“What’s up, hotcakes?” I asked, trying to not laugh too much at her cuteness.
“You’re the bestest boyfriend anyone could ask for in the history of ever.” Myla’s tiny hand landed with a thud on my thigh as she slurred before trying to take another sip of her Jack and Coke, completely missing the straw and chasing it around the glass for a bit.
“I think it’s time to call it a night. What do you think?” I took the drink out of her hand and handed it back over to Jordan, who downed it in one gulp.
She pursed her lips and, serious as a heart attack, shook her head, yelling, “Dobby has no master! Dobby is a free elf!”
I couldn’t help but laugh right there on the spot. “God, even drunk, you’re still a nerd.”
I scooped her up into my arms and carried her to bed. “I’ll be right back. I’m just going to help Brayden and Jordan pack up the rest of the stuff and get it downstairs.”
“Did the birthday girl go down without a fight?” Brayden was wiping down my kitchen counter as Jordan started packing up the last of the liquor bottles she had brought with her.
I shoved my hand down into my pocket, nervously fidgeting with the ring box that had been there all night.
“Brayden, can I have a minute?” I waved him toward the balcony.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be right back.” He glanced over at Karla and she nodded while sitting on a barstool chatting with Jordan and Simon.
After shutting the door behind us, Brayden rubbed the back of his neck. “What’s up?”
I took in a deep breath. “I love your sister.”
He nodded. “Yeah man, tell me something I don’t know.”
I pulled the box out from my pocket. “She’s perfect and I know you’re going to say this is all really sudden. I’m not going to do it right away; I just wanted you to know where my head is at with all this, how serious I am about Myla.”
“Dude, no one is perfect, and you’re right, this is really sudden and fucking fast as shit.” He started pacing around the balcony.
"You're right. No one is perfect." I sighed, shoving the box back into my pocket. "But, she's damn near it, and fucking perfect for me."
He leaned onto the railing. “I have to hand it to you, you really are falling for my sister. I hate and love it all at the same time.”
“So, may I have your blessing?” Brayden nodded and I literally jumped in the hair, yelling, “Fuck yes!”
He pointed his finger at me, smiling wide. “Don’t make me regret this, Hayes.”
“I promise. I am going to spend the rest of my life making that girl as happy as humanly possible.”
After making sure everyone had safe rides home and the apartment was at least somewhat clean, crawling into bed was the best feeling ever.
I pulled Myla into me, curling my body around her. In a sleepy daze she kissed the air, muttering, “Love you,” before resting her head on my shoulder.
I had always been told that the best parts of life were the small, nameless moments spent smiling with someone you love, and in that bed with Myla sleeping soundly in my arms, I truly knew what that meant.
Epilogue
Myla
Months later
Rolling over, Gavin’s bristly scruff rubbed against my cheek. His playoff beard was coming in strong and the only way I could describe how handsome Gavin looked was downright panty-melting.
I kissed his soft lips. “Baby, are you ready for tonight?” I whispered.
He wrapped his leg around mine, shushing me. “Not if I don’t get my beauty rest, My.”
I was wide awake, probably way more excited for game seven of the playoffs than he was. Gavin peeked at me with only one eye open, then whistled for Seven, who jumped onto the bed panting and wagging her tail, jingling more than normal.
I noticed that she had a ribbon tied around her neck. Gavin reached up and pulled out the bow, letting three rings drop onto my bare stomach.
He leaned up on one elbow as tears started to flood my eyes.
“Myla, I have thought about how to ask this for months now, but I knew the simplest, intimate moments for us were both of our favorites.” He took the ring that had a solitaire canary diamond and slid it onto my finger. “Please, spend the rest of your life with me.”
I stared at the shimmering stone, completely in shock.
“Say something.” He sighed.
I gasped for breath. “Of course! Yes!” Grabbing the other two rings, I looked over to Gavin, who had the biggest grin on his hairy face. “What are these for?”
“Well, you know how nontraditional we both think these things should be. So, I might have taken care of all of the arrangements.” He tossed me his shirt from the floor and pulled on a pair of gym shorts. “You might want to put that on for this next part.”
Yanking the huge shirt over my head, Gavin opened our bedroom door. On the other side was my brother dressed in a tux, standing next to Karla—whose baby bump was finally starting to pop out—in a gorgeous floor-length dress. Brayden was holding a white dress bag and walking into the room.
“Are we getting married today?” I started hysterically crying.
“Everyone is waiting at our house, including Sean, who got ordained to marry you online last week. We have a hairdresser and makeup artist waiting in the living room for you.”
Karla started giggling. “Did you really think I wanted to try on all those different dresses to get your opinion just in case Brayden decided to make an honest woman out of me?”
She shoved my brother as he started laughing. “What we have going on is working, why complicate it with marriage? No offense, Gavin.”
