Page 102 of The Hockey Contract

"Thank you, Dad," I managed finally. "That means a lot."

"I owe your wife an apology," he continued, surprising me further. "I judged her unfairly when we first met. Assumed the worst about her intentions."

"You were being protective," I offered.

"I was being cynical," he corrected firmly. "And I was wrong. I've never seen you like this, Jax – truly happy, not just satisfied with achievement. That comes from more than hockey success."

My mother squeezed his arm supportively, her own eyes suspiciously bright. "What your father is trying to say, in his roundabout way, is that we're thrilled to officially welcome Sienna to the family. Even though we know it's just a formality at this point."

Their sincere acceptance of the woman who had begun as a business arrangement but had become essential to my happiness completed a circle of sorts.

The ceremony itself exceeded anything I could have imagined. The setting was elegant but intimate, filled with people who genuinely mattered to us – teammates and their families, bakery staff, longtime customers like Mr. Henderson, close friends including Leo and Chloe.

When Sienna entered in a simple but beautiful dress – not the hastily purchased costume of our courthouse wedding, but a gown she'd chosen herself that reflected her personal style – the sight nearly stopped my breath. She walked toward me with confident steps, her smile containing none of the nervous calculation of our first ceremony.

This time, when we exchanged vows, the words came from genuine emotion rather than rehearsed performance. I spoke from the heart, abandoning prepared remarks to simply express what she'd come to mean to me.

"Sienna," I began, my voice steadier than I'd expected given the emotion behind it. "When we first met, I saw you as the solution to a problem – the missing piece in a calculated plan. What I didn't realize was that you would become the answer to questions I hadn't even thought to ask."

A murmur rippled through the guests, but I continued, holding her gaze. "You showed me that the walls I'd built around myself for protection were actually barriers to the connections that make life meaningful. You created a home where I'd only had a house. You believed I could be more than just the 'Ice Man' – that I had value beyond what I accomplished on the ice."

Tears glistened in her eyes, but her smile encouraged me to continue. "Today, I'm making promises that mean something completely different than they did the first time we stood before an official. I promise to be your partner in all things, to support your dreams as fiercely as you've supported mine, to continue learning how to be vulnerable rather than just strong. I promise to love you not for what you bring to my life, but for who you are – the passionate, determined, flour-covered woman who spilled coffee on me and changed everything."

The ceremony proceeded with emotional intensity that had been entirely absent from our first wedding. Midway through the exchange of rings, a commotion at the back of the room drew everyone's attention – Sprinkles trotting down the aisle with a small basket of flower petals attached to her collar, her tail wagging proudly at her important role.

The unexpected appearance created laughter that perfectly captured the joy of the day.

When we were pronounced husband and wife for the second time, the kiss we shared held nothing back – no calculated performance for witnesses, just the honest expression of what we'd become to each other.

As guests applauded around us, I made a split-second decision – one we'd discussed but hadn't fully resolved. Taking Sienna's hand, I turned to face our friends and family.

"Before we continue the celebration, there's something you should all know," I began, feeling Sienna's reassuring squeeze of support. "Our relationship didn't start quite the way we've presented it."

A hush fell over the gathering as I continued, "Sienna and I initially entered a marriage of convenience – a business arrangement designed to help her save her bakery and improve my public image for endorsements."

Murmurs spread through the crowd, but I pressed on, "What neither of us anticipated was that living together, supporting each other through challenges, sharing our lives even in a theoretical way... would lead to genuine feelings. The arrangement became real somewhere along the way, transforming into the love we're celebrating today."

I looked at Sienna, drawing strength from her steady presence. "We wanted to be honest with the people who matter most to us. Our beginning may have been unconventional, but the commitment we're making today is absolutely genuine."

The silence that followed felt eternal, though it likely lasted only seconds. Then, from the back of the room, came slow, deliberate applause – from Leo, who stood with a knowing smile. Chloe joined immediately, followed by Finn and Willow, then teammates, family members, and finally the entire gathering.

Relief flooded through me as I realized our truth had been accepted, even appreciated for its honesty. Sienna's eyes, when I looked down at her, shone with both tears and pride.

"Well," she whispered, "that's one way to start a marriage. With complete honesty."

The reception that followed contained none of the awkward performance of our early public appearances. We moved among guests with genuine enjoyment rather than calculated precision, sharing jokes with teammates, accepting warm wishes from family, exchanging knowing glances with friends who'd suspected the truth all along.

The dessert display, created by Chloe according to Sienna's specifications, became a focal point of the celebration – an elaborate showcase of pastries that told our story through flavor combinations and decorative elements. Hockey-themed cookies alongside traditional bakery favorites, championship symbols paired with flour-dusted classics.

When it came time for speeches, I surprised everyone – including Sienna – by announcing the official opening date for the expanded Grandma Rose's Bakehouse and Café, presenting her with the keys to the renovated neighboring building, the architectural plans now finalized with her input.

"Your grandmother's legacy," I said as I placed the keys in her hand, "expanded through your vision. Exactly as it should be."

The tears that filled her eyes – joy mixed with gratitude and love – created a corresponding tightness in my throat. This woman who had entered my life through a business proposal had become my partner in all senses of the word.

Throughout the evening, I noticed Leo and Chloe's obvious happiness. When Leo caught me watching them, he offered a rueful shrug and grin, as if to say, "Who would have predicted this?"

"Happy?" I asked softly, my lips near her ear as we moved slowly to the music.

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