Page 162 of Shattered Souls
“He did it, baby.” I laugh, pulling her close, my heart so full that it might burst. “He did it.”
Grayson and Royce are on their feet, their faces split with grins. Grayson lifts Aurora out of my arms, spinning her around as she squeals with delight. Royce pulls me into a hug, his laughter rich and deep in my ear.
The Huskies swarm Logan, their victory chants echoing through the arena as they pile on top of him in celebration. And there he is, at the center of it all, his eyes searching the crowd until they find us. He grins that familiar, crooked smile that melts my heart every time and raises his stick in a silent salute.
In this moment, everything feels perfect. All the struggles, all the heartache—it all led us here, to this—to a family, to love, to a happiness that I never dared to dream was possible.
Eventually, Logan breaks away from his team and skates over to us. His hair is slick with sweat, and his helmet has been forgotten somewhere. Happiness oozes from his every pore, shining in his eyes beneath the bright stadium lights and evident in the brightest grin I’ve seen yet on him.
He stops in front of us, clapping a gloved hand against the plexiglass right in front of where Aurora and I are sitting. She hurries to stand on my knees, practically falling as she leans forward to press her hand to his.
“Careful there, sweetheart,” Grayson chastises as he catches her, settling her on his hip so she can safely reach Logan’s hand.
She giggles, staring up at Logan with something akin to hero worship. Her hand is so much smaller against his large, gloved one, and I take a mental snapshot, wanting to remember this moment for years to come.
His gaze is soft as it rests on hers before flicking to me.
“Congratulations,” I mouth, knowing he won’t be able to hear me over the chaos of celebration.
His lips hitch higher, and he glances pointedly down at his hand when Aurora removes her much smaller one. “Come on, Shortcake,” he mouths. “Give me what I want.”
Rolling my eyes, I cannot suppress my grin even if I tried as I press my hand to the glass. Logan smirks, winking at me before he skates to center ice when the announcer calls for the captain of the Huskies to come forward.
An award ceremony has been set up in the center of the rink, and the NCAA Championship trophy gleams under the bright lights as it's handed to him, and for a moment, everything seems to stand still.
Logan accepts the trophy, hoisting it high above his head, a look of fierce pride and accomplishment etched on his face. And then, just as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his eyes find mine. The connection between us feels electric, pulsingwith the shared emotion of the moment. His gaze then shifts to Aurora, who is waving frantically at him, her joy infectious, and he smiles—a smile that’s meant for us, for this family we’ve fought so hard to build.
As he passes the trophy to his teammates, the celebration intensifies. They pass it from player to player, each taking a moment to bask in the glory of the win. The arena buzzes with excitement as the photographers gather the team for the official championship photo. The team clusters together at center ice, the trophy front and center, as they pose for what will become a lasting memory of this victory.
Suddenly, I feel Grayson’s hand on the small of my back, guiding me down the stairs toward the ice. Aurora, still bubbling with excitement, nearly drags Royce along as she runs ahead of us. The security at the gate steps aside, allowing us onto the ice, and the cold bites at my cheeks as we step onto the surface.
We step carefully toward the team, Aurora’s giggles echoing as she slips and slides, clinging to Royce’s hand. When we reach Logan, he doesn’t hesitate—he scoops Aurora up in his arms, spinning her around as she squeals with delight. The rest of the team greets us warmly, patting Grayson and Royce on the back, pulling me into hugs as if we’ve all been part of this victory together.
Logan pulls me close, his arm wrapping around my waist as we stand in the midst of it all. Aurora is in his arms, her small hands reaching out to touch the trophy that glimmers in the light. It’s a moment I’ll never forget, this feeling of unity, of love, of everything falling perfectly into place.
The crowd begins to thin, players skating off the ice until only the five of us remain. Aurora is snuggled against Logan’s chest, half asleep. Grayson drapes an arm around my shoulder, Royce’s large hand wrapped around mine as we huddle close in the middle of the ice, soaking up this moment of triumph.
Not just for Logan’s win.
But for everything we’ve faced and overcome.
For everything we’ve endured to get to this moment.
To find one another.
To create this perfect family.
And I know, without a doubt, that this is our happily ever after.
EPILOGUE
ROYCE
Two Months Later
I glance in the rearview mirror for the fifth time since I picked Aurora up from daycare. She’s been reticent and looked almost… sullen when I arrived. Now, I take in her lips, tugged down, and the sadness in her eyes, and I want to murder whatever little asshole has upset her.
“Do you want to stop for ice cream on the way home?” I ask her.
