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I hold tightly onto Harper’s hand as we scream and make our way onto the field. Confetti rains down on us, and I search through the colorful paper for Travis.

If his goal this season was to prove he’s essential to this team, it was a job well done.

I’m so freaking proud of my husband.

He scored two touchdowns tonight, and he worked hard all season to overcome the bad rap he got in the offseason.

He’s a hero tonight in the eyes of every Vegas Aces fan out there, but to the two of us, he’s a hero every night.

Someone grabs me from behind, and I immediately know it’s him as I spin in his arms.

“You did it!” I scream. “You were amazing!”

“I love you,” he says, his lips colliding down to mine before he grabs our daughter into a hug.

It’s the creation of a core memory that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.

We don’t have long to celebrate with him as certain members of the team are called to the stage for the presentation of the trophy. I hold Harper’s hand as Travis makes his way to the stage, and after the commissioner gives Coach Thompson the trophy, it’s passed among the players. I slip my phone out of my pocket and take a video of Travis as it’s passed to him.

What a moment of pure joy after so much heartache over the last year.

Coach talks about what this win means to the team, Jack Dalton is crowned as the MVP, and then it’s time to party. Some players are quickly interviewed while the rest of the team heads back to the locker room, and families start to clear out from the field as we’re taken to a holding room to wait for our players to exit.

I hear the occasional rousing cheer from the direction of the locker room, and I can’t help but wonder what’s going on in there.

It’s a brotherhood where they’re sharing in the celebration, and they deserve this. They worked hard for this.

It’s over an hour before the first player emerges, and a stream of them come out after that. It’s still a bit longer before Travis appears, and his eyes dart around the room until they land on Harper and me. I watch as they soften when he spots his girl, and they seem to heat when he spots me.

A shiver runs down my spine.

I can’t wait for our very own private celebration.

Harper runs to her daddy, and he scoops her up into a hug then carries her over toward me. She’s tall, but she looks like a little girl in her dad’s arms. He sets her down then pulls me into his arms, resting his forehead to mine for a beat.

“Congratulations,” I say softly.

“I couldn’t have done it without you.” His words are whispered, but I still hear the emotion in them. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

His lips drop to mine, and we both hear Harper’s eww . I giggle as I pull back.

“Some of the guys are going out to dinner,” he says.

I nod. “Oh, of course! Go. Have fun.”

His brows pinch together. “Not without you two.”

“It’s for families?” I ask.

“This is a family. And it’s a celebration.”

I lift a shoulder. “Then let’s go!”

He laughs, grabs my hand and takes Harper’s in the other, and then we walk toward the bus taking us to the restaurant.

When we get there, it looks like the entire place has been rented out for this celebration. I find Ellie and her two kids, and I spot Luke over by his brother Jack and tight end Ben Olson. I see Coach Thompson and his wife, Monique, as they stand near what looks like a head table. Tristan runs up to Travis and grabs him in a bro hug, and I see Tessa and Fallon, too, standing with Jack’s wife Kate and their kids. Mandy sidles up beside me with Gracie, and Jaxon is right behind her. Josh and his wife and their kid, Leah and David, and Cory, Declan, Austin, Damon, Deon, and Patrick walk in together. Evan and Trudy walk in with Bella, and Bella beelines right for her little bestie.

This really is family, and it’s amazing to think that I’m somehow part of it.

We mingle for a bit as hors d’oeuvres are served and servers walk around with trays of champagne, and I do my best to soak it all in and to remind myself that this is my life now.

What a complete whirlwind. What a one-eighty from where I was a year ago, miserably pushing papers when I wanted to make a bigger impact, stuck in a relationship with the wrong man, wishing for a future that was just out of my reach.

I have it now, and so much more than I ever dreamed of since it comes with this entire family.

Eventually Coach Thompson’s voice over the loudspeakers quiets the room. “Can I have your attention, please? Let’s take our seats for dinner, and I have a few words I’d like to say. Jack and Calvin, will you join me up here?”

Jack grins at Coach then strides across the room, and even the way the man walks is disciplined. He’s truly a force, and hot as hell on top of it. His wife is one lucky lady.

We all find seats, and we end up at a round table with Tristan, Evan, and Jaxon plus their families.

“Friends, family, and teammates,” Coach begins. He raises a glass. “Congratulations. Every single one of you in this room is a champion. To the men who fought hard to get here, I’m so damn proud of you. I said it in the locker room, and I’ll say it again. You worked hard this season, and we deserve this. This is a dream come true.”

He takes a sip of his champagne, and everyone in the room does the same with their beverages of choice before he continues.

“This is the perfect way to end my coaching career as I step back to a position with the front office staff, and we have more news for you, too.” He hands the microphone to Calvin Bennett, the team owner.

“Congratulations, men. What an honor to be in this room with so much talent. You should be proud of yourselves for everything you accomplished this season. Just like Coach Thompson, I’ve decided to go out on a high, too.”

A small collective gasp fills the room.

Seems like this may have been the best-kept secret, and as he talks, I glance at Jack and can’t help but wonder whether he’s retiring, too.

He must be. Why else would he be up there?

“As many of you know,” Calvin continues, “I’ve battled some health issues this season, and I’ve made the difficult decision to focus on my health. I’ll be moving to California to be closer to my ex-wife and my daughter, and I have chosen to sell my majority ownership of the team. I’ll still have a small stake in it and it will still remain close to my family. You won’t get rid of me that easily, and I’m always happy to call any one of you into my office to threaten you with bench time if you don’t shape up.”

That statement garners a collective laugh from the room—including from my husband, who’s sitting beside me. I reach over and squeeze his hand as I wonder what this means for both him and for the team as a whole.

And something I’ve pushed out of my mind to the backburner is the fact that his contract is up now. He’s a free agent.

Will he stay here in Vegas? Does he want to stay here in Vegas?

The family meals at Mom and Dad’s, having my sister just a few miles away, my close friendship with Mandy…what happens to all that if we have to pack up and leave?

But then again, he did score two touchdowns tonight. That has to mean something to the team. New management means new thoughts on that, though.

I’m both curious and nervous about what the future may hold as Calvin continues talking.

“Steve will remain our General Manager, but you’ll have a new head coach and a new owner overseeing team operations. I’d now like to introduce you to your new team owner, Mr. Jack Dalton.”

This time a huge collective gasp fills the room, and Jack takes the microphone from Calvin. Before he starts talking, he smiles, and I glance over to where he’s looking.

It’s at his wife and kids.

My heart melts.

“Kate, JJ, and Ava, will you three come up here?” he begins. Kate looks embarrassed for a minute, but she gathers up the little boy and girl and heads up to the stage.

“My family and I are thrilled to be the new owners of the Vegas Aces. What we have here is a winning franchise in one of the greatest communities in the country.” His speech is interrupted by raucous cheering from the crowd, and he waits for the room to settle before he continues. “There is so much talent here, and I will take pride in being part of this organization for years to come as we keep collecting the Ws. Though I’ll be retiring from playing in order to manage team operations, I’ll still be here as a mentor, brother, and teammate to you all, and I look forward to all we can accomplish together. Thank you.”

Cheers rise up from the group gathered, and I glance over at Travis. I wonder how he feels about losing his quarterback. I wonder how close they are. I wonder what it’ll be like for a new quarterback to step in. Will they go with their back-up, Brandon Fletcher? I’m pretty sure he was the starter before Jack was traded here. Will they trade for someone else? Or will they get someone straight out of college?

Only time will tell, and I hope we get to stick around to watch which direction this family will grow.