Rolling over, Gavin’s bristly scruff rubbed against my cheek. His playoff beard was coming in strong and the only way I could describe how handsome Gavin looked was downright panty-melting.

I kissed his soft lips. “Baby, are you ready for tonight?” I whispered.

He wrapped his leg around mine, shushing me. “Not if I don’t get my beauty rest, My.”

I was wide awake, probably way more excited for game seven of the playoffs than he was. Gavin peeked at me with only one eye open, then whistled for Seven, who jumped onto the bed panting and wagging her tail, jingling more than normal.

I noticed that she had a ribbon tied around her neck. Gavin reached up and pulled out the bow, letting three rings drop onto my bare stomach.

He leaned up on one elbow as tears started to flood my eyes.

“Myla, I have thought about how to ask this for months now, but I knew the simplest, intimate moments for us were both of our favorites.” He took the ring that had a solitaire canary diamond and slid it onto my finger. “Please, spend the rest of your life with me.”

I stared at the shimmering stone, completely in shock.

“Say something.” He sighed.

I gasped for breath. “Of course! Yes!” Grabbing the other two rings, I looked over to Gavin, who had the biggest grin on his hairy face. “What are these for?”

“Well, you know how nontraditional we both think these things should be. So, I might have taken care of all of the arrangements.” He tossed me his shirt from the floor and pulled on a pair of gym shorts. “You might want to put that on for this next part.”

Yanking the huge shirt over my head, Gavin opened our bedroom door. On the other side was my brother dressed in a tux, standing next to Karla—whose baby bump was finally starting to pop out—in a gorgeous floor-length dress. Brayden was holding a white dress bag and walking into the room.

“Are we getting married today?” I started hysterically crying.

“Everyone is waiting at our house, including Sean, who got ordained to marry you online last week. We have a hairdresser and makeup artist waiting in the living room for you.”

Karla started giggling. “Did you really think I wanted to try on all those different dresses to get your opinion just in case Brayden decided to make an honest woman out of me?”

She shoved my brother as he started laughing. “What we have going on is working, why complicate it with marriage? No offense, Gavin.”

Gavin pulled his tux out of the closet and started polishing his dress shoes. “None taken.” He looked over at me. I was still in shock. “Chop, chop, little girl. We’re all waiting on you now.”

Karla grabbed the dress from Brayden. “Why don’t you two head over to the house and help finish getting set up? We have a wedding to get to and a game to win.”

As I was sitting on a barstool, getting my hair curled and airbrush makeup applied, Karla unzipped the dress bag. “So, this is the one I made you try on a few weeks ago. I remembered it was your favorite.”

She pulled out a gorgeous off-white, lace mermaid-style dress with a sweetheart neckline. Within less than an hour I was in my dress, riding in the back of a limo with Karla, on the way to my childhood home.

“I hope they’re all set up and ready to go.” I was getting nervous that there wasn’t going to be enough time for the wedding and to get the guys to the rink in time.

Karla put a reassuring hand on mine, pouring me a glass of champagne. “We have it all timed perfectly, love. This is going to be great and we’re going to the game tonight.”

“I thought Brayden said we weren’t allowed to be there.”

The car pulled over and Karla paused before opening the door. “Gavin was pretty convincing. They started the season with a win, seems fitting that they end the playoffs with you there too. You’re his luck, My. Don’t ever forget that.”

Standing at the altar, staring into Gavin’s stormy eyes with all our closest family and friends standing in a circle around us, it finally hit me—I was about to become Mrs. Myla Hayes.

“And do you, Gavin, take Myla to be your wife?” Sean was way too adorable in his dress uniform, helping us tie the knot.

“I do.” Gavin leaned down and kissed my cheek.

“Hey, no kissing the bride until I say so.”

Gavin chuckled. “Hey, playing by the rules is never as fun.”

After rolling his eyes at Gavin’s remark, Sean looked to me. “And do you, Myla, take this goofball to be your husband?”

I yelled at the top of my lungs, “Heck yes, I do!”

Everyone started popping bottles of champagne and toasting.

“You may now kiss your lovely bride.” The crowd erupted as Gavin scooped me up into his arms.

“Now, you’re my girl, forever. How does that sound Mrs. Hayes?”

Hearing those words roll off his lips sent electricity throughout my entire body.

“Absolutely perfect.”

Brayden slapped Gavin on the shoulder, addressing the whole group of people. “We have a game to get to, ladies and gents. Feel free to hang out. I set up TVs throughout the house so everyone can watch. Game seven here we come!”

Seven trotted over to Brayden, wagging her tail. “Not you, girl.” He threw the tennis ball she had dropped at his feet.

“All right, my love. There’s only one more surprise, but it’s at the rink. Simon and Karla will walk you through it. See you soon.” Gavin kissed me goodbye and ran out the front door with Brayden and a few of their teammates that had come to wish us well.

After a few glasses of champagne, it was time to head to the arena. “Ok, I’ll go change and then we can head out.”

Karla grabbed my hand. “Nope. You’re staying in that dress for a little while longer.”

Simon threw the strap of a duffle bag over his shoulder. “I have a change of clothes for each of us in here for when the time comes.”

Walking through the crowd of fans in a wedding dress was hilarious. Everyone kept stopping to stare as Karla and Simon escorted me to the very same seat I had occupied for that first game, right next to the penalty box.

We were only in our seats for a few minutes before the announcer came over the loudspeaker. “Will Myla Hayes please make her way to the Otters’ locker room? Again, Myla Hayes, please make your way to the Otters’ locker room.”

Gavin was waiting for me by the locked stairway to escort me down to the locker room. He was already in his pads and jersey.

“What’s going on?” I asked as he grabbed my hand.

“You’ll see.” We rushed down to where the team was hooting and hollering for us. “Congrats, guys!”

Gavin’s father threw an arm around me. “Welcome to the family, kid.” It had taken him and his wife a while to get used to the idea of me, but they had finally come around.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Thank you!”

The opposing team was being announced and flooding onto the ice.

“Ready babe?” Gavin threw me up into his arms.

“Ready for what?”

The announcer started to get the fans fired up. “And the Otters have a very special announcement they would like to share with all of you this evening. Let’s give a huge welcome to your team, the Otters!” The fans exploded, leaping onto their feet.

Crosby led the way and Gavin followed him with me still swept up into his arms. “You might want to hold on tight, baby.”

He skated out onto the ice, my flowing dress trailing behind him as we made our way to center ice.

“Congratulations to the captain, Gavin Hayes, who tied the knot to this beauty only a few hours ago.”

The entire team started skating around us, waving their sticks in the air, cheering.

The moment had to be fleeting as Gavin skated me back over so I could head back up to my seat. “I love you!” he yelled, skating backward away from me.

I met Simon at the top of the stairs and he handed me my favorite jeans and a jersey that had Gavin’s number on it.

He whispered into my ear, “Check out the back. This is my favorite!”

Turning the jersey over, I saw the name on it read Mrs. Hayes.

The events of the day started to really sink in and I started crying as I pulled the jersey over my wedding dress.

“Let’s go watch my man kill it out there!”

The game was incredible—fast paced, high scoring, lots of fights. Once the Otters were up by three points in the last two minutes, Gavin picked a fight just to prove a point. After they brawled all the way to the ice, the refs broke them up.

Gavin sitting in the penalty box next to me was infuriating and awesome all at once. He yelled over to me, “Hey wifey!”

I got right up against the glass. “Yes husband?” I hollered back to him.

“Kiss me!”

We pressed our lips against the cold glass separating us.

Best fucking wedding day kiss ever.