Page 27 of Dumping the Puck (Men of Havoc #4)
Fifteen seconds remain on the clock. Calliope, Charley and I are holding hands so tight that both of mine went numb during the beginning of the third period. We are in game seven of the Stanley Cup Final and it’s tied. Boston has been playing hard and both are really good teams, but clearly we’re rooting for our guys to bring the cup home.
Viktor has the puck and we’re down to nine seconds. He’s on the Havoc’s goal line and needs to get down to Boston’s before someone can steal and slap the puck at Craig.
He gets to center ice and sends the puck flying to Joaquin, but Boston steals it as soon as he gets two feet down the ice. In comes Kayce, flying in from the side and taking the puck back. He glides as fast as he can, his legs pumping out to his sides as he flies with the puck toward the goal.
He lines up and shoots the puck. The three of us stop breathing until we finally hear the buzzer and see the red flashing light indicating that Kayce got the goal.
All of the Havoc’s stadium is on their feet screaming. The boys pulled it off with one second remaining on the clock.
The girls and I are on our feet, jumping up and down, screaming for them. With tears streaming down our faces, we rush to the glass to watch the Cup ceremony.
Once all the celebrations are done the girls and I go over to The Penalty Shot to wait for them to walk over.
The owners already have the bar decked out for their win. They must have had it waiting for them to win. It makes me smile that so many people in Houston were rooting for them. They put in so much hard work throughout the season to get here, and it’s so much more than anyone realizes.
We grab a bottle of champagne and grab a table with Claire and Jolie. They got separated from us in the craziness of leaving.
“Holy shit! That was insane.” Claire exclaims.
“I know. I’ve never seen a line to get into The Penalty Shot.” Calliope nods her head over to the window where we can see a line wrapping around the block.
“They’re about to make months worth of income in one night. I’m glad they’re being supported.” I look out once again as another hoard of people join the end of the line.
It’ll be a couple of hours before the guys get here, but I’m glad to see the support for them. I know they’ll make sure to talk to everyone they can.
“There’s my girl!” Kayce is running through The Penalty Shot over to me.
He picks me up out of the chair and pulls me tight to him. Charley stands, handing something to him and then he’s on one knee.
“Holy shit,” I whisper.
“Wren Kaydell.” He looks at me with the biggest smile on his face. “Winning the Stanley Cup tonight wouldn’t have been what it was without you cheering me on in the stands.”
“Johnny.”
“Having you in my life is everything I ever imagined it to be and more.” He grasps my left hand in his. “Will you marry me and be my wife?”
Everyone around is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Which in a bar after the Stanley Cup is a feat.
“Kayce Bicknelle, I’d love nothing more than to call you my husband. Yes, I’ll be your wife!” I jump on him and he easily catches me one handed, swinging me around.
He places me on the ground and slips the ring on my finger. The whole team surrounds us, making one big group hug. The cheers from the fans are deafening and flashes fill the dark space.
Calliope pulls me away from Kayce, “Ah! The next Havoc Honey!”
“A what?” I laugh at her.
“Havoc Honey. That’s what I call all the wives!” She’s so happy I don’t comment on the cheesiness. “Sanders, when’re you going to make our girl Charley here a Havoc Honey?”
Sanders’ face goes tight, and Charley’s a bright red.
“I don’t know, Calliope. Why don’t you ask her?”
He walks off and I feel like my head is bouncing between the two trying to read her expression. I see tears spring to her eyes and I know there’s trouble in paradise.
Kayce whisks me off my feet once again and leans down to whisper down my ear. “I can’t wait to celebrate later.”
He’s immediately pulled away by the guys for a drink and mingling with the fans.
I watch as my new reality really sinks in. These people are my new family, and watching Kayce happily move around the crowd, pointing at me because he’s proud to have me by his side.
I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I’ve never been happier that I took a chance and ruined everything I thought would be my future. Because the future I have now is so much brighter.