Page 82 of The Cupcake Cottage

“I don’t have time to be that. And as long as our wedding is closed to the press and any snooty types, I don’t care if we even have tablecloths.”

“We’ll have that wedding. And it’ll be good enough.”

She frowned. “Good enough? You don’t want it to be perfect?”

“As long as you’re there, it’ll be perfect.”

He could see her considering his idea of streamlining their planning, getting strategic and letting the details go.

“And then once we’re married,” he said as she snuggled closer, “you can move in here. I can move into the apartment. We’ll live together in two places instead of apart and in four.”

She beamed at him. “And suddenly we’ll have more time together!”

“That was why you wanted to elope, wasn’t it?”

“Partly.”

“It’s a good plan.”

She was nodding, thinking. Starting up that big sunshine mind-melting smile of hers. He realized it had been a few weeks since he’d seen it last, and he vowed he’d never get so caught up in something again that he forgot what was most important in his life—making Daisy-Mae smile.

“And date night,” he said decisively. “We’re going to have one of those every week.”

“Where we’ll choose invitation paper and fonts?” she teased.

“No, where I take you out and show you just how special you are to me. Even if I have to fly you out to Colorado or Calgary or wherever I have a game.”

She opened her mouth to protest—probably over the cost or the fact that she had to work regular business hours and couldn’t fangirl her way around the world after him.

“I’m telling Miranda that I’m stealing you away from time to time and that she’s just going to have to accept it.”

“You can’t! I’ll get fired!”

“They’d never fire you. Have you seen our ticket sales lately? The number of fans wearing our swag at games? Swag that youcreated, I might add. Miranda sees the impact of what you’re doing.”

“I still have to work certain hours.”

“Going to our competitor’s games is research,” he said firmly.

She giggled at his seriousness. “I love you.”

“And I love you. How does that sound for a plan?”

“It sounds—dare I say it—perfect.”

EPILOGUE

Standing on the beach, with the town of Indigo Bay and the bright rows of cottages behind them, Daisy-Mae couldn’t stop smiling. She was getting married.

And she hadn’t had to make a single decision thanks to Cassandra, who had recommended Zoe Ward-Wallace here at the Indigo Bay Cottages resort, to whip together a beach wedding. And it was perfect. Serene and private. Seagulls circling above as a warm breeze came down the sand to their spot near the water.

Daisy-Mae had brought Violet with her to be her witness. And because Myles was off on his honeymoon and Dak was up to his ears in his busy life, Maverick had grabbed the first teammate he could wrangle onto their late February flight. Leo, it turned out, was pretty good at keeping secrets. And so was Violet.

It was only recently, when Daisy-Mae had brought her head out of her own problems, that she realized Violet and Leo were on their way to taking over the world. And maybe not as two single people. That duo was full of secrets, and Daisy-Mae planned to find out what they were. But not until after her two-day honeymoon in the pink cottage just down the beach.

Maverick looked amazing in his tailored suit, and the breeze kept picking up her simple layered white sundress with the eyelet lace. Her hair was held up by seashell clips, and Maverick had found her some gorgeous, classic pearl jewelry. She felt like a relaxed beach bride but also someone pampered. Someone who had been chosen.

They stood under a rose-covered archway that filled the salty sea air with a gentle floral scent.

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