Chapter 19

"I love you Nate, good luck trying to get rid of me." Lia Said.

Her hand was still on my cheek, and I leaned in to kiss her again, but we were interrupted by a throat clearing.

The judge had returned. But I took it as a good sign when Lia and Penelope sat on the bench behind me. Lia was giving Penelope quiet reassurance that she was wanted and loved. Something I should have been giving both of them for the last week. But I didn't know what to say over the phone, and Lia hadn't been at the bakery each time I'd gone. I'd hoped seeing her would help me figure out the words, but I'd instead taken her absence as a sign that she wanted me out of her life.

The judge cleared his throat. "I'd like to hear from Penelope."

Lia squeezed Penelope's hand for a quick burst of encouragement, and I caught sight of the engagement ring on her finger. That was the sign I should have seen earlier. Penelope stood and lifted her chin high as she approached the bench before the judge. The courtroom was so quiet, but I still couldn't tell what they were saying.

Penelope had a little bounce in her step as she walked back to sit by Lia.

The judge linked his fingers together and looked at Erin and then at me. "A lot of information was presented, and a circus was brought into my court. However, I don't need time to deliberate on a decision. It's clear that both parents could provide homes for Penelope, and that both parents would continue her education. It's also clear that they have different ideas about what the best future is. After talking with Penelope, I've decided that her father will have full custody . . ."

I didn't hear the rest of what he said. Joy and relief swept over me and I was so overwhelmed, that my lawyer had to put a hand on my shoulder to snap me back to reality.

Erin glared daggers at me, but that was nothing new. Her anger was palpable, but I focused on Penelope's smile instead.

I turned to Lia and Penelope. "Who wants an ice cream sundae from Charlie's?"

Over ice cream I learned what Penelope had told the judge. She talked about her time with Erin and how she had to do things she didn't like. When the judge had asked her what kind of things, Penelope had told him she hated acting and modeling, but Erin always made her pose for pictures or practice lines. She couldn't even go to a friend's house unless Erin thought that friend could further Penelope's career. My heart broke more as she told me all the things she didn't like about living with Erin. Things she hadn't told me sooner because she didn't want me to be upset. The almost haircut, had really scared Penelope, because it meant her mom didn't like anything about her.

She'd told the judge about living at my house, and how she got to eat waffles with chocolate syrup, but that she liked them with strawberries too. How I took her to games, and watched TV. How when she went to school after staying at my house she could talk about the latest episode with the other kids because they'd watched it too. Penelope really liked her school, and her friends, but most importantly she liked feeling normal.

Lia summed up the parts I hadn't heard from the judge. Erin's desire to move, and change so much in Penelope's life had too many unknowns. The judge also thought that being a child star, as Erin wanted her to be, was a life Penelope and both parents should agree to. Penelope had made it clear she didn't want that life. He gave me full custody because I provided a supportive and stable environment for her emotional, mental, and physical well-being. All the things I'd tried to be for my daughter, were the reason the judge let me keep her.

Penelope ran to the bathroom to wash the chocolate sauce off her cheeks. I pulled out my wallet to pay the check, when I noticed something I'd meant to give Lia for a while. The day Penelope ended up in the hospital, I'd gone to the bank to have them print a check.

I pulled out the check and handed it to her. "This is yours."

She stared at it and tried to hand it back to me. "What does it mean?"

"When I proposed to you, I made a promise to take care of you."

"You didn't even put an amount on it."

I reached for her hand and leaned in closer to her. "Put whatever number that you want on it. You mean everything to me Lia, you've given me everything."

"Nate." The way she said my name was as if she was on the verge of crying. "I thought you were leaving it blank because you thought what we have is worth nothing."

I got out of my chair, and pulled her up so I could wrap my arms around her.

"Never," I told her. "Never at any moment have I felt that way."

I kissed her, and put everything into the kiss to reassure her of my words.

" Daad, " Penelope whined. "Gross."

Lia's cheeks were bright red when I stopped kissing her, but it was the happiness in her eyes that I couldn't stop staring at. It was something I hoped to see every day.

Tonight's game was the highly anticipated Sweethearts game, and the entire team had made a special swap, trading in their usual blue jerseys for light pink ones in honor of Valentine's Day. The game itself isn't on Valentine's Day, which happened earlier this week. Nate invited me over to eat dinner at his condo since he didn't want to leave Penelope home alone. Everything was too fresh with the custody hearing, and even though Erin had moved away, Nate didn't want to leave Penelope any longer than he had to.

