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Aspen
Three Years Later
"Mommy!" Owen squeals my name, scurrying across the shop as fast as his little legs will carry him. "Mommy!"
I step out from behind the counter, scooping him up into my arms. "Hi, baby boy," I croon, pressing kisses to his adorable little face. "I missed you today."
He laughs, placing his palms against my cheeks. His green eyes shine with happiness. "Misseded you." He squirms for me to put him down.
I give him another kiss and then set him back on his feet. He immediately takes off toward the play area we set up on the far side of the shop to keep kids occupied while their parents enjoy a peaceful coffee.
At two, he's always on the move. He's been the same way since he was born. He's just like Noah in that way. My husband spent his life on the ice, exhausting himself every day. Now that he's retired from the AHL, he has an unlimited supply of energy and far too much time on his hands. He teaches a little league team here in town. He also opened a gym last year. He spends a lot of his time torturing other people with physical activity.
It works well for me because it means he's not torturing me with physical activity. I prefer to keep mine limited to the bedroom. And the occasional treadmill. He wants to traverse mountains and run. That does not sound like a good time to me.
"Damn, Dimples," he says, stalking across the shop toward me with a smirk on his face. "You look good enough to eat."
"Noah," I chastise, swatting his hands as he reaches for me. "We agreed you weren't going to make inappropriate comments in public anymore."
"This isn't public, Aspen. It's your shop."
"And it's full of people," I point out.
He glances around like he's just noticing them for the first time. He probably is. When I'm around, his eyes are always on me. He's pretty oblivious to everyone else…right up until he thinks they're trying to flirt with me anyway. And then he sees them all too well. He's kicked more men out of here than I can count.
They're used to it by now. Honestly, I think they have a pool going to see who he kicks out the most. I have no idea who is winning at this point. It's hard to keep up when he kicks someone out at least once a day.
"They can leave if they don't like it," he says with a shrug, dragging me into his arms.
I laugh quietly, resting my head against his chest. "You can't kick out the entire shop, Noah."
"Don't tempt me. You look beautiful today." He rubs my belly. "How's my baby doing?"
"He's good."
"She."
"No."
"You can't just say no, Aspen. We're having a girl."
"I refuse to accept this." Honestly, I've resigned myself to the fact that we're having a little girl. I'm excited to meet her in a few months. But I do not envy the next fifty years of her life. She's going to need a spine of steel to deal with her daddy, her uncle, and her big brother. They'll have her wrapped in bubble wrap and surrounded by an army.
"Accept it." He drops a kiss on my lips. "You're carrying my baby girl."
I shake my head, smiling. He's as ridiculous as ever. And I love him more than ever for it. The last three years have been the best three years of my life. I never imagined happiness like this existed for me. But every day is brighter than the last with him.
My heart is full, and it grows fuller every year.
"Your brother will be here soon," he reminds me. "Are you ready?"
"For hockey?" I eye him sideways. "I'm always ready for hockey, Noah."
He grins at me, his eyes alight with humor. "Are you ready to have your brother in the same state as you again, smartass?"
Nash was traded to the Dallas Stars at the start of the season. I know he did it to be closer to me, but this time…I don't mind because he isn't coming alone. He's bringing his wife and baby with him. I'm not the only one who has healed and changed. He has too. In so many ways.
He's still an overprotective bully. But he's an amazing father and he idolizes his wife. He's happy. Happier than he's ever been. And he isn't giving up hockey to move here. He wants his son to grow up close to mine. He wants his wife to have family close when he's away. I don't blame him for that.
