Chapter 1
Carson Hayes
Sadie Knight, my best friend, was getting married today.
And somehow, despite the fact she already had the man, the baby, and the giant diamond ring to prove this wedding was actually happening… She was currently pacing the bridal suite like she was headed to her execution. Finally. She’s given Knox shit about it for months.
Meanwhile, I was trying not to lose my own mind.
I've been trying to fix problems and field everything so she doesn't have to. Her day needs to be perfect. She deserves it.
“Carson,” Sadie said suddenly, turning toward the mirror again. “What if my dress doesn’t look right on me?”
I blinked at her.
This woman had carried an entire child, somehow lost every ounce of baby weight, and looked like she stepped out of a bridal magazine.
And she was worried about the dress.
I sighed dramatically.
Her eyes snapped toward me instantly, panic already filling them.
Oh no.
“Sadie,” I said carefully.
Her face crumpled.
And then she started crying.
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered under my breath before crossing the room quickly.
I wrapped my arms around her instantly, holding her against me as she buried her face in my shoulder.
“You are not doing this today,” I told her firmly. “You’re marrying Knox Callahan, not being sacrificed to the hockey gods.”
That earned a watery laugh out of her.
Good. Crisis temporarily avoided.
I vowed right then that this day was going to be perfect for her. I would not watch her crumple again.
Any problem?
Handled immediately.
And if somebody decided to ruin Sadie Knight’s wedding day?
I’d happily kick their ass myself in my fucking stilettos.
“I love you,” she whispered, pulling back enough to look at me.
“Love you too.”
I finally released her, watching as she carefully wiped beneath her eyes.
“Thank you.”
I laughed softly. “Of course, babes.”
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” Sadie called.
The door opened seconds later and Lennox and Melody walked inside.
Mel practically glowed these days.
Honestly, ever since things with Cole became official, she looked lighter. Happier.
The situation was messy in beginning, but Cole finally woke up and realized what he was blind to.
Then there was Lennox.
Very newly married Lennox.
The woman was basically radiating smug newlywed energy after secretly marrying Declan in Vegas.
Us girls were still annoyed about that one.
Mostly because she disappeared during a road trip, got married, then casually came home with a husband like it was completely normal behavior.
But honestly?
That fit their personalities too well.
They’d both wanted it so badly that none of us could really stay mad.
And seeing her this happy made it impossible not to love it for them anyway.
Mel and Lennox both exchanged looks then saw Sadie's face.
"Have you been crying??" Lennox asks.
Sadie lets out a nervous laugh. "Maybe."
"Uh, she has." I admit.
"Why?" Mel asks.
"Because I'm worrying about my dress fitting."
Lennox groans. "Oh shut up woman."
Mel laughs.
Sadie glares.
"What?" Lennox challenges with a smirk.
"You are going to look gorgeous!" Mel says.
"Fucking right." Lennox says.
I smile at the girls.
I love this group.
Sadie finally nods. Taking our compliments and believing them.
So the next 40 minutes us girls play music and get ready.
After I was fully in my dress my phone buzzed. It was a text from the florist. I groaned as I read it.
Flowers are delayed. We will get you a estimated time when they will arrive shortly.
You are fucking kidding me right? I let out a frustrated grunt. Which draws every woman in the rooms eyes to me.
"What is it?" Sadie says.
The look on her face told me she was about three seconds from a full breakdown.
"WHAT???"
I sigh.
"Flowers are delayed. I'm working on it now."
“Carson—”
“Nope.” I pointed at her immediately. “Absolutely not. You are not spiraling again.”
“But—”
“I’ve got it.”
“You sure?”
“Sadie, if I have to personally drive to that florist and threaten people myself, these flowers will be here.”
She melts some. Lennox rubs her back. "It's okay Sadie. Carson has it."
"Okay." She says.
"I'll handle it."I say softly.
"What if they don't come in time." She whines.
I pinch the bridge of my nose then half yell the next part to get it through her head.
"DO NOT STRESS."
Then in a much quieter, calm voice, "I have this Sadie so STOP."
She laughs. I give her no time say anything else before I rush out to the hallway.
I was not letting this florist delay this too long. We are 2 hours from the wedding and she needs that bouquet and the arrangements for the tables.
When I stepped downstairs, I found Knox near the entrance holding Emery against his chest while chaos moved around him.
And somehow?
He still looked calm.
Mostly.
Emery was asleep against his shoulder in a tiny little dress that probably cost more than my car payment.
