Hard Fall by Brenda Rothert

Epilogue

Wes

I wore a suit every single time I played a hockey game, but something about wearing one in the backyard of our house as I waited for Hadley to walk down the aisle to become my wife was different. My collar itched; it felt like the buttons of my double-breasted jacket were too tight, and my feet felt sweaty in my leather dress shoes.

I shifted from one foot to the other, trying to breathe through the hot, muggy air. We had fans going and the dais where the ceremony would take place had been set up with a canopy of sorts to protect us from the late July sun, but I was sweating bullets. I didn’t think it had much to do with the weather, though.

“Relax,” Nash said under his breath. “You look like you’re ready to bolt.”

“Nah.” I grinned over at him. I was battling a lot of emotions, but none of them included wanting to run. The backyard of our house—Ben and Lauren’s house—was filled with the people we loved and cared about most in the world. My teammates, coaches and their significant others, my parents, Lauren’s parents, and a handful of friends and neighbors. It was only about seventy-five people, so it felt incredibly intimate.

Exactly how we’d envisioned it.

We hadn’t wanted it to be a big ordeal. It was a final hurrah before we moved to the new house we’d bought and started the next chapter of our lives together. As husband and wife. Mommy and Daddy to Benny and Annalise. Benny had already made the transition, babbling all kinds of words these days, but Dada and Mama were reserved specifically for me and Hadley. Annalise was still on the fence, but we’d explained as best we could that she could call us whatever she wanted. We’d noticed in private it had become more Mommy and Daddy, while in front of others she stuck to Aunt Hadley and Uncle Wes.

Whatever she wanted was fine with us; we just wanted the kids to be happy.

They were so excited about the wedding. Well, Annalise was excited and Benny was just excited because the rest of us were. Marrying Hadley was the icing on the cake of my life. I hated that we’d had to lose Ben and Lauren to find each other, but we had and making her my wife was all I’d thought about since that last trip to Miami.

“Here we go. You ready?” Nash grinned over at me and I turned.

The light jazz that had been playing stopped and the “Wedding March” began. I might have replied to Nash, but I wasn’t sure because the moment I caught sight of Hadley, I couldn’t think straight. I was completely mesmerized.

Since her parents were gone, and she’d been extremely close to both Lauren and her parents, Lauren’s father, Greg, was walking her down the aisle.

Hadley was a vision in white. Though her dress wasn’t a traditional wedding gown, it was pure Hadley. It was white and lacy, with what looked like silky material, but I didn’t know what all that stuff was called. All I knew was how gorgeous she was. The dress was calf-length, appropriate for an outdoor, backyard wedding, and both summery and classy. It hugged her curves in all the right places but was strapless so it showed off her shapely shoulders and the elegant line of her neck.

God, she was beautiful.

How had I never thought so until recently?

Then her eyes met mine and she smiled.

Suddenly my suit fit perfectly, I wasn’t sweaty, and the funny feeling in the pit of my stomach disappeared. She was walking down the aisle. Toward me. Toward our new life together. I took a second to look down at Annalise, who was throwing rose petals on the path ahead of Hadley, and she grinned up at me happily.

“Hi, Daddy!” she called out, oblivious to the rules and traditions of wedding ceremonies.

I noted that Hadley’s step faltered for a second, her eyes meeting mine, but I winked at Annalise before mouthing, “don’t cry,” to Hadley.

Her lips turned up into a tremulous smile and then she was standing next to me.

“Dear friends,” the nondenominational pastor we’d hired spoke up. “We are gathered here today…”

“Well, Mrs. Kirby,”I said, holding my new wife in my arms as we danced our first dance. “How does it feel?”

“Amazing,” she whispered. “We did it.”

“We did.” She gazed up at me. “Ben and Lauren are totally laughing at us right now.”

“Totally.” I shook my head. “I can literally hear his voice in my head, telling me what a dumbass I was and how much time I wasted.”

“Same. Except in Lauren’s voice.”

We laughed together as I pulled her against me. “I love you, Hadley.”

“I love you too. Much as it pains me to say it.” She was teasing. We joked a lot about how we’d felt about each other until recently, and it always made us smile.

“Ready for a week alone in St. Lucia?”

“God, yes.” She frowned for a moment. “Though I hate leaving the kids.”

“We need us time. They’ll be fine. Tasha and Greg are going to take good care of them. Plus they need special time with their grandchildren.” Despite Tasha’s MS, she and Greg had offered to take the kids while Hadley and I went on a honeymoon. We had Tori staying with them so she could help out overnight, though Benny didn’t really wake up much anymore, and Drew and Nina were on call for any emergencies that might come up. Tasha was okay most days, and Greg would be with them, so we weren’t worried. It actually made us feel good to know the kids would get to spend quality time with Lauren’s parents since we felt like they might be their only present biological grandparents. We hadn’t heard from Patrick and Susan since the judge awarded us custody, and while we wouldn’t keep them from the kids, we also weren’t going to seek them out. If they wanted to see the kids, they had to come to us for now. That might change when they got older, but I wasn’t playing games with Ben’s kids.

