The Trouble with #9

by Piper Rayne

  The music starts, and Jessie and her parents walk down the aisle. The woman who called Maksim from the porch walks down with who I presume is her husband.

  Then the music changes, and we all turn to find Maksim at Nadiya’s side at the end of the makeshift aisle. He winks at me and tears well in my eyes. He looks at the sky for a moment, whispering something, then smiles at Nadiya, and they walk down between the rows of chairs.

  The ceremony is beautiful and happens just as the sun is setting. Watching a couple commit to a life together does something to me. Makes me believe in fairy tales and happily ever afters. By the time they seal their marriage with a kiss, Saige and I are both messes.

  Sparklers are given to everyone instead of bubbles or birdseed, and we all have fun with them. Ford almost lights my dress on fire by accident, but I laugh it off.

  The happy couple thanks everyone for coming and tell us there’s a buffet inside Maksim’s house. I can’t bear to go in when the house reminds me so much of us, so I remain outside, drinking on the beach.

  “I thought you might want to eat something.” Maksim hands me a plate and sits down next to me on the sand.

  Nadiya and Jessie are dancing, as well as some of their friends.

  “They’re beautiful together,” I say.

  “Yeah, now I have to deal with both sets of our parents on my own for a week since they’re going on their honeymoon.”

  I laugh. “At least it all worked out.”

  “Not all of it.”

  My heart skips.

  “I don’t have you.” His voice is low and serious.

  “Maksim,” I say, shaking my head. “Not here. Not now.”

  A woman I saw earlier who resembles Maksim comes over to us. “You’re her.”

  “Ne seichas, Mama,” he says.

  “You’re the one he loves.” She shoos her son away. “Go, Maksim. I need a word.”

  “Mama,” he says again.

  “Go.” Her tone brooks no argument and my eyes widen.

  He listens and shoots me a look of apology before stepping away.

  “I’m Inessa, his mama.”

  I hold out my hand. “Paisley.”

  “I want to thank you. You pulled my boy out of the darkness.”

  I shake my head. “No, I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

  “You did. He told me. He’s going to therapy. We talked the other night until the stars went to sleep. He said he didn’t know what was wrong until you came into his life. He wants to be better for you.”

  “That’s kind, but you’re giving me too much credit.”

  She rests her hand on my knee. “I saw when you walked in. Your back was to him, but he stared for the longest time before he could be strong to approach you. Even now, he’s not sure how to act, but a mama knows and I see it in his eyes. He loves you.”

  “I—”

  She holds up her hand. “Why do you young people make love so complicated? You love him. He loves you. That is enough. Love is enough. I’m married thirty-five years. Love is what gets you through.”

  I smile at her advice.

  “I don’t know what happened. But I know what I see. What my son has told me. How he talks about you and what a fool he was to let you go. If you feel the same, why spend this time apart?”

  In the distance, I see Nadiya’s mom getting out some Chinese sky lanterns.

  Inessa looks at her and back at me. “If you want to put everything behind you and be together, light a lantern with Maksim. Let the wind take your problems away. Start over if you need to, but don’t let the love you share fade away. Sometimes it only comes around once.” She pats my knee.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  She shrugs and smiles before walking over to Nadiya’s mom.

  As they pass around the Chinese sky lanterns, Maksim brings one over to my side. “Do you know how to light these and get it up?”

  “Maksim,” I say.

  He’s trying to pull it up and looking at where it needs to be lit. “Uh, huh?”

  “Look at me.”

  He looks over. “I’m sorry about my mama. Whatever she said.”

  I shake my head. “You never took me on that ninth date.”

  The lantern slips out of his grasp, but he catches it before it hits the sand.

  I laugh. “So…”

  He swallows hard. “Why are you mentioning that?”

  “Well, I was trying to be smooth.”

  He smiles. “Are you saying what I think you are?”

  I nod.

  He drops the lantern and takes me in his arms, picking me up off the sand. I laugh into his neck.

  “Ya lublu tebya. I love you, Paisley. You know that, right? I love you so much and I’m so sorry for everything that happened and everything I said. I’m going to therapy, and you were right, it’s helped.”

  “I know and I love you too, but, Maksim?”

  He lowers me to the ground, his hands cradling my face. “What is it?” He stares me in the eye, his bright blues full of love.

  “It’s kotik,” I say and he laughs, pressing his lips to mine.

  Ten minutes later, we light a Chinese lantern, each of us holding one side before letting the wind take it, along with all our problems, and hope for some good luck for the future. But regardless, Inessa is right. For us, love is enough.

  “I was really starting to enjoy the off-season,” Paisley says, rolling over in bed.

  My hand ventures under the sheet and between her legs, gliding along her wetness. “I know, but just think, now you get to sit in the wife and girlfriend section. Everyone will know I belong to you.”

  She flips over and opens her arms for me to lie on top of her. “I thought it was me belonging to you.”

  “It’s a mutual thing. Regardless, I’m taken.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “So it’s enough for you that we just live together? No symbolism?” I ask, wedging her legs open with my thighs.

  “Of course it is.”