Gavin pulled his tux out of the closet and started polishing his dress shoes. “None taken.” He looked over at me. I was still in shock. “Chop, chop, little girl. We’re all waiting on you now.”
Karla grabbed the dress from Brayden. “Why don’t you two head over to the house and help finish getting set up? We have a wedding to get to and a game to win.”
As I was sitting on a barstool, getting my hair curled and airbrush makeup applied, Karla unzipped the dress bag. “So, this is the one I made you try on a few weeks ago. I remembered it was your favorite.”
She pulled out a gorgeous off-white, lace mermaid-style dress with a sweetheart neckline. Within less than an hour I was in my dress, riding in the back of a limo with Karla, on the way to my childhood home.
“I hope they’re all set up and ready to go.” I was getting nervous that there wasn’t going to be enough time for the wedding and to get the guys to the rink in time.
Karla put a reassuring hand on mine, pouring me a glass of champagne. “We have it all timed perfectly, love. This is going to be great and we’re going to the game tonight.”
“I thought Brayden said we weren’t allowed to be there.”
The car pulled over and Karla paused before opening the door. “Gavin was pretty convincing. They started the season with a win, seems fitting that they end the playoffs with you there too. You’re his luck, My. Don’t ever forget that.”
Standing at the altar, staring into Gavin’s stormy eyes with all our closest family and friends standing in a circle around us, it finally hit me—I was about to become Mrs. Myla Hayes.
“And do you, Gavin, take Myla to be your wife?” Sean was way too adorable in his dress uniform, helping us tie the knot.
“I do.” Gavin leaned down and kissed my cheek.
“Hey, no kissing the bride until I say so.”
Gavin chuckled. “Hey, playing by the rules is never as fun.”
After rolling his eyes at Gavin’s remark, Sean looked to me. “And do you, Myla, take this goofball to be your husband?”
I yelled at the top of my lungs, “Heck yes, I do!”
Everyone started popping bottles of champagne and toasting.
“You may now kiss your lovely bride.” The crowd erupted as Gavin scooped me up into his arms.
“Now, you’re my girl, forever.
How does that sound Mrs. Hayes?”
Hearing those words roll off his lips sent electricity throughout my entire body.
“Absolutely perfect.”
Brayden slapped Gavin on the shoulder, addressing the whole group of people. “We have a game to get to, ladies and gents. Feel free to hang out. I set up TVs throughout the house so everyone can watch. Game seven here we come!”
Seven trotted over to Brayden, wagging her tail. “Not you, girl.” He threw the tennis ball she had dropped at his feet.
“All right, my love. There’s only one more surprise, but it’s at the rink. Simon and Karla will walk you through it. See you soon.” Gavin kissed me goodbye and ran out the front door with Brayden and a few of their teammates that had come to wish us well.
After a few glasses of champagne, it was time to head to the arena. “Ok, I’ll go change and then we can head out.”
Karla grabbed my hand. “Nope. You’re staying in that dress for a little while longer.”
Simon threw the strap of a duffle bag over his shoulder. “I have a change of clothes for each of us in here for when the time comes.”
Walking through the crowd of fans in a wedding dress was hilarious. Everyone kept stopping to stare as Karla and Simon escorted me to the very same seat I had occupied for that first game, right next to the penalty box.
We were only in our seats for a few minutes before the announcer came over the loudspeaker. “Will Myla Hayes please make her way to the Otters’ locker room? Again, Myla Hayes, please make your way to the Otters’ locker room.”
Gavin was waiting for me by the locked stairway to escort me down to the locker room. He was already in his pads and jersey.
“What’s going on?” I asked as he grabbed my hand.
“You’ll see.” We rushed down to where the team was hooting and hollering for us. “Congrats, guys!”
Gavin’s father threw an arm around me. “Welcome to the family, kid.” It had taken him and his wife a while to get used to the idea of me, but they had finally come around.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Thank you!”
The opposing team was being announced and flooding onto the ice.
“Ready babe?” Gavin threw me up into his arms.
“Ready for what?”
The announcer started to get the fans fired up. “And the Otters have a very special announcement they would like to share with all of you this evening. Let’s give a huge welcome to your team, the Otters!” The fans exploded, leaping onto their feet.
Crosby led the way and Gavin followed him with me still swept up into his arms. “You might want to hold on tight, baby.”
He skated out onto the ice, my flowing dress trailing behind him as we made our way to center ice.
“Congratulations to the captain, Gavin Hayes, who tied the knot to this beauty only a few hours ago.”
The entire team started skating around us, waving their sticks in the air, cheering.
The moment had to be fleeting as Gavin skated me back over so I could head back up to my seat. “I love you!” he yelled, skating backward away from me.
I met Simon at the top of the stairs and he handed me my favorite jeans and a jersey that had Gavin’s number on it.
