Chapter 37

chapter 37

EMMALINE

My knee bounces on a constant loop. Bryce has two goals and only needs one more for a hat trick. He’s had a few in his career but wow, it would top off this incredible day. We had a ceremony at the courthouse where Jolie’s last name was legally changed from Gustafson to Wynward.

“Jolie Wynward has a nice ring to it,” I say aloud to the universe. My knee bobs up and down, knowing the secret I’m keeping and how badly I want Wynward to be my last name too.

I peer down at Jolie, who’s talking Cannon’s ear off about ballet. She’s been taking lessons from Brooke two times per week during the day to get her caught up with kids her age. Cannon hangs on her every word like it’s music.

I’m lost in thought when I hear the announcer shouting, “Cross sets up for the shot, passes it over to Wynward, who takes a quick slapshot and... GOAL! It’s a beautiful play by the left winger and center combo, and the crowd is going wild. It’s a hat trick for the eight-year veteran and two-time MVP.”

Roman and Reed rush to Bryce’s side, picking him up on their shoulders as the team skates in a small circle around them, hitting their sticks in a rhythmic manner on the ice.

Jolie and I are wearing our matching gold jerseys tonight. The Cross children and Jolie are going nuts celebrating, but I pick Jolie up and step over several people to get to the glass. The fans make room. After Bryce sat down with the reporters and officially introduces Jolie and me, the fans have been nothing short of amazing. If Brooke isn’t here, the season ticket holders, a row down, will keep an eye on Jolie if I need to go to the bathroom. They even bring her little toys.

I’m jumping up and down at the plastic partition when Bryce kisses his glove, pounds his heart, and then releases his glove in the air. It’s become his thing when he scores at an away game when Jolie I have to stay home. He does it into the camera. Sometimes, he’ll take off his helmet and shake his hair out before he does it so we can see the smile on his face. There’s nothing better than watching someone you love achieve their dreams.

“Who was that for?” I scream.

He yells, “My girls!”

There’s only a few more minutes left, but this one is wrapped up with a score of four to one. Coach rests the first and second lines and lets the third line bring this one home while gaining experience.

We’re going on a holidate tonight to celebrate Christmas Eve, Jolie’s name change, and Brooke Cross’ dating app. Roman met Dana on the app and have been dating for three weeks. Bryce and I already knew we were a match, when the Real Life Dating app paired us up, but Brooke says, “When you have the freedom to be honest on a dating app, it can be miraculous.”

Bryce and I had shared our profiles, and the important things to both of us were a family—a ready-made one. Who admits that shit? Bryce didn’t want to put himself on the app, so he told the truth, which would be a turnoff for most people in the dating world. They want to be wined and dined not hey, we have to chauffeur our kids around for four hours a night. I told the truth because I felt like my clock was ticking and screw it if someone doesn’t want the same things as me.

Reed, Brooke, and their children meet us in the parking lot, and Bryce, Jolie, and I follow them to the Georgian Lights Festival. After paying, we wind through a field where light displays are set up to Christmas music. Jolie points to the Mouse and Oliver display from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. “It’s my favorite,” she cheers with excitement.

I think of Roman calling Bryce a mouse in a cheese house. It’s so far from the truth. Bryce has the courage of a lion, the protectiveness of a gorilla, the love and devotion of a dog, and a heart I’ve never known. It’s so big, and I hope he has room inside it for one more.

We end up in North Pole where there’s shopping, food, and activities. Bryce and Reed buy everyone hot chocolate, and we get in line for Santa.

“Jolie, are you excited about sitting on Santa’s lap for the first time?”

Cannon throws his arm over her shoulder like I’ve seen Reed do a hundred times to Brooke. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

“Right. You’re scared of the dark. What if the lights go out while you’re on Santa’s lap?” Caleb laughs.

“I am not scared of the dark.” Cannon stomps his foot. “Come on, Jolie.”

Reed pulls Caleb to the side, with his hands on his shoulders, and looks him in the eye. “Son, you’re a teenager and usually a damn good one. But you need to let your little brother live his life. With Jolie, he gets to be the courageous one. He wants her to lean on him if she’s scared. He has an instinct to protect the people he loves. You have that same instinct every time Cannon runs into your room because he heard a noise in the dark. Let him be courageous. It’s an instinct, but it’s also a learned behavior. The more times you face your fears, the more courageous you become.”

