Epilogue

One Year Later:

After a very successful NHL season, we made the playoffs but didn't win the cup, and while that's disappointing, I'm still the happiest man in the world. How could I not be when I'm sitting in my big backyard, the sun shining after a rainstorm yesterday, surrounded by friends and family?

I spot my daughter laughing as she and her friends play on the swing set. Camryn had a fabulous first year in kindergarten and has made numerous friends. Brighton joined the PTA and has made some wonderful friends as well, and many of those friends and their families, along with my teammates and their partners and children are all here at our country house, enjoying a big barbecue before the guys and I dig in for another year.

The resort is running beautifully, and we mainly live there during the week, as it's closer to Camryn's school. Brighton has been working one day a week, helping out with the events. She doesn't need to work, but she enjoys the wedding planning mostly, especially when it was our own. Yes, we got married at the resort that brought us together. Melanie was her maid-of-honor, as the two have grown quite close, and Brady was my best man. It was one of the best days of my life.

I turn to see Mom and Dad come from inside the house and I pull a chair out for Mom to sit beside me at the table as all my friends mingle. She gives me a smile. While her disease is progressing, she's in great spirits today, and she and Dad come to the farmhouse with us every weekend. We want to spend as much time with her as possible.

I pour Mom a glass of her favorite wine, and Brady, Gunther, Conner, and Conner's sister-in-law Dani—she used to be married to Conner's brother Alec, but Alec passed away—call out to me, as they play a game of horseshoes.

"Go play," Mom says and I drop a kiss onto her forehead and push from my chair. I spot my beautiful wife chatting with Melanie, and note the way Melanie keeps glancing at Brady. Okay, that's interesting.

Brighton gives me a smile and my heart swells with all the love I have for her. Jesus, to think I nearly messed up the best thing that had ever happened to me and my daughter. Brady calls out to me again, telling me to bring beer.

"Coming," I yell back, and grab three beers from the cooler and hurry toward them, the grass still a bit damp from yesterday's rain.

"Partners?" Brady asks, his eyes on Melanie. He scrubs his face. "What do you think they're talking about?" he asks.

I laugh. "Go find out."

"You know what, maybe I will."

"Forget it, Brady. A woman like Melanie is never going to fuck a guy like you," Conner says.

"Want to bet."

Conner laughs. "Yeah, I do. I'll bet a beer."

He drops the horseshoe, takes the beer from me and walks away. I shake my head, and glance at Conner and Gunther. "He's going to get his ass handed to him."

We all click beer bottles and Camryn calls out to me. "Daddy, push me."

"I'll be right back." I set my beer down on the picnic table and walk over to the kids. I spot Mabel in the distance, hanging with the sheep. Mabel has brought so much joy into our lives, and now that she's a full year old, and well past the hard puppy stage, I can't help but wonder if Brighton is ready to expand our small family. I think she knows I'm ready, and so is Camryn, who has been eating so many lumpy pancakes I'm beginning to worry about her digestive system.

I walk around a mud pile and stand in front of my daughter, and as I push her on the swing, she squeals in delight. All the other kids want a push so I give them each a turn. When I circle back to Camryn, I give her a big push and she yells, "Mommy."

I turn and this time I'm smart enough to protect my nuts. Jesus, I wonder if they're going to even work when I need them to.

I spot Brighton walking toward us, a grin on her face, like she too is pleased that I dodged a foot to the nuts. "Hey, Sunshine." I give her a kiss when she reaches me. The kids all giggle. "Having fun?"

"I am," she says and that's when I notice every guest at our place is now watching us.

"What's going on?" I frown as I zero back in on her.

"Well, I was thinking about breakfast tomorrow," she says and my frown deepens.

"Breakfast?" She looks around me, as Camryn continues to swing.

"Camryn," she says. "How about pancakes tomorrow, no lumps?"

Camryn's eyes go big and she squeals, clearly cluing in before I do. It's only when Brighton pulls a stick from her back pocket, showing me the pink line, that understanding dawns.

"Brighton," I begin, choking on her name as tears fill my eyes.

"We're going to have a baby," she tells me as tears fill her eyes too. I take the stick from her, and stare at it for a moment before I hold it up to show everyone.

"We're having a baby," I scream and everyone starts laughing and clapping. I quickly turn around to tell Camryn she's going to be a big sister, and the second I do…foot to the nut sack. I groan and drop into a mud puddle, and Brighton falls with me, laughing as we both get wet and dirty. "When will I learn?" I grunt.

"Probably never." She takes the stick from me and glances at it. "But hey, at least we know there's been no permanent damage."

"Come here." I pull her to me, and she laughs as I kiss her with all the love I have inside me. Camryn jumps from her swing and piles on top of us. I hold my girls tightly, my heart so full I'm sure it's going to burst. Just then, Mabel comes running over, and starts whacking me with her tail as she gets in on the action. She licks Camryn's face and Camryn squeals as Brighton laughs.

I grin, because life is chaotic, loud, dirty and messy and with a new baby on the way, that's only going to get worse and I can't wait to enjoy every second of it.