Page 86 of Never Dance with the Devils

Riggs laughs then. “No. Flesh and bone, heart and soul, same as always.”

I nod. “Then I’m great.”

Later,as we’re climbing into bed and I’m snuggling up in between my two favorite bookends, that moment replays in my head.

I am great. Better than I ever dreamed.

More than not being alone, I’m with the two men who took the time to get to know the real me, the me I’ve always kept hidden deep inside walls made of ice. Being wrapped in Riggs and Maddox’s warm embrace feels like a safe haven, not the trap I always feared love would be for a woman with my last name, and with them, I am finally truly free.

This life with them isn’t what I imagined, but it’s somehow exactly what I needed and I can’t wait to see where it takes us next.

Our adventure is just beginning…

EPILOGUE

RIGGS

Two Months Later

Tonight’s the night—the Devils’ pre-season opener.

I’ve been excited about every game I’ve ever played, but this one is different. This is the first time Kayla will watch me play. Sure, she’s seen videos, especially in the last few weeks as Maddox and I have really ramped up the pre-season preparations. She’s been a rock through training camp, but now it hits. Now’s our first real game, even if it doesn’t count on the record books.

Doesn’t matter. This will be her first ever live hockey game, and of course, the first time seeing me in action.

The team’s warming up, skating around our side of the ice, and I scan the box seats where Kayla should be seated. Well, Kayla, all the Harringtons, Angeline, and her husband, Jerry.

The Harringtons said they wanted to come support Maddox and me, but I think they mostly want tosupport Kayla. That’s fine by me. I’m certainly not one to be offended by that kind of loyalty. Kayla and her family have done a lot of growing over the last few months, having some hard conversations about expectations, roles, and where responsibilities lie. Kayla still does a lot for everyone, but it’s because she wants to, not because anyone assumes she will. And when she helps them, they recognize it and express their appreciation more than ever before. It’s made their whole family even closer, bit by bit, day by day, especially as they rally around Luna and Samantha, who are moving smoothly along in their pregnancies, much to everyone’s excitement.

I find a sea of blonde hair, all the same pale color, high in the crowd and wave a gloved hand in the Harringtons’ direction.

Maddox skates a loose circle around me, his grin visible behind his face shield. “You ready for this?” He’s hyped, eager to get the game and the season underway.

“Always. You?”

He scoffs. “I was born ready.”

Ironically, that’s probably true with his dad watching games while Maddox was still inside his mother.

I laugh. “Your parents send you a text?”

“From the Smoky Mountains. They’re looking at leaves.” He shakes his head, laughing like that’s crazy. “But they’re watching.”

“Mine too.”

I didn’t talk to Mom and Dad today, but I’ve been talking with them a lot lately after they ran into Eliza at the local grocery store back home. She tried to ask them about me, saying she’d heard some awful things about what I’m up to these days, with a heavy implication thatMom and Dad should be horrified about my relationship with Kayla and Maddox. Mom and Dad had smilingly told her I’m happier than they’ve ever seen me, which shut her down right quick. But they still wanted to make sure they’d done the right thing.

Their bringing her up made me realize that I hadn’t truly thought about Eliza in a long time. It was just the echoes of her ghost in my head that kept haunting me. And with Kayla so powerfully and beautifully front and center in my mind now, there is no room for anything else. Definitely not a long ago past that I don’t give a shit about anymore.

“It’ll be good to finally get them all in the same room.”

We didn’t quite have to go as far as getting a freelance scheduler to coordinate our schedules with Kayla’s, but it was close. The three of us sat down with our calendars and planned out everything we could, including an away game weekend in Seattle that Kayla can fly out to watch. We also invited Miranda and Charles, Maddox’s parents, and my parents to visit too, so they can all get to know each other. This thing between us might be new, but we’re serious about making it work with our synced calendars, stays in the city at Kayla’s condo during the week, and further out at our house on the rare open weekends, and lots of honest communication.

“Our moms are gonna love Kayla,” I say.

“Our dads too. Everyone loves her.”

We meet eyes for a moment, then burst out into laughter. That’s not remotely true. Most people are scared of Kayla, especially if they’re sitting across from her at a negotiation table.