Just me.
Her voice is flawless, and her eyes stay locked on mine as she sings. Each word striking me like a puck in the chest. She hits the crescendo, squeezing my hands as she promises that no matter what comes at us, she will love me until her dying day. She may have hoped she wouldn’t cry, but someone might as well stick a pacifier in my mouth because I’m bawling like a baby.
When she finishes, the room explodes in applause, and I can’t handle it. I grab her by the back of her neck and pull her in for a lusty and drawn-out kiss. Much to Ross’s dismay.
But I don’t care at all, and I’ll be damned if someone or some tradition is going to keep me from kissing her any longer.
This woman is mine.
Forever.
* * *
There is a tap on the mic, and then my brother’s voice fills the redesigned barn.
“Hello. If I can have everyone’s attention.”
I remove my mouth from Shelli’s, something I’d rather not do, but she kinda makes me, and together, with her in my arms, we look up to find Asher standing tall beside me. He really wasted that height; he should have played hockey or basketball. Nope, he does technical stuff.
Dork.
“Yes, if someone is looking for their baby, he’s right here,” he says, pointing to me, grinning from ear to ear.
“I’m gonna kick your ass,” I call to him, and he’s lucky my wife is between us.
Fuck. My wife.
Said wife laughs along with everyone as my brother thinks he’s hilarious. I love watching her laugh, the way her face moves with the action, the way her eyes glisten, and the sound. It’s heavenly. I love it. I love her.
Along with her laughter, though, is that of the whole party, and boy, what a party so far. I made the complaint that I didn’t get to see the flamethrowers or the acrobats, so Shelli had them come inside and perform while we ate. The dance floor is surrounded by two long-ass tables in a family-style setup. Shelli and Elli wanted everyone to feel like family, and one big thing Shelli remembered from growing up was the huge tables full of food on family dinner nights. We’d be at those dinners, but I’d be so wrapped up in playing hockey with Shea and the boys that I never noticed her begging for my attention.
She’ll never beg another day in her life.
I cup her cheek as Posey giggles from beside me. While there are two long tables for all our guests, there is a smaller one up on the highest stage for us and our wedding party. Beautiful flowers cover every inch before us, but my favorite part is the little Mr. and Mrs. sign that sits in front of Shelli and me. The ceremony, the pictures… Jesus, it all seems like such a dream. I can still feel the words Shelli sang for me deep in my soul, and honestly, I don’t think they’ll ever leave me.
Nor will she.
“I kid, I kid. My brother is no baby,” Asher says, stealing back my attention. “I have watched my brother work his ass off for everything in his life. When he was younger, he couldn’t skate for nothing, but he had the hands, as my dad would say. Under the guidance of our father and Shea Adler, Aiden moved through the leagues like that kid you love to hate. The one who’s age on his birth certificate you question because ’he’s way too good to be so young.” Shelli grins up at me, and I kiss her temple as my gaze stays on my brother. “He was the youngest on the US Olympic team, he played for the Worlds team, and he had scouts looking at him when he was fourteen. Aiden graduated high school at seventeen just so he could train with the Bullies’ college team to be drafted into the NHL. Fast-forward to being one of the most sought-after forwards in the league. Elli Adler knew this and snatched him up, giving him a professional family, one with whom he has helped bring home two Cups to this beautiful state.”
The cheers from my teammates and our families are deafening, and even Asher holds his glass up to the crowd as the chant “Go, Assassins. Go!” fills the barn. Asher laughs as he looks at me, and I nod. “I like all the ass-kissing.”
“Fuck you,” he says playfully, and everyone at our table gets a good laugh at that. “He’s a pretty impressive dude, one hell of a brother, but nothing—and I mean nothing—touches how hard he works to be a good man for Shelli.”
Shelli’s eyes and mine lock, and the grin on my face is unstoppable.
“Don’t get me wrong. He resisted her for good reason. Have you seen her dad and brothers? Not the little one, but the two big ones.”