  “I wish I could say the same.” I get up on my knees, bringing out the ring box that was under my pillow and opening it. “Will you make this permanent and be my wife? Spend your life with me?”

  Her mouth drops open and she blinks a few times before she speaks. “You’re proposing to me naked in bed? Right before you were about to push into me?”

  “Paise, you’re kind of killing the mood. It’s a yes or no question.”

  I don’t really care that she’s talking about being naked or anything else. I just want her to answer the question before my heart beats out of my chest from the anxiety this entire process had caused me.

  Ring shopping with Ford was a bad idea. The man has Harry Winston taste with a Harry Winston wallet and wanted me to spend Harry Winston money. I wanted the best ring I could afford, but I want to be able to take care of my woman too.

  Three carats isn’t bad though. At least I hope not.

  “Do you actually think I’d say no?” she asks, still not giving me a clear answer. “Oh, it’s beautiful. Can I take it out?”

  I snap the box shut and she retracts her fingers. “Only if you say yes.”

  “So you think I’d decline an offer to marry you?”

  “Paisley,” I bite out, and she laughs.

  “You’re so easy. You know that?”

  “Answer the question before I return the damn thing.”

  “Return it?” Her mouth falls open. “You don’t want to be one of those guys.”

  I drill my gaze into her. “This is a proposal. You’re supposed to cry and fawn over the ring and plaster yourself to my body.”

  “I’m sorry.” She sulks for a moment. “Ask me again.”

  I open the box. “Will you marry me?”

  “Yes! Oh my god, I’m crying.” She fans her face where there are no tears, then she throws herself on me, making me lose my balance and we fall to the floor with a thud.

  “I guess we’ll remember this moment forever.�
�

  She climbs on top of me, opens the ring box, puts the diamond on her left ring finger, and holds it up for me. “How do I look as Mrs. Petrov?”

  “You look damn good, especially when you’re only wearing the ring.”

  “Then show Mrs. Petrov what she’s getting for the rest of her life.”

  I stand, lift her, and toss her on the bed. Falling to my knees, I grab her legs and yank her to the edge of the bed, swinging her ankles over my shoulders.

  Five minutes later, she’s screaming the three-letter word I was looking for, over and over again.

  “You have some spit-up right there.” I point at Ford’s jersey. He doesn’t but I still enjoy busting his balls.

  We’re in the locker room for the first game of the season. He’s been on baby duty most of the off-season. He and the baby mama have been trying this co-parenting thing, and it’s worked out surprisingly well.

  “Har har, just wait until you assholes get one,” he says.

  “Have one, you mean?” Aiden asks.

  “Whatever, the thing cries all the time.”

  Sweet Annabelle Jacobs wailed her way into this world right after Paisley and I got back together, meaning Ford couldn’t spend his off-season gallivanting around Europe with French models. Poor bastard. Or so he’d have you think.

  “She, you mean,” Aiden corrects him again, and I laugh.

  “I love my daughter. I mean, I think I have that feeling dads talk about. I cried when she was born. That means something, right?” Ford asks us, as if either of us would know.

  I’m not used to anything going normally—just look at my proposal to Paisley earlier. Not that I would change it. It’s us and I love us.

  “I’m surprised. You’ve manned up,” I say, patting Ford on the back.

  My phone dings in my locker.

  “Let me guess, your leash is too taut and the master is calling.” Ford rolls his eyes.

  “Saige wants to throw you an engagement party,” Aiden says to me.

  “I bet Paisley would like that.” I pick up my phone and blink. “Uh…” I read the message again.

  “Hey, I have a great idea. My little one can be your flower girl if you wait a few years.” Ford points at both of us. “She can do you both.”

  “Might want to rephrase that,” Aiden says, shaking his head.

  My phone dings again as another message comes through.

  “What does the pretty therapist want?” Ford asks me. Clearly we’re ruining the first game for him so far.

  He’s receiving an award for a scoring milestone before the game starts tonight. His baby mama, Britney, is supposed to bring Annabelle so Ford can show her off during the ceremony.

  “She said Britney just got to the arena.”

  “Thank God she’s on time. We had a talk about that earlier today. Half the time she’s not showered when I get over there to pick up Annabelle and she’s a hot mess.”

  “Well, she had a baby a few months ago,” Aiden says. “Cut her some slack.”

  “Britney’s not here anymore,” I say. “Paisley says she dropped off the baby with her and took off. She said there’s a note in the bag.”

  I look at Ford, whose mouth is hanging open. “What the fuck? She just left my kid with someone? No offense to Paisley.”

  “Want her to bring Annabelle down here with the note?” I ask, unsure of what to do in this situation.

  “No. I gotta finish getting ready for the game.”

  “Ford,” Aiden sighs.

  “Just ask the girls to watch Annabelle until the game, okay? I’ll get the note when they bring her down to the ice when I get the award.”

  He sits down, and I glance at Aiden, unsure what to do.

  A half hour later, Paisley hands Ford Annabelle by the ice, he gets his award, pictures are taken, and he hands his baby back to Paisley while she hands him the letter. While the staff gets the carpets off the ice and gets it ready for us to skate, he opens the letter with Aiden and me on either side of him.

