Epilogue

epilogue

A FEW MONTHS LATER…

ISLA

"I can't believe they won!" Mira grips my hands tightly in hers, bouncing up and down with me.

Maddox blows me a kiss as he skates off the ice, and even after all these months together, I still swoon. Mira chuckles when Griffin gives her a wink. The two of them have become close since Mira moved in with Griffin after a surprise breakup with her ex-boyfriend. If I didn't know that Maddox's best friend was allergic to relationships and that his sister would never agree to something casual, I might suspect them of having a thing for each other. They're constantly sharing looks and inside jokes.

But they're polar opposites in the way they approach life, so I know I'm wrong.

"Come on," I say, grabbing Mira's hand and dragging her toward the area designated for family. "Let's not make them wait."

We have plans to celebrate tonight. The Rogues are having a phenomenal season, and we're all excited about the possibility of going all the way. No one would be surprised if they end up being serious contenders for the Stanley Cup.

Dodging pissed-off Scorpions fans who look ready to sting, we make it to the family area and spend the next forty-five minutes chatting while we wait for the guys. I practically leap into Maddox's arms when he walks out in his game-day suit.

God, he looks good in these things. I swear, his game-day suits are the best aphrodisiac.

"I'm so proud of you," I squeal before peppering my boyfriend with kisses. "You played so well tonight." I look over Maddox's shoulder and grin at the rest of the guys. "You all did."

"We were extra motivated," Griffin says with a grin. "Gotta have a reason to hit the town and celebrate."

"Hell yeah," Logan agrees. "So what are we waiting for?"

"Do we still want to do the High Roller?" Sebastian asks. It's a five hundred foot tall observation wheel that's supposed to have amazing views of Vegas. It looks like a Ferris wheel, but it's not quite the same.

I can't wait. I've been looking forward to this the whole trip. There's something about being so far above the ground with Maddox. It's like flying, only better.

"Let's do this," Mira shouts! She hops on Griffin's back with a cheer, and he gives her a piggyback ride out of the arena where a couple of cars wait to take us to tonight's destinations. The guys went all out and booked drivers for the whole weekend.

Sometimes I forget they lead very different lives than I ever did as a single teacher.

The drive to the High Roller doesn't take long. The guys bought out an entire cabin just for us.

It takes about fifteen minutes for the pod to reach the top of the observation wheel, and the view is stunning. I've got my nose pressed against the glass, taking it all in, loving it.

"Isla, check out the view behind you," Sebastian says from across the cabin.

Not wanting to miss a thing, I turn.

Sebastian's right. The view leaves me absolutely breathless.

"Baby." Maddox is down on one knee in the center of the cabin. His earthen eyes glitter as they reflect the lights of the strip. Or maybe it's the light reflecting off the tears pooling in his eyes. His smile is blinding as he watches me process what I'm seeing.

Maddox is down on one knee. He's holding an emerald velvet ring box containing the most stunning vintage-looking diamond ring. He's staring at me like I am his entire world.

My hands tremble as I cover my mouth. "Oh my god," I whisper.

"Isla Rosemary Harding, the first time I met you, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. Which was inconvenient, because I was determined to dislike you."

Mira and the guys chuckle. My breath comes out in short little gasps .

"But when you put me in my place and refused to take my shit, I grew to admire you. And when you gifted me with the privilege of seeing the world through your eyes and getting to know the real you, I fell in love. Every day, I ask myself how I got this lucky. And every day I decide it doesn't matter. All that matters is that I get to live life by your side."

A tear slips down my cheek. Maddox reaches up to wipe it away, but he remains kneeling.

"Baby, I'm so in love with you. And maybe this is fast, but I don't care. Because I've never been as sure about anything as I am about you. I want to share my life with you. Go on adventures and have some babies that look like mini-Islas. I want to grow old and wrinkly with you and wake up each and every morning with your head on my shoulder."

The tears fall in earnest, now. My whole body shakes.

Is this really happening?

"Isla, baby, will you marry me?"

"Yes," I cry, throwing myself at Maddox the moment he's on his feet. He spins me around as his lips crash against mine. My tears of joy wet both of our cheeks, but he doesn't seem to notice or care. "I love you so much. Yes, I will marry you!"

Our friends cheer and clap, shouting their support and congratulations. Maddox lets me down and slips the ring on my finger. It's a perfect fit. Just like us.

"You guys want to get married tonight?" Griffin asks with a twinkle in his eyes. "There have to be at least a dozen chapels on the strip."

"No way," Maddox says with a laugh. "My mom would kick my ass." He turns to look down at me, and the love in his eyes is staggering. "Plus, I'm going to give Isla whatever fairytale party she wants."

The thing is? I don't need some massive party. It's not the cake or the dress or the flower arrangements that make this a fairytale.

It's Maddox. It's the way he loves me and the way I love him. It's all the magical little moments that led up to this moment.

Looking up at my fiancé, I rise onto my toes and press a tender kiss to his lips.

"You're the fairytale, Maddox."

He cocks one eyebrow. "Oh yeah? I thought I was your ogre."

I laugh. "You are. But maybe even an ogre can be a prince charming."

Maddox wraps me up in his arms and everything else fades away. "Well, I do plan on living happily ever after with you."

"God, you're cheesy."

"You love it," he says with a smirk.

"I do," I reply.

I really, really do.