Natalie sighed. "We're trying to have a nice moment here, Hannah."

Hannah pointed her empty glass at Natalie. "Dakota's not a blushing virginal bride. We've all read that book. Sex in the sin bin? Fuck." She fanned herself. "I thought the things Cal and I did were hot. She's got us beat."

"No one is ever gonna forget about that book, are they?" Dakota groaned.

I stepped up beside her to apply another coat of lipstick in the mirror. "Don't put your personal life in print. Rookie mistake."

"I didn't have much of a personal life before Braxton," she grumbled.

"You skipped kissing all the frogs. I think it worked out pretty well in the end."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips at the thought of her groom. "Yeah."

I looped an arm around her waist. "I'm so happy for you."

Smirking, she said, "You're next."

Here we go again.

Rolling my eyes, I was used to her constant suggestions that Maddox and I make our relationship more permanent.

I was beginning to sound like a broken record with how often I was forced to repeat the following words. "I'm happy with what we have." And I meant it. We were together and committed, and that's all I needed.

Dakota pursed her lips. "So . . . you're saying that if he asked, you'd say no."

My gaze dropped to the floor as I felt my cheeks heat. "No, I didn't say that."

Of course, if Maddox popped the question, I'd say yes. He was it for me, but I wasn't in any rush. And who was to say a ring on my finger and a piece of paper were necessary for a lifetime of happiness? Benji and Liv Mason weren't formally married but were completely devoted to each other and their two boys. Love didn't always have to fit into defined boxes set by society.

There was a knock at the door, and all seven of our heads swiveled toward it. Almost as if our conversation had conjured his presence, Maddox's head peeked around the cracked open door.

It had been nearly a whole year since we'd met, but I still got butterflies every time I saw him. I hoped that feeling never went away.

"Hey." His eyes locked on mine, the fire in them heating my blood.

"No boys allowed!" Hannah called out. She paused, considering her statement. "You know what? On second thought, I need a little pre-wedding snack." She slid from her perch on the bed in the center of the room. Halfway to the door, she smirked, addressing Amy. "You might as well come with me, Ames. I'm sure Liam is thirsty." Hannah directed a pointed look at the redhead's chest.

Amy's face turned pink as the rest of the women laughed. I was not in on that joke and wasn't sure I wanted to be.

Hannah slipped out around Maddox, standing confused in the doorway.

He cleared his throat. "Um, the groom sent me with a gift for his bride." Maddox held up a silver-wrapped package. It looked suspiciously like a book.

Natalie went into mom mode, ushering everyone toward the door. "All right. Everyone out. Let's give Dakota a minute."

I was the last one to leave, turning back toward my best friend. "I'll be right outside."

Dakota took the package from Maddox, thanking him as we closed the door behind us .

Maddox pressed me against the wall, his voice rough beside my ear. "You look stunning."

I gently pushed my hands against his chest, and he gave me enough space to smooth my hands over the lapels of his tuxedo. "You clean up pretty nicely yourself, Coach."

A growl rumbled from his chest. "Don't tease me, love. It's bad enough I have to warn Slate that while my girl is on his arm, I'll have his wife on mine."

"Hmm, guess it's a good thing that crush was only one-sided." I couldn't help taunting him; I enjoyed watching him get worked up too much.

Green eyes widened. "What crush? Are you telling me you had a crush on Jaxon?"

I shrugged, my lips tugging up at the corners. "Maybe."

Maddox's hips surged forward, his erection hard against my belly. It was his subtle way of reminding me who I belonged to. And he wouldn't hear an argument from me.

"Don't worry, baby." I reached up to play with the dark hair at the nape of his neck. "Jaxon's less of a heartthrob these days and more like a dad to me."

His brows drew down. "Explain to me how that works? He's two years younger than me."

A giggle worked its way up my throat. "Oh yeah. Jealous, Maddox? Because I recall offering to call you daddy once." Another round of giggles followed the memory of that playing in my head.

"Is this the part where you confess you've been drinking?"

"Hannah made mimosas," I declared.

"Of course she did," he muttered .

"Said something about making them extra special since no one was pregnant at the moment." Amy had given birth to her and Liam's little girl, Eleanora—Nora for short—a few months ago.

Maddox's hand slid down to cup my elbow. "You going to make it down the aisle in one piece?"

I nodded with determination. "It's my girl's big day. I've got this."

"You got more lipstick stashed somewhere?"

Tilting my head in confusion, I replied, "Yeah, why?"

"Good. Then I won't feel guilty about stealing some." He pinned me to the wall with his hard body, his lips slanting over mine, teasing and tasting until I was breathless. When he lifted his head, there was a sheen of pink along his chin and lips.

Reaching up, I smudged it around with a thumb. "You've got a little something there."

"Leave it." He stepped away. "Don't want any of the single ladies to get any ideas tonight. I'm taken."

I sagged against the wall. It wasn't the champagne making my head swim. It was this man right here.

How did I ever get so lucky?

The sun had set on the most perfect wedding I'd ever attended. The lake was a shiny black under a blanket of stars. Bulb lights cast a soft glow over the dance floor, and music floated in the air as the celebration raged on.

Maddox let us girls do our thing after dinner, but now I was missing him, so I went to hunt him down. His broad body was hard to miss, even from behind, as I spied him cozied up to one of the makeshift bars placed in Jaxon's backyard. His long fingers were curled around a glass of amber liquid as he spoke to Jenner beside him, and I bit my lip, thinking of where I wanted to feel those fingers on my body.

If this were anyone else's wedding but Braxton and Dakota's, I'd have abandoned the rest of the evening and begged him to take me back to our hotel immediately.

