by Hughes, Maya
Epilogue
“Go. Just go! We’ll catch up to you,” Ford shouted, nearly tripping over his goalie pads as the locker room door closed behind me.
I’d set a land speed record in showering, and my button-down shirt clung to my chest in a mixture of water and newly sprung sweat.
I’d ducked out of the locker room before the press conference. Scoring a hat trick during a game should be cause for celebration, but right now I couldn’t pretend to care. My heart had been in overdrive since the chorus of text messages had blared from our phones in our bags after the game.
I should’ve known something was up when our box had been empty. Imo and the rest of the Queens of Rittenhouse, as they’d dubbed themselves, had been at every home game.
The taxis I’d ordered idled outside the tunnel exit behind the stadium. Three sat ready to go behind the one I got in. I waved to security for doing me a solid and jumped in the back. Without a word, the taxi peeled out and I swore I could smell burned rubber.
We took a corner hard and I slammed against the back door. It seemed the driver had taken the bonus for getting me there as soon as safely possible to heart.
Sweat poured down my back. I hadn’t trusted myself or any of the guys to drive. The glowing red sign of the Hospital peeked between the budding branches of the trees. My fingers tightened on the seat of the taxi driver.
As much as I loved the game, the past month had shown me how important the people around me were, and I wouldn’t take them for granted. This would be my final season. On my own terms. I’d proven I could do it and that was all I needed. There was always enough new blood to continue the winning streak we’d forged this season.
One final run for the cup with the Kings and I’d spend the rest of my life spoiling my new wife and baby.
I flung the taxi door open before he’d even come to a complete stop. A quick pause—more like thundering up to the reception desk and gasping out a request for the labor and delivery floor was all I could get out.
Using my hands to propel me up the steps to the fifth floor, I burst through the door probably looking like a madman.
The nurses beside the reception desk’s eyes widened when they spotted me. I’m sure I wasn’t the only frazzled guy to burst onto this floor today.
“Colm.” My name came from the other direction.
Imogen stood in a doorway doing the mom bounce she’d adopted over the past month. The little bundle strapped to her chest sent a flurry of warm and gooey feelings running through me.
I kissed Imo, keeping my chest from crushing our little girl. Imo tasted better every time I sampled her lips. From the day I slipped my ring on her finger to the day we stood in my backyard and exchanged vows to the day she labored for eighteen hours to bring our sweet baby into this world.
I smoothed back the hair on top of Abby’s head and kissed her while I inhaled her new baby smell.
“How are my girls?”
“We’re good.” Liv leaned over in her chair in the waiting room behind Imo, setting down the magazine. “Oh, you were talking about them.” She motioned to Imo and Abby.
“You think you’re no longer in the club anymore?” I lifted my sister off her feet and squeezed her tight.
The door out in the hallway banged open and a stampede of footsteps hammered against the floor.
“We’re in here.” Imo waved the guys into the room.
They were out of breath and panting, like we hadn’t given our all only thirty minutes ago out on the ice.
“Looks like someone needs a bit more conditioning.” Liv wrapped her arms around Ford’s neck and planted a kiss on him.
Imo slipped in close to me. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
“What day?”
“The day you’d smile like that seeing them together.” She continued her bounce and dropped a kiss onto Abby’s head.
“What’s not to be happy about? My grown up little sister and best friend have found love with one another. Someone would have to be an idiot not to see that.”
She laughed. “Do you want to hold Abby?”
“Like you ever have to ask. I always want to hold her, but I know how you hate it when I steal her from you.”
“Yeah, when she’s in the middle of breastfeeding.” She pinched my side.
“Ow, so mean.”
“You love it when I am.”
“You know I do.” I kissed her again, never ready for it to end, and helped her unstrap the baby carrier and cradled my little girl in my arms.
She had bright blue eyes like her mom, and my curls. Her beauty and perfection made it hard to believe she was part me.
“It’s only a matter of time before this little cutie has boys showing up on your doorstep with dug up flowers and worms.” Heath ran his fingers over her toes.