He'd tried to give me the check again since I'd returned it at the restaurant. But instead, I tucked it into his hand and kissed him. Our relationship might have started out of desperation, but there was no way I was going to risk him or Penelope ever thinking I stayed because of money.

I'd even told my parents the entire crazy story when Nate suggested we plan a visit to go see them during the summer break from school and hockey. My parents laughed, and Dad told me he knew it was real all along because I'd never had a good poker face. Mom had simply smiled and told me she knew it was real because I'd never looked at Ted that way.

Turned out my parents had known what Haley and Ted did to me, but Haley had convinced them I was fine with it and just wanted it all to stay in the past. When my parents learned the truth of how I'd been feeling, and that the hurt was my reason for moving so far away, they cut Haley out of their lives and told her she had to make it right with me before they'd consider seeing her again. I had yet to hear from her.

The arena buzzed with excitement, filled with the energy of fans eagerly anticipating the game. The guys on the team had been thrilled when they'd learned that Nate wouldn't be transferring at the end of the season.

When Hannah caught wind of the tickets Nate had scored for me and Penelope, she didn't hesitate to extend the invitation to the rest of our book club. Now all of us were seated together, right behind the team's bench, separated only by a wall of plexiglass. It was an exhilarating view, being so close to the action.

Nate took a brief break on the bench and shot me a playful wink over his shoulder. My heart fluttered with a mixture of excitement and affection, and I couldn't help but grin foolishly as I settled back into my seat next to Penelope. Both of us were proudly sporting matching jerseys adorned with her dad's name and number.

"You guys are gross," Penelope teased, taking a sip of her soda. "But thanks for making my dad happy."

"He makes me pretty happy too," I replied, feeling a surge of warmth at the simple truth of my words.

Nate and I had mutually decided to take things slow, and I had returned the ring he'd given me. Yet, as he'd gently slipped it onto my right hand instead, as a promise for the future, I couldn't help but feel a sense of hope.

Before we knew it, the game drew to an end. The team won, but it had been close and had come down to a slap shot by Matt that got through the other team's goalie. He'd likely be named the MVP of the game.

Hannah took a photo of us all in our seats, claiming she needed it for the team's social media. "Oh! Let's get a photo out on the ice."

Maria was nodding and walking towards the door in the plexiglass before the rest of us could stand up.

Penelope was grinning ear to ear.

"What do you think?" I asked her.

"Let's do it."

We walked carefully out onto the ice, Maria and Hannah had already made it to the center of the ice underneath the Jumbotron. The vastness of the arena surrounded us, and I was amazed by how much bigger it felt.

"Everyone, look over here!" Hannah called out, signaling for us to gather for the perfect snapshot. We took a few, and then Hannah showed us the photos. We were all gathered around it, which made it harder to see. I was the last to look at all our happy faces, but the sight of it was perfect. The others started to walk away now that the photos had been taken.

I smiled at Hannah and handed her back her phone. "Great pic."

She looked at the screen. "I do pretty well sometimes."

I turned around to ask Penelope if we should try talking Maria into making Bear Claws tomorrow, but before I could, I saw him. Nate was in his pink jersey down on one knee.

"Lia," He smiled, "I know I said I wanted to slow down, but I take it back."

I chuckled, and felt my eyes start to tear up as he took my hands in his.

"I think I fell for you the first time you called me Super Dad. But I didn't know how much I needed you until I saw you in that courtroom."

Penelope walked up to stand beside him. "I'd like it if you were my stepmom."

"Will you marry me for real?" Nate asked.

"Yes!"

He slipped the ring off my right hand and returned it to its rightful spot on the left.

There were joyous cries from my friends, and Penelope hugged me before Nate could get off his knees. I noticed two more people had joined us on the ice, and their familiar faces had happy tears falling down my face. My parents were here, and I hugged them tight before letting go.

Nate finally stood, his gaze locked onto mine, and the world narrowed down to just the two of us.

With a tenderness that spoke volumes, he swept me up into his arms, drawing me close as if I were the most precious thing in his universe. His kiss was a testament to the depth of his emotions, each brush of his lips against mine making me feel cherished, protected, and loved.

Cocooned in his arms I was warm and secure. In this moment, all the worries and doubts I'd ever had about us, melted away, leaving only the raw, unbridled love I felt for him. His kiss was a symphony of emotions, a silent proclamation of everything he was, everything he felt. In that electrifying moment, I knew that I'd irrevocably, unequivocally love him forever.