The closer I drew to the pair of best friends, the more I realized something was off. There was a palpable tension between the two men, which was very unlike them—they had such a relaxed, easy relationship. Jenner was so fun-loving, even when Maddox was a grumpy asshole.

I slid my hand over Maddox's shoulder, alerting him to my presence. His muscles relaxed under my touch, and I curled into his side where he sat on a barstool.

He kissed the side of my head. "Having fun?"

"I wanna dance. What kind of sexual favors do I have to promise to make that happen?"

"Love," Jenner scoffed before letting out a pained groan.

Maddox chuckled, so I asked, "What's his deal?"

A smirk curved on his kissable lips. "Oh, nothing much. His wife showed up on his doorstep yesterday."

Wide-eyed, I stared at the Speed's captain. "You're married ? Where has she been all this time?"

"Oklahoma." Jenner threw back the rest of his drink before signaling to the bartender that he wanted a refill.

"Does she work there?" I couldn't stop the natural curiosity I had about this new discovery.

"Hell if I know," Jenner grumbled. "Haven't spoken to her in the four years since she walked out. "

My gaze slid to Maddox, who was eyeing his friend critically.

"Am I missing something?" I whispered in his ear.

"Jenner's got a bleeding heart," he explained. "And Evie knows that, or she wouldn't have come back, begging for his help. Even though I think it's a really bad idea."

Jenner flinched at Maddox's words.

"What kind of help?"

Maddox opened his mouth to respond, but Jenner cut him off. "Take your girl for a dance. Enjoy being in love, and let me be. You're not going to change my mind."

Grunting, Maddox stood, placing his hand on the small of my back and leading me toward the dance floor.

I peeked back at Jenner, who was nursing his drink at the bar. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Probably not." He sighed. "He's not going to survive a second round with her. Barely made it out alive the first time."

"What happened?" I frowned, trying to piece it together.

"Baby, it's not my story to tell." Maddox pulled me into his arms, swaying to the slow song.

"Okay."

Trying to shove thoughts of Jenner and his mystery wife from my mind, I let my hand slide up Maddox's chest. The racing tempo beneath my palm caught me off guard.

"Why is your heart beating so fast?"

A soft smile tipped up on his lips. "It always speeds up when I have you in my arms."

"Look at you, being all romantic," I teased.

"How about this?" Before I could blink, he had me dipped backward to the cheer of the crowd before setting me upright .

My face flamed, and I chided, "Stop trying to steal the show."

"You do that all on your own, love. Most beautiful woman here tonight."

"Don't let the groom hear you say that."

His lips brushed against the shell of my ear. "I don't care who hears me because it's true."

The song ended, and the microphone was tapped. "If I can have your attention," the band's lead singer spoke. "Would all the single ladies please come to the dance floor? The bride is about to toss the bouquet."

There were squeals from various tables, and a rush of excited ladies stomped to the center of the polished hardwood surface. I grabbed Maddox's hand to avoid the stampede, but my shoulder nearly popped out of the socket when I walked away and he remained rooted to the spot.

Confused, I glanced back at him. "Come on."

"You should stay."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm good. Let's get a drink."

A challenge glinted in his green eyes. "Scared you won't win?"

"Maddox, I've already won. I don't need to get in the middle of a catfight over a bunch of flowers that will be dead tomorrow. It's a silly tradition."

"Humor me?" He shrugged.

"Seriously?"

"It'll be fun." His lips brushed against my cheek as he walked past me.

"Annoying man," I grumbled.

Dakota stood at the edge of the dance floor. "Everyone ready?" She swung the bouquet as she counted out, "One. Two. Three."

I closed my eyes, praying I wouldn't end up trampled beneath a mass of fighting women.

"Bristol." Dakota's soft voice had my eyelids lifting to find her standing directly before me, bouquet still in hand .

"What are you doing?"

"These are for you." She thrust the flowers into my hands.

Tears glistened in her blue eyes as she whispered, "I'm so happy for you." Her hands gripped my shoulders, spinning me around to find Maddox down on one knee.

The flowers dropped to the ground as my hands flew to my face. This wasn't really happening, was it?

Maddox inhaled deeply before he spoke. "Bristol, you walked into my life at a time when I was lost. But you called to me like a beacon, grounding me when my world was spinning out of control. It was like God saw me struggling and sent the perfect person at the perfect time to make everything okay, to give me a new purpose. Together, we've learned that true partnership means leaning on each other. Even on the worst of days, I know you're there to support me. And I can count on you to challenge me when I can't see past my own nose to view the bigger picture. You bring out the best in me, and I want to experience everything this life has to offer with you by my side. The good and the bad. The two of us together, always."

Reaching into his pocket, he produced a black velvet box, cracking it open to reveal a stunning princess-cut solitaire diamond on a platinum band. My right hand slid down to cover my heart while the left dropped to my side.

"Bristol Cooper, I love you more than I ever thought it possible to love another human being." His green eyes grew glassy. "I love you even more than hockey."

A sob burst from my throat as chuckles sounded around us.

"So, here I am, on my knees, begging you to marry me because I can't imagine a world without you as my wife." He brought his lips inward to moisten them before asking the question little girls dreamed of hearing their entire lives. "Will you marry me? "

Emotion clogged my throat, and all I could do was nod. He was off his feet in a flash, holding me tight as he whispered over and over how much he loved me.

Life was crazy with its twists and turns. Who knew that running away with a broken heart would send me right into the arms of the man who was always meant to be mine—the man who put me back together and made me see my true value.

Maddox treasured me in a way I never could've imagined. Terrible singing and all.

God bless meddling friends.