AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Now my eyes laser onto her like a hawk as she stands with Ava and Danica, engaging in chitchat before the wedding starts. Every once in a while, her gaze cuts to me, but she quickly averts as I’m sure she’s feeling the intensity of it. Christ, all I can think about is getting her home and peeling her out of that concoction to let our bodies break this weird tension between us.
“I’m surprised that woman hasn’t gone up in smoke the way you’re looking at her.” I turn to find Brienne at my left. She’s dressed in a red strapless gown, the only jewelry visible her massive engagement ring winking under the twinkling lights strung above us.
The Phipps Conservatory certainly transforms into an enchanting wedding venue. Sophie and Baden are exchanging their vows under the grandeur of the glass-domed Tropical Forest Conservatory. Rows of chairs draped in black and white silk line the pathway, leading to a magnificent arch draped in a cascade of white and lavender flowers, creating a vision of ethereal beauty against the lush backdrop of exotic tropical plants.
I don’t respond to her observation because I can’t deny it. “You look lovely tonight,” I observe. “Where’s your other half?”
Brienne waves a hand. “Socializing. He’s become such a people person lately, don’t you think?”
“I think love does funny things to people,” I remark.
“And you’re just dying to fall back in love with her again, aren’t you?”
I turn to look at her, expecting to see a slight smirk on her lips. Brienne has become a good friend since I joined the Titans. Instead, there’s not a trace of whimsy on her face. She knows the potential for what I could have with Juniper is very serious.
“I’m not sure I ever left,” I admit softly, my gaze going back to Juniper. “I fucked up long ago and now I want it back.”
Brienne’s hand comes to my shoulder. “I’d bet on you to win, Callum.”
I start to reply that I hope she’s right, but ushers circulate to urge people into their chairs. I’m sitting on the groom’s side along with all the Titans, but we file in three rows back behind Baden’s family, all in from Montreal. Juniper joins me on my left and we’re flanked by Cannon and Ava on one side and Brienne and Drake on the other. Ownership, management, coaching.
Sophie is a vision in an elegantly classic bridal gown replete with layers of lace and ornate embroidery, a flowing skirt and long train. Her blond locks hang loose and wild and rather than a veil or tiara, she wears lavender sprigs pinned into her curls. Baden is wearing a classic black tux with a pale purple rose, but it’s the look of pure awe on his face as he recites his vows that will stick in my memory of tonight.
“Sophie, from the moment fate thrust us together, I knew you were someone extraordinary. You were facing the unthinkable, yet your spirit refused to be extinguished. When I stepped in that night, I didn’t just find someone to protect, I found the missing piece of my soul. My life changed forever, not just in the taking of my career, but in the giving of your love. You’ve taught me that while I may no longer play the game, I have found something far greater—us. Today, I vow to be your partner in all things, not just as a protector, but as your confidant, your supporter, your unwavering ally. I promise to cherish the bond that adversity has woven between us, to always see the strength in our scars, and to love you more fiercely with each passing day. Sophie, you are my triumph over tragedy, my joy, and from this day forward, my wife.”
A small sound catches my attention and I turn to see Juniper dabbing at the corner of her eye with a tissue. Another sniffle and past her, Ava does the same.
I turn to the right, glance at Brienne. Her eyes are misty too.
Smiling, I face front again to find Sophie dry-eyed but wearing an expression of the fiercest love as she holds Baden’s hands.
When it’s her turn, she does the unthinkable and leans in to give Baden a light kiss—pre-empting the proclamation by the minister that it’s now time to kiss the bride.
Everyone laughs and Sophie’s smile stays on her lips. “Baden, standing here with you is a testament not just to love, but to the resilience of the human spirit. When I was lost in the darkest night, feeling the world slipping from my grasp, you emerged as a beacon of hope. You risked everything for me, a stranger, and in your eyes, I found an unexpected sanctuary. Your courage left you battered, your dreams altered, but never once did you falter in your determination. It’s that spirit that makes me proud to stand here with you tonight. As your wife, I promise to honor the sacrifice you made. I will walk beside you, as you have walked back to me, every step of the way. I vow to build with you, to dream with you, to overcome any adversity, and to find joy in the quietest moments. Our bond, forged in trials, will be our armor against the world. I choose you, Baden, in this life and any that may follow. Wherever our journey leads, it leads with us together.”
Jesus… my throat closes up and my nose stings. I’m luckily distracted by Juniper giving a tiny sob and my arm goes around her shoulders to pull her into me. I glance over her to see Cannon offering Ava comfort and I’d bet money Drake’s doing the same. But I don’t look that way. Instead, I turn my attention back to the bride and groom as they exchange their rings.
♦
The reception is held in the special events hall of the conservatory. Long tables have been transformed with crisp white tablecloths and black napkins artfully folded atop silver chargers. Lavender accents are thoughtfully placed throughout the venue, from delicate violet uplighting to the centerpieces featuring a medley of white roses, lavender sprigs, and fluttering butterflies made of iridescent material that catch the light. The dance floor, a glossy expanse of black-and-white-checkered marble, is flanked by a stage where a live band is set up, their notes filling the air with popular songs.
Above, a constellation of crystal chandeliers dims to a romantic shimmer, while the glass walls reveal the conservatory’s gardens, lit with thousands of twinkling fairy lights.
We enjoy a meal created by a Michelin Star chef to include appetizers of beluga caviar on blini and terrines of foie gras with a fig compote. I skip the soup, but Juniper declares the white truffle-infused cauliflower velouté one of the best things she’s ever tasted. I can only suppress a shudder—I hate cauliflower with an undying passion.
I’m back on track with a simple baby green salad with edible purple flowers to stick with the color theme and a lavender vinaigrette.
Because this wedding feast is the fanciest, there’s a lemon sorbet intermezzo before our main course of Chateaubriand with black truffle sauce, butter-poached lobster tails and purple asparagus with gold-leaf risotto. I’ve eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the world and as I take my last bite of lobster, I know I’ve eaten one of the best meals of my life.
The long tables hold twenty people on each side, but Juniper and I are seated with Brienne and Drake as well as the entire coaching staff and their significant others. We strive to not discuss hockey, especially with some free agency buzz still floating around, while we sip artisan lavender-infused cocktails.
The evening spreads before us in a symphony of time-honored traditions. There are speeches galore, including one very moving speech by Dominik Carlson, the owner of the Arizona Vengeance, which is where Baden played when he was injured. Many of the Vengeance are here with their wives and girlfriends, but Dominik had an integral part in helping Baden literally get back on his feet as well as giving him the shot he wanted to get back on the ice. Fortuitously for us, Baden chose to come coach for the Titans instead.
Sophie and Baden cut their cake and Juniper whispers, “I almost want to cry for them destroying it.”
She’s not wrong. The multi-tiered cake is the most wondrous piece of confection I’ve ever seen. The base tier is enveloped in smooth, black fondant adorned with intricate white piping that mimics the delicate wrought iron work one might find in the Victorian-era gardens of the conservatory.
Ascending upward, the next layers alternate between pristine white fondant and soft lavender shades, each tier more refined and delicate than the one before. The white tiers are embellished with edible lace designs, painstakingly detailed to emulate the bridal gown’s fabric. The lavender tiers are accented with a lighter lavender hue, dusted with an iridescent powder that catches the fairy lights woven around each base.
