Gavin

27

" S he's pretty fucking amazing, isn't she? Or am I biased because I'm her dad?"

"No, she's amazing," Britton agrees.

It's the spotlight that Odette arranged for all the students. Those graduating this year had a full runway show. Undergraduates were given space to set up something like a pop-up boutique to highlight what they've been working on. Tori's little booth has been bustling all day. Instead of just setting up previous designs for people to inspect, she's brought a sewing machine and a bunch of fabric so they can watch her process. Odette's busy playing hostess, so I'm glad Britton came to keep me company.

She's become family the past few months. Even though she moved out of Odette's house shortly after Thanksgiving, she's still been around for filming. Tori's even calling her Auntie Britton now. Britt loves it, since she doesn't have much of a family of her own.

Caroline and Brock are here, too. Other than a casual greeting before the event started, I haven't seen them.

The relationship between me and my ex-wife has grown more distant and much healthier. We're all happier for it, including Brock, who was silently struggling with the relationship Caroline and I had after the divorce. We're in a good place now, though, and I still have all my teeth.

I donated all my navy-blue suits and let Odette fill my closet with new ones. The press loved that; I'm officially the best-dressed player in the league. Our team's social media manager even created a second Instagram page just for "Vaughn's Fits".

It's become a competition, of sorts, for the other guys, constantly trying to outdo me. They never can, but the fans love that they try. It's also been a good segue to talk about Odette and her business, and Tori's aspiring one. A way for me to support them in another way.

That's something that is becoming increasingly important to me now that my NHL career is coming to a close. It's not over yet, we've made it to the playoffs. I have one last run at the Stanley Cup.

With the school year coming to an end, Ode has offered to dress all the guys for our playoff games. And she's designed the wags' playoff jackets.

The team has fully embraced her as part of the family. It's nice, since I already consider her mine.

She still hasn't said she loves me. Not in words, anyway. I've been patient, because I know how she feels. I know she loves me as much as I love her. We only became official just before Thanksgiving, it's April now, that's not that long. It's not as if she's been making me wait for decades.

Every day she shows me how much she loves me by being invested in my life. Throwing herself into hockey so that she understands what's happening with my days and keep up with conversations regarding my career. She hired a masseuse to teach her how to best ease my muscles, not caring that the team has hired professionals for that. Her sauna has been repaired and she added a home gym so I wouldn't have to leave for workouts when I stay over.

Which is a lot. I'll be moving into her crazy cult house permanently after playoffs. The place has grown on me, and I understand now why she bought it. Plus, you can't beat the view, especially when it's the backdrop to her naked body as I fuck her up against the windows.

Odette is always looking for ways to make my life easier, when really, all I need is her to be with me at the end of every day.

I appreciate her efforts, though, and repay her in kind. She's only had a couple more flare-ups, and I stayed by her side while she battled through the exhaustion of them. For the most part, she's handling her disease in stride, and I support every new thing she tries to mitigate the symptoms that crop up. I even went with her to her last endocrinologist appointment so I could ask all my questions. I want to make her life as easy as she makes mine.

I still bake for her and together we're learning how to cook more meals.

It's been eye-opening. Caroline and I never had, in the nearly nineteen years we were married, what Odette and I have. I always wanted to take care of my ex-wife, but it was more like a job, an obligation, rather than a bone-deep need. It's embedded in me to do whatever I can to care for Odette.

"Your daughter is a hit," George says, walking up to Britton and me. Vanessa's husband and I have also become friends. He isn't around much, but when he is home, we try to have dinner with them. I have great respect for him because he understands my girlfriend and has never judged her. She didn't have many close friends, and I think that's why. The way she lived her life before moving to Seattle was what people expect of men, not women.

George is one of the few men who didn't think her a home-wrecking whore.

"Tell me about it," I say. "I've been trying to congratulate her for a solid thirty minutes, but I can't squeeze through the crowd."

"If it makes you feel any better, I heard a buyer from a major store talking about wanting the top on her front dress form."

"Shit, she'd die," I say, pride warming my chest.

I'm moving Tori into my house when I move to Odette's. It will give her room to spread out and work in comfort, as opposed to the small apartment she's been in this year.

It also gives her more room to entertain her boyfriend, Drake. I don't love that aspect, but Odette assures me he's a good kid.