He whispered into my ear, “Check out the back. This is my favorite!”
Turning the jersey over, I saw the name on it read Mrs. Hayes.
The events of the day started to really sink in and I started crying as I pulled the jersey over my wedding dress.
“Let’s go watch my man kill it out there!”
The game was incredible—fast paced, high scoring, lots of fights. Once the Otters were up by three points in the last two minutes, Gavin picked a fight just to prove a point. After they brawled all the way to the ice, the refs broke them up.
Gavin sitting in the penalty box next to me was infuriating and awesome all at once. He yelled over to me, “Hey wifey!”
I got right up against the glass. “Yes husband?” I hollered back to him.
“Kiss me!”
We pressed our lips against the cold glass separating us.
Best fucking wedding day kiss ever.
The end.
Want more of Hat Trick’s Characters?
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Mcbee and Sean are NYPD - read their story in Bleed Blue 69!
Bleed Blue 69 - Twenty-Five Authors...One Sexy Police Station
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25 Authors. One SEXY Police Station. All for Charity.
Spend your holidays with the brave men and women of Precinct 69 protecting citizens and stealing hearts in the Big Apple. Twenty-five authors have joined forces to bring you their stories—some sweet, some dangerously hot—but all for a great cause. These NYC police officers will keep you warm on a winter’s night, make you sweat in the most delicious way possible, and have you wishing for your very own set of cuffs. Only further begging the question: Can anyone resist a hero in uniform?
Multiple authors have come together to give you one police station where all proceeds from this collaboration go to families of fallen officers.
Contributing Authors: Alexis Noelle, Josie Bordeaux, Rebecca Brooke, Emme Burton, MC Cerny, Sarah M. Cradit, Chelle C. Craze, Jami Denise Author, Lisa Edward, Mary Catherine Gebhard, Z.B. Heller, Vanessa Marie, Glenna Maynard, Kristen Hope Mazzola, Morgan Jane Mitchell, Jenni Moen, Alexis Alvarez, Rochelle Paige, Brandy L Rivers, Katherine Rhodes, Emerson Shaw, Kacey Shea, M. Stratton, Madison Street, & Felicia Tatum
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Acknowledgments
To Dayna: There is no way to thank you enough. You are my right hand, my calm, my ride or die. I would never have had confidence in myself without you. In every way, you are the best!
To Jordan: Oh men, girl! You are freaking amazing. Thanks for letting me friend zone you, for all of the texts of encouragement, for letting me tease the ever-loving-crap out of you.
To Mary Catherine: I don’t know what I would do without our talks. You have become one of my best friends. Thank goodness for Vegas!
To Heather: I am so thankful we got to meet at Submit and Devour 2016 in Miami. You have turned into such an important person in my life. You will forever by my author whisperer!
To Tribe: You ladies have been so instrumental in keeping me going, even when I was ready to throw in the towel. You guys have been there cheering me on at every turn and y’all are just so awesome.
To Kayla: Hahaha…oh you! You’re my sister in every way possible and I flove you! Thanks for letting me put you into one of my favorite scenes in this book, face-fucking and all!
To C. Marie: You’re the freaking best and without your editing genius, I would be lost. You put up with so much of my crap and turn my mangled babbles into beautiful words!
To McBee: I am so excited for your character! You have turned into one badass chick and I cannot wait to see what is in store for her in the feature!
To Marsheila: Thanks for letting me turn you into an awesome jerk of a character and for leaving Gavin at the altar
. You are amazing and I love all of our antics at signings!
To J-Flo: You’re my homie and I love you! (even though you jokingly told me to do this, I still mean it.)
To Rich: Thanks for talking out these sex scenes with me and inspiring some steamy shit. It’s been interesting and fun, to say the least.
To Dawn/Danielle: You are incredible! Thanks for writing the Hers Series and letting me take a section of Ryder to put into this book. I cannot wait to see what the book world has in store for us in the future!
To Patti: You are freaking great! I am so glad that we’re working together now and I am so thankful for your friendship.
About the Author
Hi! I am just an average twenty-something following my dreams. I have a full time "day job" and by night I am an author. I guess you could say that writing is like my super power (I always wanted one of those). I am a lover of wine, sushi, football and the ocean; that is when I am not wrapped up in the literary world.
Please feel free to contact me to chat about my writing, books you think I'd like or just to shoot the, well you know.
Stay Connected
@khmazz
AuthorKristenHope
www.KristenHopeMazzola.com
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Coming Soon
The Huntress
by Dawn Robertson &
Kristen Hope Mazzola
I am not a good person.
In fact, I am the worst of the worst. I was dragged down into the gutter and have thrived in this seedy underbelly where I was recreated. Reborn as Eleanor McGuire, socialite and professional hitwoman. The filthiest, dirtiest, high profile pieces of shit, I end them.
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