My kids.

Ourkids.

Damn, it felt so natural to say that.

“I want more babies,” Hadley whispered as we moved.

“What?” I snapped back to the present and dropped my gaze down to her pretty face.

“Not now,” she said quickly. “But I’d like one or two more.”

“I’m glad you said that because I was thinking the same thing.” I glanced over to where Annalise was talking Lars’s ear off. “Although we probably need to wait until Annalise gets to kindergarten and we only have one kid at home.”

Hadley chuckled. “Agreed.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Kirby.” A big, burly man approached us as our dance came to an end.

“What’s going on, Cal?” We’d had to hire security for the wedding, simply because I was a local celebrity—as were my teammates—and the public could sometimes be thoughtless and overzealous.

“Someone here to see you named Len Harris; says he’s an attorney but he’s not on the list.”

“Oh god.” Hadley paled a little. “You think Patrick and Susan…” Her voice trailed off.

“Let me go find out.”

“I’ll come too.” She slid her fingers through mine and we hurried into the house.

“Wes. Hadley.” Len was standing by the front door. “I’m so sorry to intrude but I had strict instructions from Ben and Lauren.”

Hadley’s fingers squeezed mine tightly. “B-ben and Lauren?” she whispered, clearly startled.

He smiled. “Apparently, those two were mind readers or something, because they left a letter that was to be given to you on your wedding day or as soon thereafter as I was able.”

“Oh my god.” Hadley sagged a little, but I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her into my side.

“Anyway, I didn’t mean to cause a fuss. I just wanted to abide by their wishes.” He handed me an envelope. “Congratulations. And I’m sorry again for intruding.”

“Thank you so much for bringing this,” I said, shaking his hand. “You’re welcome to stay.”

“No, thank you. My grandson has a T-ball game in an hour and if I miss it, my wife and my daughter will both have my head.”

I chuckled. “All right. Thank you.”

Len headed out and I looked at Hadley. “What do you think the letter says?”

She shook her head. “I can’t imagine.”

I grinned and handed it to her. “You want to do the honors?”

“We’ll read it together.” She slowly lifted the seal and pulled out a sheet of paper.

“You read it,” I said gently.

Mr. and Mrs. Kirby,

WE KNEW IT!! When we decided to leave custody of our children to the two of you, we knew that if something ever happened to us and you guys were forced to truly get to know each other, you’d fall in love and get married.

Damn, you guys have smart friends. All these years you thought you hated each other, but really it was just sexual tension. We laughed about it afterward every time the two of you were together. Never lose the passion you bring out in each other. See each other’s strengths instead of weaknesses. Be each other’s best friend. Show our children what true love looks like. It’s selfless. Joyful. Messy. Hard. Beautiful.

If only we could be there with you on your wedding day. The two of you are so dear to us. We wanted to spend forever together raising our family, but if we can’t be there, it’s comforting to know you will be. We wish you a lifetime of love, more babies to love, and beautiful friends to celebrate with.

Writing “in the event of our death” letters is brutal. This is the only one we are smiling while writing. Thanks, you guys. For every moment. Every laugh. Every memory. Make more every day, and never give up on each other.

With all our love,

Ben and Lauren

I usedmy thumb to wipe a stray tear from Hadley’s cheek but she was smiling. “I really fucking miss them.”

“They’re right here, though,” I said, tapping my fist over my chest. “And apparently here…” I waved the piece of paper.

“They knew us so well.”

“Yup.”

“Mommy! Daddy! What are you doing?” Annalise came running in indignantly, hands on her hips. “Come watch me and Thor dance.”

Hadley turned to her with a smile. “You got Thor to dance?”

“Not yet.” Annalise gave us a sheepish smile. “I’m gonna go ask him now.”

“Okay, we’re coming.” Hadley threaded her fingers through mine again, leaning over to whisper, “we’re definitely waiting until she’s in kindergarten to have more.”

We headed back to the reception and I paused to look up at the sky as we got outside. The sky was blue and cloudless, an absolutely perfect day for a wedding.

“Thank you,” I whispered silently. “For your friendship, for Hadley, and for trusting me to raise your family. I miss you guys.”

A gentle breeze wafted over my skin in response.

“You okay?” Hadley asked, meeting my gaze.

“I’m perfect.” I leaned over to kiss the tip of her nose. “Do we rescue Lars or let Annalise have her way with him?”

We burst out laughing.

“I think it’s time to get this party started,” I told her.

“The party started the first time I met you,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “I was just a little late getting there.”

“Then we have lots of time to make up for.” I tugged her hand and pulled her back out onto the dance floor, twirling her around. “Ready, Mrs. Kirby?”

“Oh, yeah.”

I dipped her low, almost to the ground, before hauling her back up and pressing my lips to hers.