- JAX -

This never gets old.

I give the row of kids high-fives as we wrap up practice. The straggler at the end stops in front of me. “Jax, thank you so much for the scholarship.”

I look down at Alejandro, who is ten and a natural-born soccer player. “No problem, buddy. Work on those drills I showed you today until I get back next week.”

He grins ear to ear. “Coach is putting all of your games on the projector so we can watch them.”

“Awesome. I wanna get your feedback. Let me know if there’s anything I should work on, okay?”

That grin gets wider. “You got it!”

He jogs off to his friends, and I grab my gear as Coach Patterson strolls up and pats me on the back.

“Jax, I’m proud of you, son.” He motions toward the pack of kids headed toward the locker room and smiles. “These kids will never forget what you’re doing for them. Plus, it’ll give the BC boys something to keep them out of trouble this summer. I’m glad you coordinated this camp.”

“Sure thing, Coach.”

“How are your practices going?”

I started playing with my new pro team this spring, and I’ve never had more fun. I feel like a kid again. But the best thing? Looking up at the stands and seeing my girl.

“I’m having a blast, and the soreness I had in my quad is gone. My trainer says I’m cleared for Thursday’s game.”

“That’s what I want to hear.” He taps his clipboard. “Kick ass out there next week. You’ve got thirty kids here cheering you on.”

“Thanks. I’ll do you proud.”

“I know it,” he says with a smile as he heads off the field.

A few more boys come up to talk, and we chat for a while, but I’m starting to get anxious. We can’t be late tonight. Finally, I see my girl and take off in her direction.

“Those kids love you,” Dani says as I wrap her in a sweaty hug.

Her tank top dips down, and I spot her tattoo. I love that ink. It couldn’t be more fitting because that’s what she is to me, my North Star.

I wipe my face on her neck and she laughs. “You stink.”

“I’m giving you something to remember me by when I leave for my game in a few days.”

“Don’t remind me.” She pouts, jutting out her lower lip. Glancing around to make sure I’m not giving anyone a show, I lean down and nibble on that little morsel.

She smacks me in the chest for being unable to control my public display of affection. Shit, she should be used to this by now.

Sighing, she says, “Thank God you’re playing for New England. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you’d gone to Los Angeles.”

I frown. “Do you really think I would have accepted an offer from a team across the country when you’re here?”

Her head tilts up, a small smile playing on her lips. “No, I guess not.”

“Besides, we have to finish up our business plan for the GoPro ski helmets.”

“Not ours, Jax. Yours.”

She can’t be serious. “Babe, that was all your idea. You took that silly contraption I made when I was screwing around on vacation and made a real business out of it.”

She saw the promise of my helmet and found there was a huge demand for it. She lined up orders before we even got the prototypes back, and when she talked to her professors about it, they were so impressed they convinced her to stay a business major and double-degree with art.

I hug her tighter. “So yes, it’s our plan because it’s our business.”

I want to say it’s also our money, but I don’t want to freak her out. After last winter, she’s sensitive about what I spend on her, which pisses me off because I want to buy her things. Lots of things.

But I have a plan.

She blows out a breath, not wanting to get into this with me again, and I run my nose along her jaw because I know I’ve won this battle.

I smack her on the ass, and she jumps, laughing. “Let’s go. We need to get to the restaurant by five if we want to make the game.”

“I can’t believe you got me playoff tickets to see the Celtics play the Heat. I’m so psyched!”

That’s not all she’s getting, but I have to keep my shit together if this is gonna be a surprise.

Even though I’ve been trying to save up some cash for our business, I wanted to splurge tonight.

Doing this on my own feels good. No, it feels fucking incredible.

My mother lost it when I told her my plans. But it doesn’t matter. I won’t let her control me anymore. Even though I could’ve asked my father for help, it doesn’t seem right. If he had wanted to help, to be part of my life or my sister’s, he’d have been here.

