Page 115 of Crack the Ice

I move without thinking, definitely pushing a couple of people out of the way to get to her. “Baby, be careful.”

She gives me a soft smile, my cheeks reddening when I realize everyone is now looking at the two of us. She puts her hand on my head and starts playing with my hair sticking out of the back of my hat. There’s something about the small, mindless gesture, like she’s done it a thousand times, that makes me relax a tiny bit.

The room quiets, not all at once, because have you ever been in a room of professional athletes? But wave by gentle wave, conversations begin to die as people start to notice. Soon, the only sound left is the low hum of the fridge and Mia, Monroe’s daughter, laughing.

“Thank you for coming to celebrate two of my favorite people.” She smiles at the room. “For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Cecilia Samuels. I own the Penalty Box Bakery, but I’m also this big lug’s little sister.” She turns over her shoulder to look at Markus, who is standing behind her in case she falls. I register the motion of his jaw, mainly because it’s the same thing mine does when I’m trying not to let my face give too much away.

“What most of you don’t know is that I’ve known Mav since I was eleven, and I’ve loved him my entire adult life.”

My chest grows tight because I know where this is going.

“As some of you know, my brain is different than most, and at one point in my life, my brain had decided we knew how our story would go. We’d marry the man we loved, build a life together, have the kids we dreamed about… But somewhere along the way, life decided it had different plans for me. For years I grieved the loss of the plan I tried so desperately to hold on to, thinking it made me less worthy of the man and the family we dreamed of.”

She looks down at me, a soft yet regretful smile tugs at her lips.

“I ran off to Spain. I’d all but convinced myself that the life we dreamed of under the tree in his backyard was nothing more than a fever dream all those years ago, but then came Cade and Lily.”

Her fingers still in my hair for just a second, and I lean into her palm, letting her know I’m still here.

I watch her throat work as she swallows. Feel her fingers tighten slightly in my hair, and I replay every version of this conversation we’ve had. I’ve heard it in private. I’ve felt her guilt and received the apologies she should never have had to give anyone, especially not to me.

“This little family may not be conventional, and hell,” she chuffs. “We didn’t get here by chance. This journey has been laced with heartbreak, fear, and grief. But it’s ours, one I’m honored to be a part of. These three gave me a chance to live the dream I swore was crushed beyond repair years ago.”

Her voice catches on chance, barely, but it’s enough to make my own throat tighten in response.

I reach up, linking my fingers with hers, trying not to lose my composure at the tears running down her face. She doesn’t wipe them away. She lets them fall, letting a room full of people bear witness to the pain she carried for so long in silence.

“Today, I want to thank you, Mav, for letting me be part of something so incredibly beautiful. Something so important that Caroline entrusted to you.”

I almost double over at the sound of Caroline’s name. Grief and gratitude woven so tightly together that I’ve had to stop trying to separate them at all.

“And Lily,” she turns, finding her easily in the crowd, her whole face changing, softening into something unbearably tender. “Thank you for wanting me to be part of it too. Because of you, I get to live my biggest dream every day. I may not be your mom, nor do I want to replace her in any way, but I do want to make memories with you and feed the Lemurs every week. I want to help you get ready for homecoming and prom. I want to have girl days with you and our friends.”

Lily runs across the room, sneakers slapping against the hardwood floor, weaving between grown adults who narrowly avoid getting trucked by a now thirteen-year-old, before jumping at me so that she can get closer to Cecy. Lily grabs Cecy’s free hand, and I place Lily on the island, standing in front of them both just in case.

Their joined tears are my kryptonite, and my heart splits right down the middle as I realize this almost didn’t happen.

“This is not my day,” she says, “but I didn’t want today to go by without everyone here knowing how much these two mean to me. Cade too.” She nods at where he stands in the corner, and he ducks his head, embarrassed, but the smile he’s trying to smother gives way to how happy that made him.

“They deserve to be celebrated for the light they bring to everyone’s lives. I love the three of you. Thank you for being who you are, and for loving us the way you do. Happy birthday, Mav and Lily!”

“Happy birthday!” Everyone yells at the same time. Cheers and screams and hugs come from every angle, chairs scrape against the floor, someone’s snapping pictures faster than I can blink, but all I see is her.

Sammy helps Lily down while Cecy uses my shoulders to steady herself as she climbs off the island, her chest sliding down the front of me until her feet reach the floor.

“Hi, baby,” I whisper before pressing a kiss to her nose.

“Hey, Muscles.” She presses her lips to the middle of my chest before pulling away and lacing our fingers together. “I have one more thing for you guys,” she says as she rounds up both kids and... Tom?

“What’s going on?” I ask as she shuts the door to the home office.

She grabs a folder off the desk and moves to stand next to Tom before turning to face the three of us. “You all deserve to know you’re home. And I know you said we could wait, but I didn’t want you to.”

My brows furrow as her hand stretches across the small space. “Cess, what is this?” I ask, slowly opening the folder as if it were a death sentence.

“Tom and I worked together on this one. Since you’d already done everything you needed to, it made this a bit easier. I went ahead and scheduled your adoption hearing. We can add my name to it later, but I want you guys to have this.”

My eyes trail over the paper before I slam the folder closed and let it fall to the desk behind her. Cupping her face in my hands, I slam my lips down on hers. Tears roll down my cheeks until they settle over our lips.