“It’s a good thing they’ll have four uncles to deal with in addition to me.” I rubbed my nose against Abby’s and laughed as she latched onto my cheek.
I know everyone said that about their babies, but this time it was true. That she would one day grow up and have a life of her own made it hard to breathe. I needed to treasure every single moment I had with her. With everyone in this room, because we were family.
“Has anyone come in with any news yet?” Declan held onto Mak with his arm draped over her shoulder.
“Nothing—“
Emmett skidded into the doorway, bumping into the doorjamb and not even wincing. His massive smile melted away any of the tiny fear dancing in the back of my mind.
“It’s a boy! Avery and Lucas are doing great.”
He was buried under the pile-up of hugs. Tears, high fives and even more hugs filled the room.
“Our little family’s getting bigger every day, big brother.” Liv squeezed me in a side hug and kissed Abby’s chubby cheek.
“It sure is, Olive.” I kissed the top of her head, tearing up as she stepped away and held hands with Ford. The two of them peered down at Emmett’s phone as he flicked through the pictures.
We sat in the waiting room for our turn to go in and meet the first Prince of Rittenhouse.
“So, can we start placing bets on the Abby-Lucas courtship in another eighteen years?” Heath clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms.
My glare didn’t go unnoticed.
Heath held his hands up in surrender. “Just throwing that out there. So touchy.”
Imo laced her fingers through mine and ran the backs of her fingers down Abby’s cheek. “I love you, Mr. Frost.” She stared into my eyes and I’d never felt like a luckier man.
“I love you more, Mrs. Frost.”
* * *
Thank for you joining me for the final Kings of Rittenhouse novel! I know you’ve been waiting patiently—okay maybe not so patiently, but I’m so happy you’re here with me and the rest of the gang to celebrate.
If you’d like one more day with them, you can grab Colm and Imo’s bonus scene here.
* * *
Looking for another sweet and steamy sports romance read?
The Perfect First - A First Time Romance
Persephone has a list of firsts to tackle in her senior year of college and her biggest is lose her V-Card. Reece is a cocky football player who stumbles into her interview session for candidates can't help, but want to protect her and keep her from making a big mistake. He volunteers to help her with everything on her list--except her No. 1, but then everything changes.
Ready for more?
Want to start the Kings of Rittenhouse where it all began?
Kings of Rittenhouse - FREE
Long live the Kings!
Shameless King - Enemies to Lovers
Declan's draft prospects hang in the balance based on one class. Makenna has dreamed of med school since she was young. When their professor pairs them up, these two high school enemies are forced together and the sparks fly.
Only they're not in high school anymore and it's only a matter of time before everything they th
ought they knew about one another is peeled away and they're left with the simmering desire they've been fighting for years.
Looking for another sweet and steamy sports romance read?
The Perfect First - A First Time Romance
Persephone has a list of firsts to tackle in her senior year of college and her biggest is lose her V-Card. Reece is a cocky football player who stumbles into her interview session for candidates can't help, but want to protect her and keep her from making a big mistake. He volunteers to help her with everything on her list--except her No. 1, but then everything changes.
The Second We Met - An Enemies to Lovers Romance
Dear Jerk Across the Street, sorry for accidentally walking in on you and catching an eyeful of your—equipment. And hard pass on the open invitation to join you in the shower “anytime”, A-hole.
A Heartfelt Thank You
I can’t lie, I cried writing this epilogue. It has been an emotional journey with the Kings and their Queens.
This was my first series centered around a tight group of friends and they became even more like family as I wrote their books. Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when these are friends you’ve come to love over so much time.
That doesn’t mean I won’t revisit them at some point in the future and that they won’t pop up in what I have planned, but they’ve all got their happily ever afters and I can’t be happier about that! So thank you for coming on that journey with me and them.
Thank you so so much again for all your support and I can’t wait for you to see what I have coming up next!
Happy reading!
Maya xx