“Sorry, Dad,” Caleb says, as he smiles at Cannon and Jolie.

We’re next in line, so Bryce picks up Jolie, and Cannon retreats to his family right behind us.

“Are you ready for Santa? Bryce asks Jolie.

She shakes her head vigorously, and Bryce whispers into her ear, then sets her feet on the ground.

“Ho. Ho. Ho. And who is this beautiful little Jets fan?”

Jolie turns her back and looks over her shoulder. “I’m Jolie Wynward.” Bryce looks at me, on top of the world.

“Ahh, you and your mommy match.”

Jolie tugs on his white beard, which is surprisingly real, and turns his head so we can’t hear. She probably thinks if we hear, she won’t get the Christmas present she’s asking for .

“Ho. Ho. Ho. I think I can. Jolie wants her family in the picture. Come here. You’re too tall. Sit on one knee, and you sit here.”

The elf takes our picture, and as I go to stand, Bryce pulls me to sit on his knee. He pulls out a red velvet box, and I gasp, but he hands it to Jolie. Her eyes widen in surprise. Jolie is easy to read, and since she didn’t talk for a long time, we relied on her expressions and body language to understand her thoughts and feelings.

Inside is a gold band. She pinches her eyebrows. “Daddy?”

“Sweetheart, this is my promise to you, Jolie Wynward, that I will love, honor, and protect you for your whole life. No matter what you do, I’ll never leave you. I’ll always be by your side,” Bryce says through blurry tears in his eyes. His parents quit on him after the accident took his brother’s life, and he’s never going to do that to her.

“I love you, Daddy.” She gets off Santa’s lap and wraps her little arms around his neck.

“You’re mine for life, got that?” He glances over his shoulder at Cannon. “Got it?”

Cannon rolls his eyes. Jolie looks at Santa. “Can I make my wish now?”

“Of course, Ho. Ho. Ho. What do you want for Christmas?”

Santa hands Jolie something, and Bryce covers her hand with his as he clears his throat. He stands with Jolie in his arms. “Ready?” He looks to her, and she nods.

“Emmaline, Rusti Rustavelli, will you…”

“Marry my daddy?” Jolie asks.

“And be Jolie’s mom? ”

Tears stream down my face as I look at the two people I love and want to share my life with, permanently.

“Yes,” I croak out. “I’ll marry your daddy.” I kiss her on the cheek. “Yes, I want to be a mom to Jolie, but…”

Bryce’s eyes fall. “Emmaline, no buts. Surely, you knew this was coming.” He looks like his heart could break if I say the wrong thing.

“But do you want to be a dad … again?”

His brows dip. “Again?” He lifts a brow, and his voice raises an octave higher than normal.

“Jolie, do you want to be a sister?” I ask.

“Emmaline, are we having a baby?”

I lift my head up and down, and our eyes meet. “Yes.”

“Jolie, we’re having a baby,” he says with a tender tone as he reaches out and ruffles her golden hair. She giggles and jumps up and down, clapping her hands in joy. He turns to me, his face beaming with pride and love. “We’re going to be a family,” he says, his voice filled with emotion.

She alternates kissing our cheeks. My heart flutters with excitement as I watch Jolie’s joyful reaction and Bryce’s beaming smile. I eagerly nod, my tears of happiness turning into tears of overwhelming love. Jolie squeals and wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. I return the embrace, feeling a sense of completeness and belonging with this beautiful family.

He says it again, lifting me into the air, “We’re having a baby.”

Roman and his date, Dana, Reed, Brooke, and the Cross crew snap pictures, clap, and yell as Jolie and I wear matching number nine jerseys on the best day of my life.

I keep darting my eyes from my engagement ring, an emerald-cut ruby surrounded by diamonds resting on a thick gold band to the man who started healing my heart eight years ago.

Bryce’s hand rubs my back, kisses the crown of my head and I whisper, “We’re a family.”

Reed asks Bryce, “How does it feel? You got the girl, the daughter, and a baby.”

And Bryce responds with a grin, “Better than any hat trick on the ice. Christmas Eve will forever be referred to as my Hat Trick Holidate.”