  I’m really sorry, Ford. I can’t do this. I’m not meant to be a mother. You’re so good to her. Love her extra for me.

  * * *

  Britney

  My eyes widen at Aiden and his mouth hangs open. Ford turns around, all the color drained from his face.

  I pat him on the shoulder. “We’ll be there for you. Whatever you need.”

  “I’m a single dad now?”

  This is not good.

  Paisley and Maksim need a little more of an HEA, are we right?

  Check out their bonus scene HERE

  *Please note by downloading the bonus scene you are agreeing to join our newsletter if you’re not already a subscribed member.

  Boy does Ford have a trip planned for his readers! Don’t miss his book, Faking it with #41 coming September 21st! Scroll ahead for a short excerpt. CLICK HERE to pre-order it for a discounted price!

  “Are you laughing at Daddy?” He puts his face on her belly and vibrates his lips against her skin. She makes the same sound and he lifts his head. “You are laughing. That’s not gas, right?”

  The amazement in his tone has my hand landing on my stomach because I’m pretty sure my ovaries did a three-sixty. Who would have ever thought he had it in him to be this man? Certainly not me.

  He does it three more times and Annabelle laughs every time.

  Picking her up, he circles her around in his arms, his smile as wide and as bright as when he’s on the rink after a win. I’m so enthralled that I don’t realize until it’s too late that he’s stopped and is staring at me.

  “I didn’t peg you for a spy.” He lowers Annabelle to the changing table again.

  I slowly step into the room. “Sorry.”

  “At least this was something good for you to tattle back to my dad.”

  “Is that what you really think I do? Tattle?”

  “You’re my father’s fetcher. So yes, I do think you tattle because that’s partly what he’s paying you for.” He changes Annabelle’s diaper without a problem and puts her in a cute onesie that says “Daddy’s Girl” with pink lettering and small flowers.

  “Your family is my business. I was hired to make you look good.”

  “You were hired to make sure to spin any fuck-ups.” He picks her up and holds her.

  “Yes, but—”

  He spins to face me. “I’ve always been curious. Why?”

  His anger spurs me to step back. “Why what?”

  “Why would you take this job? You can’t have much of a life. Always having to be on call to fly down here to stop me from having any fun. My dad doesn’t even talk to you with a modicum of respect.”

  I say nothing about the way his father talks to me. He talks to me like a paid employee, and I’ve been talked to in a lot worse ways, so it doesn’t get to me. At least Mr. Jacobs doesn’t talk down to me, which is more than I can say for how he talks to his son.

  “It’s none of your business, but if you must know, I went to school for this.”

  “Sure, but why not work at some big firm? You seem like the nerdy type. Surely you had good grades.” He takes the headband off Annabelle, and I swear I hear her release a sound like a sigh of relief. It reminds me of when I take off a tight dress and my Spanx after a long night out.

  “I hate to break it to you, but jobs aren’t just lined up waiting for you when you graduate college unless you know…” I don’t finish because I’m growing madder by the minute and I’m going to say something I shouldn’t.

  “What?”

  I shake my head. “Nothing. Let’s just get this interview over with.”

  He widens his legs and his blue eyes focus on me. “Come on. Give it to me, Boyd. I’m sure it’s nothing I haven’t heard before.”

  “I don’t have a rich daddy to set me up in his golf buddy’s business,” I say. I saw it so many times where I’d be one of the top two candidates for a position, and it would go to the person with connections. No one knew my dad except
for maybe the shelter managers.

  He laughs smugly and it makes me want to smack his face. “I didn’t use shit. My dad doesn’t know anyone in the National Hockey League. I earned my spot myself.”

  “I wasn’t suggesting—”

  “Sure, you were. And if I had to work for any company, we both know it would be Jacobs Enterprises.” He stops right next to me, leaning down so he can speak directly into my ear.

  My breath hitches from the scent of his expensive cologne.

  “Money isn’t everything,” he whispers.

  I turn toward him. Our faces are millimeters apart, so close that Annabelle’s hand touches my cheek, but he doesn’t back away. “Says the trust fund boy.”

  He huffs and straightens up, moving Annabelle’s hand from my cheek. “That’s all you see me as, huh?”

  “And all you see me as is some pathetic woman who does your dad’s bidding and has to nag you to live your life on the straight and narrow.”

  He doesn’t move. The longer he stands there with his gaze on me, the more I want to fidget. But I’m not going to show him how much he intimidates me. I straighten my back instead and force myself to not do so much as even blink.

  “At least we have that straight.” He holds out Annabelle for me. “Since you’re the help, you won’t mind watching her while I go do the interview with your boyfriend.”

  I accept Annabelle and he walks out without me saying a word. Damn, why can’t I think about a comeback? Boyfriend? Does he think Gavin is my boyfriend? And if he was, what is it to him?

  I look down to find Annabelle’s eyes studying me. “Your daddy is a complicated man.”

  CLICK HERE to Pre-order NOW!

  Cockamamie Unicorn Ramblings

  * * *

  Man… this book took so long to write. We had two deadlines, and even on the last one we were worried we wouldn’t hit it. Maksim and Paisley were hard nuts to crack, but in the end we found them.

  * * *