Nobody is good enough for my daughter, though.

"She deserves that and more," Britton says. "I haven't seen a single thing she's made that I wouldn't wear in a heartbeat."

The support she has from all these new people in her life chokes me up, so I don't say anything. Instead, I pat Britton's shoulder as a way to say thank you.

"Embrace that emotion, hockey star," George says. "I'm going to go find my wife and see how much longer before I can drag her off to a bottle of wine and bed."

"It was good seeing you, George."

"You, too, . Britton, always a pleasure."

"Likewise. Take care of that wife tonight, she's been missing you."

"You know I will."

Britton leaves shortly after, and I finally get a second to see my kid and tell her how proud I am of her. Then I go find my girlfriend. Ode's been working endless hours the past two weeks, preparing for this.

I find her in a back corner, talking to a couple of people I don't know. She's got that smile plastered on her face, the one that says she's not really having a great time, but she doesn't want to let it show.

She's tired. Knowing her, she hasn't eaten anything today because she put everything and everyone else before herself. I wait for her to finish the conversation before I move behind her and wrap my arm around her stomach.

"You need me to find you a snack?"

"No, we're going to start clearing everyone out now. Then I'm going home and straight to that zucchini bread you made. I've been craving it for hours," she says. "Victoria Vaughn was much talked about today."

"So I've heard. Thank you for everything you've done for her," I say, pressing a kiss to her jaw.

"She's done everything on her own," Odette says. "I only put people in front of her."

"You've bolstered her confidence, too, Ode. You've done that for every student here."

"I've tried. I'm just so fucking proud of them all."

"They know that, and they love you for it," I tell her. "I'm going to head home; I'll have food ready for you when you get there."

"You're the best boyfriend a gal could ask for," she says, sinking into me.

"I try. Come home soon, Ode."

Odette wakes me by curling up in my lap. I must have fallen asleep on the couch waiting for her to get home.

"Hey," I mumble.

"Sorry it took me so long; I ended up helping negotiate a deal."

"I don't know what that means," I say, inhaling her scent.

"A very big store wants to buy six items they saw today. Four from the runway show, two from the spotlight students. Vanessa and I made sure the deal was lucrative for the kids."

"That's fucking amazing."

"It is. Tori's thrilled," she says, peering up to me with a sly smile.

"Shut up? Really?"

"Really. They also want the dress she was wearing, the one Drake made for her."

"Holy shit, that's so fucking cool. I should call her."

"She said to call her in the morning. They're all celebrating tonight."

"Yeah, okay," I say, though I grab my phone from under the cushion where I stashed it and send a quick text.

"She told me she loves me tonight," Odette says, emotion thick in her throat.

"Ah, babe. Of course, she does."

"It's different hearing it," she says. And don't I know that all too well.

"Sure, it is, but you had to know how she feels about you."

"I did, but…" She pauses. "It made me realize that I've been a bitch."

"What? To who?"

"To you," she says, adjusting until her face hovers inches in front of mine. "You know how I feel, but I should have said it."

"Then say it, Ode." I press a small kiss to the corner of her lips.

"I love you, . I love you so much that I feel like I'm walking on clouds all day. I love you so much that my favorite place to be is curled up in your arms, it's where I want to be when I take my last breath," she says, staring into my eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner."

"You said it when you were ready. You don't have to apologize for that."

"You're too nice to me."

"I can be not nice to you in bed later, if that will make you feel better."

"Yes, please," she says, nodding. I laugh.

"I love you, too, Odette."

"I know you do. You show me every day."

I'll keep showing her every day. It's my favorite thing to do.

"There's something for you on the kitchen counter."

"A present?"

"Go see."

I follow as she gets up and prances her way into the kitchen.

"Ooh, that smells good. Lentil soup?"

"Yes, but that's not your gift." I nod to the paper sitting on the counter and she snatches it up. "I owe you a trip."

"Paris for my birthday?"

"Yeah, I even found a place with a private rooftop pool."

"Skinny dipping in Paris for my birthday," she clarifies, setting the paper down and jumping into my arms.

"I was feeling nostalgic."

"I like that, but I'm more interested in making new memories with you, ."

"We'll make plenty of those, Ode," I say before sealing the promise with a deep kiss.