I sold off all of my expensive toys and cars, and my modeling gigs have been paying well. I’ve made enough to get Dani and me through for a while and still have something left to invest in our business.

She hasn’t decided what she wants to do with her mom’s house in Chicago, and I don’t want to rush her. We’ve talked about staying there a few weeks this summer to help her finish packing. I want her to have all the time she needs to make peace with her mom’s passing.

By the time we get to the Garden, Dandelion is decked out in green. I had to put my foot down and hide her Heat jersey. Privately, I don’t mind her Miami fanaticism, but I can’t very well let her walk the streets of Boston in anything but Celtic colors.

Her eyes widen as we get closer to the players. She turns to me. “You got us courtside seats?”

I kiss her. “It’s your twenty-first birthday. I wanted to make it memorable.”

Her hands reach up and cradle my face. “As long as I’m with you, I wouldn’t care what we did. You know that, right?”

Fuck, yeah, I know that, which is why she’s the girl for me.

We find our seats, and a few minutes later, she jumps out of her chair to hug Clementine, Gavin and Travis.

“Did you know your brother was doing this?” she asks Clem.

My sister gives me a playful shove. “He’s been planning this for ages. He wouldn’t shut up about it. I’m shocked this is an actual surprise for you.”

My sister is her usual ornery self, but I’ve already told her how to play it tonight, so I know she won’t let anything slip.

Travis gives me a half smile and leans over to whisper, “Don’t fuck up.”

“Thanks, man. Really.” I place a hand over my chest to feign sincerity. He laughs, turning to the birthday girl to pick her up in a hug.

Nick and Daren join us, and after a few bro hugs, we take our seats.

“Dude, you okay?” Daren asks. He snagged me the tickets.

“Never been better,” I say with a wide smile. He looks at my leg that’s nervously jiggling and then back at me with a smirk. “Is everything all set at Ryan’s?”

He leans a little closer. “Yup. Sammy and Jenna have it covered. Everyone will be there by the time the game is over.” He slaps me on the back. “Good luck, Jax. Don’t have a heart attack first.”

“Thanks, brother.” I glance around. “Where’s Veronica? I thought she was coming tonight.”

He shrugs, his brows furrowing into deep grooves on his forehead. I don’t need to ask anything else. Maybe he’s figuring out what everyone else has always known, that they’re not right for each other. Because Daren and Veronica never really had that kind of connection. The kind I have with my girl.

I spend the game watching Danielle. She’s smiling and laughing, and I can’t wait to surprise her.

Her hand twines around the locket her mom gave her for Christmas. Last week she put a small picture of me in it, and nothing has ever meant more.

By half time, my palms are sweaty, and my heart is beating out of my chest. Who knew I’d be such a fucking pussy when the time came?

Clem catches my eye when Dani isn’t looking and gives me a wink of encouragement that only makes me more nervous.

Finally, the kissing cam goes up on the big screen during half time, and I wipe my forehead as I wait.

When the camera reaches us, Dani gasps in surprise before she grins and leans over to kiss me, but the sudden cheering gets her attention, and she looks back up at the jumbo-tron to read those four little words that will change our lives forever.

“Jax?” she asks, her eyes bugging out as I get down on one knee.

“Danielle, I love you more than life itself. Will you marry me?” I put the rock on her finger. She looks at it, blinks a few times and smiles. It’s not as big a stone as I’d like, but I know she doesn’t care about that.

“Oh my God. Yes, yes, yes!” She leaps up, and she’s in my arms, and the crowd goes crazy. My sister is crying, and the girls hug each other and laugh as the giant screen above our heads plays our special moment for the entire arena.

Finding Dandelion is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I know she still has a little more school, and my soccer schedule is hectic, but when we’re apart, I want her to know that she is mine and I am hers. Forever.

She turns to me, and I lean over to kiss her, the first of many yet to come.

See, there are happily ever afters. Even for assholes like me.