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I told him the entire story. I told him about how my future was looking when I played college hockey and about the different options I had to continue to play. It felt freeing, telling him about it all. Even when it shifted to a darker part, to when the accident happened after the party, it still felt good to finally get it all off my chest. It was something about me that I wanted him to know.
I ended the story after telling him about the extensive injuries and the amount of therapy I had to endure. Sorrow filled his eyes and I was thankful it wasn’t pity. I didn’t feel sorry for myself anymore. It could have been much worse and frankly, I was thankful to have made it out of the accident alive. People have lost more than I did.
“I’m really lucky to even be able to skate anymore,” I admitted, my voice soft as I continued to look into his eyes. “It took me awhile to get where I am mentally and it was hard to accept at first, but I’m genuinely happy with my life now.”
“Words don’t even express how sorry I am for you. I can’t imagine going through something traumatic like that and having it change my entire life.” He paused for a moment, his gaze dropping to my lips before moving back to my eyes again. “You are literally the strongest person I’ve ever met, Juliette. You never cease to amaze me.”
A blush crept up my neck and spread across my cheeks at his words. “Stop it, Mac. I’m flattered, but equally embarrassed,” I laughed.
“You’re mine, Juliette,” he murmured against my lips as he breathed me in. “Can we just go ahead and make that clear right now?”
“I’ve never been anyone but yours.” I smiled as I lifted up onto my toes and pressed my lips to his.
He kissed me softly and slowly before pulling away. “I want to hear the words from you.”
The butterflies in my stomach fluttered to life and an indescribable warmth flooded me. “I love you, Mac.”
His answering smile was filled with nothing but utter happiness.
“I love you too.”
EPILOGUE
MAC
One year later
As I sat on the beach, I stared out at the water, my hands stroking Juliette’s hair as she laid with her head in my lap. The sun was setting in the west and it was casting a soft glow across the ocean. The tips of the waves shimmered beneath the light and I smiled to myself as I looked down at Juliette.
It was hard to believe we had only been together for a year. If I were being honest, it felt like I had known her my entire life. The more time that went on with sharing life with her, it just felt so fucking right. I didn’t know how I lived my life without her. I must have been walking around like a shell of a person, because the way she complemented me continued to blow my mind.
Juliette Anderson was quite literally my better half.
She slowly pushed away, sitting up as she turned to look at me. Her hair hung down her back, damp from the salty water. Leaning forward, I brushed a strand away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. My fingers lingered on her skin before lightly trailing down her jaw.
“You’re quiet this evening,” she mused as her eyes met mine. “Is everything okay?”
We were deep in the hockey season and I had just gotten home this morning from a long stint of away games. It felt like it had been an eternity since I saw Juliette and as soon as I got home, I crawled into bed with her and promised the entire next day would be spent doing whatever it was she wanted to do.
I had convinced her to move in with me about three months ago. Much to my surprise, she didn’t even hesitate. She met me in the hallway the day after I asked her with a box of her things and a listing for her condo being available for rent. The growth from when I first met Juliette to how much softer she was now blew me away. She had really softened to a lot of people in life and wasn’t as reluctant to let people in like she once was.
She had learned that people could be trusted, that she could lean on other people while still maintaining her independence—which was one thing I never wanted to take away from her. I just wanted Juliette to be herself, while still sharing herself with me.
“No, it’s not,” I told her with nothing but honesty. There was something that had been bothering me lately and I hadn’t said anything to her because I needed to make sure it was the right moment. After experiencing the absence I felt while I was on the road this last time, I knew it was time.
She tilted her head to the side with a touch of concern in her eyes. I didn’t miss the rigidity in her body as she swallowed. “Okay. So, what’s going on then?”
I let out a breath as I rose to my feet and pulled her with me. Juliette looked extremely confused and there was a part of me that felt guilty for that. The last thing I wanted to do was have her think it was something bad.
“I was doing a lot of thinking while I was away and I don’t think I can wait any longer to do this, Juliette,” I said softly as I let go of her hands. Juliette narrowed her eyes. “I know we both had our reservations in the beginning. You were afraid to let me in and I didn’t really want any commitments. I want you to know that I am committed to you.”
I paused, reaching into my pocket as I pulled out the small box inside. While Juliette was still in the water, I snuck it from my bag and tucked it into my pocket for this very moment. Juliette’s eyes widened and she lifted her hands to her mouth as I slowly lowered myself onto one knee.
“I want you to know that I am committed to us, Juliette.”
She dropped her hands. The look on her face was absolutely priceless. “What the hell are you doing? Get up.”
A chuckle rumbled in my chest and I shook my head as I flipped open the lid. “I’ll get up when you say yes.”