She had thick dark blonde hair and Knox's eyes. But she favored Sadie so much. Such a sweet baby. I love my god niece.
Knox looked up the second he noticed me.
“How is she?”
And there it is.
Not hello.
Not anything else.
Just Sadie.
Because that man had been gone for her long before any of us realized it.
“She’s okay,” I assured him. “Just nervous.”
His shoulders loosened slightly at that.
It was ridiculous honestly.
Big scary hockey captain completely taken out by one blonde woman upstairs.
His eyes narrowed slightly then.
“How are you?”
That caught me off guard enough that I blinked.
“I’m fantastic,” I lied automatically.
Knox snorted softly.
“You look like you’re about to fight somebody.”
“I might,” I muttered, glancing down at my phone again as another florist text came through. “Depending on how this flower situation goes.”
"What's wrong with the flowers?" He asks.
"Delayed. That is all they told me." I growl out.
Knox sighs. "You need me to help."
"Nope." I say confidently. "I got this Knoxie."
He shakes his head at the nickname.
"Okay. I am here if you need me." He says.
"Thank you." I call out. I am rushing out again. This damn florist better hope they fix this shit quick. I rushed down the hall further, trying to get to the patio so if I need to call and yell I could.
I hurried down the hallway barefoot, my heels dangling from one hand while I fired off another text to the florist with the other.
If these flowers were not here soon, somebody was about to experience my villain origin story.
Seriously.
Who screwed up flowers for a wedding?
Especially this wedding.
My attention stayed glued to my phone as I rounded the corner quickly.
Which was exactly why I slammed straight into a solid chest.
A startled sound flew out of me as my body stumbled backward slightly.
Strong hands instantly caught my arms before I could completely lose my balance.
My phone slipped from my fingers.
Large hands caught that too.
Of course.
I looked up already annoyed and— Roman Petrov.
Fantastic.
Just SHIT.
My luck.
I let out a frustrated sight as I stared at him.
The giant Russian goalie stood in front of me looking unfairly good in a black suit while I currently looked one mental breakdown away from prison time.
His hands slowly released my arms once he knew I was steady.
But his eyes stayed on me.
Quiet.
Steady.
And for some reason that always made me nervous.
“You trying to take me out before the ceremony?” I asked.
Roman glanced down at me.
“No.”
That was it.
Just no.
I swear this man survived on one word answers.
He frustrates the ever loving shit out of me with that. I've known the man for a year and barely get anything out of him.
The same man who threatened a guy one night at the bar for putting his hands on me when I was bit too tipsy.
So I don't get it. He likes me but wants to play his stupid mind game.
Fuck him. Ugh.
I reached for my phone, but Roman didn’t hand it over immediately.
His gaze dropped briefly.
Not long enough for most people to notice.
But I caught it.
The dark blue bridesmaid dress.
My bare legs.
The fact I was still holding my heels instead of wearing them.
Then his eyes came back to mine like nothing happened.
“You’re distracted.”
His voice stayed low and calm.
Meanwhile I currently had approximately seventeen tabs open in my brain.
“The flowers are late,” I rambled instantly. “And Sadie’s trying not to panic which means I’m trying not to panic because if she panics then Knox panics and if Knox panics everyone panics—”
“Carson.”
I stopped talking immediately.
Which honestly annoyed me.
Roman barely said my name and somehow it cut through every thought in my head. Maybe that was the first time...?
His dark eyes stayed on me another second.
“You think too much.”
I let out an offended laugh. “Excuse me?”
“You carry everything.” He handed me my phone finally. “Even when you don’t need to.”
The words caught me off guard enough that I just stared at him.
Because Roman wasn’t exactly known for motivational speeches.
Or speeches at all.
And literally he can talk that much?
I recovered quickly though.
“Well somebody around here has to keep this wedding running.”
One side of his mouth twitched slightly.
Tiny.
Barely there.
But it completely threw me off anyway.
Then his gaze dipped once more toward the heels in my hand.
“You forgot those too.”
I blinked.
Shit.
I looked down at my bare feet.
“I hate you.”
Roman’s expression never changed. “No you don’t.”
And before I could even process that response, the man stepped around me and kept walking like he hadn’t just completely derailed my entire nervous system.
I stood there dazed in the hall. What the fuck just happened.
Did he just check me out?
And why the hell did his hands on me feel so good.
Fuck oh my god.
I'm so getting plastered later. I need a damn drink.
My phone buzzed and I looked down.
We are on our way. Sorry.
Oh praise God.
