Page 52

Jared

Two Years Later

The snow falls steadily outside the cabin, blanketing the world in white. I glance out the window, watching as the kids play in the yard, bundled up like marshmallows in their winter coats.

Noah’s leading the charge, his laughter carrying through the crisp mountain air. Luke and Levi are trying to keep up, and Holly—our little princess—is tucked safely in Troy’s arms, giggling as he pretends to be a snow monster.

It’s chaos. Beautiful, noisy chaos. And for once, I don’t mind it.

Inside, the scent of fresh-baked cookies fills the cabin, mingling with the faint aroma of pine from the oversized Christmas tree we barely managed to drag in.

Savannah’s in the kitchen, of course, humming along to some cheesy holiday tune. She’s been buzzing around all morning, packing for our big trip and planning every last detail.

I lean against the doorframe, arms crossed, just watching her. She’s glowing—hell, she always glows—but today, there’s something different. A nervous energy that she can’t seem to shake.

“Savannah,” I call, my voice cutting through her muttering about luggage and snacks.

She spins around, a wooden spoon in her hand, eyes wide. “What?”

I smirk, stepping closer. “You’re gonna burn a hole in the floor with all that pacing.”

She huffs, setting the spoon down. “I’m not pacing. I’m...organizing.”

“Uh-huh,” I say, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. “What’s really going on? You’ve been jittery all morning.”

She sighs, leaning into me. “It’s the new job. I’m excited, but...what if I screw it up? What if I can’t handle cooking for the Chicago Icebreakers? They’re professional athletes, Jared. They’re different than my usual clientele.”

I chuckle, kissing the top of her head. “First of all, your cooking is amazing. And second, you’re forgetting something important.”

She tilts her head back to look at me, her brow furrowing—damn it, there’s that look again. “What’s that?”

“There’s a mascot,” I say, deadpan.

She blinks. “What?”

I grin, unable to hold it back. “The Icebreakers have a new mascot. You’re not the only rookie joining the team. If anyone’s gonna screw up, it’ll probably be the guy sweating his ass off in a giant costume.”

Savannah bursts out laughing, the sound warm and infectious. “That’s your pep talk? Remind me that someone else might embarrass themselves more than me?”

“Exactly,” I say, smirking. “Besides, you’ve got this. You’ve handled four kids, three husbands, and Jade during her wedding planning whirlwind. Compared to that, feeding a hockey team is nothing.”

Her laughter fades into a soft smile, and she rests her head against my chest. “Thanks, Jared. I needed that.”

“Any time, babe,” I murmur, holding her close.

Outside, the kids’ laughter grows louder, and I glance out the window to see Jamie chasing them with a snowball in hand. Troy’s joined the fray, scooping up Levi and spinning him around like an airplane.

“C’mon,” I say, nudging Savannah toward the door. “Let’s go join them before Troy and Jamie turn this into a full-blown snow war.”

She grins, grabbing her coat. “You’re on snowman duty.”

“Deal,” I say, holding the door open for her.

As we step outside, I can’t help but think about how far we’ve come. This trip, this life we’ve built—it’s everything I never knew I wanted. And watching Savannah laugh and play with our kids, I know I’d do anything to keep it that way.

This is forever.

The end