Hooked by Love
Page 145

“Now it’s your turn,” I say and he grins, his eyes dancing with excitement at the mention of the upcoming draft. The Bullies won the championship for the third time in a row, but they lost nationals because of a shitty call that resulted in a goal. Not his fault, and thankfully, he is still prospected to go first.
“Yup, gotta make you proud,” he says with a wink and I scoff, leaning my head to his.
“I’m already proud.”
Holding me tightly, he kisses my lips. Really, how could life get any better?
Why am I nervous?
I’ve got this.
I know I do, but yet, I’m shaking in my seat, my heart pounding so hard in my chest that it aches from each thump. With my left hand in Avery’s and my right in my mom’s, I watch as the Florida Panthers are on the clock, ready to make their pick. Swallowing hard, I look down, seeing Thea sitting beside Matty four rows down. We didn’t say anything to Matty when we entered the arena with them. He didn’t even look at us, not that either of us cares. Avery is just fine without him, but I’ve noticed she keeps looking down there.
“Baby, if you want to—”
“Just shut up,” she demands, shaking her head, and I smile. I’ve already asked once and I thought she was going to cut my head off then, but I just want her to be happy. Resting her other hand on her bump, she looks tired. She hasn’t been sleeping much because she can’t get comfortable at night. The drive here, since it’s too late in her pregnancy to fly, took even more out of her. The doctors are saying she’s probably going to go early, and I can’t wait. I want to meet my baby. We still technically have three weeks, but I’m hoping she goes today, even if we are out of town. Drafted and a baby, all in the same day. That’s what I want.
I just want everything to be perfect, but it hasn’t been. We have struggled, we have fought, and we have disagreed, but we’ve loved more. She completes me, and I hope I do the same for her. It’s just crazy to think of my life before her. I remember when this moment was all I cared about. When this was going to be the highlight of my life, but it isn’t. The highlight is the day outside of the abortion clinic when my life really started.
The day she agreed to love me forever and have my baby.
We’ve grown, so damn much, and I couldn’t be prouder of us.
Of her.
She’s a trooper, and I don’t even worry about her hurting herself anymore. She is just too happy. Even when she is mad at me, she’s happy. She’s getting along with her family, minus Matty, and she loves mine something fierce. It’s great and I could walk out of this place, not drafted at all, and be happy.
But, I’m going to need to be drafted. That was just a hypothetical thought.
“So, stiff competition around here,” Jude calls from down the row, Claire beside him grinning happily. They finally moved in to their house in Nashville, and it’s been nice having them home.
“Yeah, thinking maybe you’ll go eighth,” Jayden says simply as I roll my eyes. The Assassins didn’t win the cup, which was disappointing. But when Shea Adler, their captain, announced his retirement, the talk started that Jayden will take his place. It’s crazy, but I’m proud of my brother.
“Hope he goes. Can’t keep depending on Avery to bring home the bacon,” Lucy says and I glare as she grins at me. “Did y’all see that car she bought him? Spoiled brat.”
That has everyone laughing and I roll my eyes, but I smile too.
“Shut up,” I bark at them, and my mom points her fingers at my siblings, her eyes wild. She’s shaking as badly as I am.
“Shut your mouths. He’s nervous.”
“Aw, poor baby,” they all coo in their own ways, and I turn to my mom.
“Mom,” I groan and everyone laughs, even Avery.
They are all so close now, my wife with my siblings and their wives. Lucy, she’s still alone, but she doesn’t seem too bothered by it. She moved out of my mom’s house last month and in to a condo above her shop. I guess walking in on Mom and Coach having sex had her hightailing it out of our family home, and I can’t blame her. I still can’t look at them without shuddering in disgust. Word is, Coach is moving in, and really, I don’t mind. My mom is happy, grinning ear to ear with Coach sitting beside her, also excited for me. My dad is nowhere to be seen, and I’m more than okay with that. He burned that bridge, and I’ll never forgive him for what he did. Unlike Avery, I can’t just forgive like that. Maybe one day, but not today.
When the GM of the Panthers stands with a little piece of paper in his hands before he climbs the stairs, I sit up straighter. I scoot to the edge of my seat as my mom lets out a cry, her other hand coming to grasp the hand she is already holding. Avery looks at me and I look at her.
Smiling, she says, “Here we go.”
“Yeah. Hope you love me if I don’t go first.”
She rolls her eyes. “You could go dead last and I’ll still love you.”
“But I have to go?”
She gives me a playful look. “Duh, I can’t support all of us.”
I give her an exaggerated wink, and she laughs as the whole room quiets down. The GM heads to the podium, tapping the mic. Holding my breath, I close my eyes, praying I go first. Not because I want it more than I want my next breath, but also because I don’t want to hear Jayden’s and Jude’s mouths if I don’t go first. Their skates are huge to fill, but damn it, I know I’m good enough. “The Florida Panthers would like to choose with their first pick, from the Bellevue Bullies, Jace Sinclair.”
As my face breaks into a grin and my mom cries out, I can’t move.
I did it.
I made my dreams come true.
But when I open my eyes, Avery is watching me, her eyes full of tears as they start running down her face. While one of my dreams did come true, the look of pure excitement and love swirling in her eyes is what makes me choke with emotion.
I have it all.
“Sunny Florida. Ready?”
“More than ready,” she gushes, holding my face in her hands. “I’m so proud of you.”
Grinning, I lean my head into hers, kissing her nose. “Good. That’s what I’ve been working for.”
And I’ll continue to work for it for the rest of my life.
She has Avery’s eyes.
My nose and chin.