There are moments a man remembers for a lifetime.
I always assumed winning a silver medal for ice hockey in the Olympics would be my crowning achievement.
But that was before I met Gracie Diamonte.
And before she gave me a gift more precious than my very life.
“All right, your royal pain-in-the-assness, I’ve been patient, and I’m about done with that,” Joey informs me as I sit on my sofa in my penthouse living room, the woman of my dreams beside me, and our baby girl—yes, that’s right, the first girl born to a Frey man in over two hundred years, because of course Gracie was right, she’s rather brilliant—cradled in my arms.
“Viktor,” I call to my loyal guard, “please escort the elder Miss Diamonte from the premises.”
Gracie laughs. Viktor ignores me. My father frowns, and the damned monkey throws a Facookie at the giant stuffed sheep Colden sent since he wasn’t able to make the trip to Copper Valley this time around.
“You’ll have her all night to yourself when she’s not sleeping,” Sylvie chastises. “Let her aunt hold her for a few minutes.”
“Yeah, you punk,” Zeus Berger chimes in. “Or I’ll flatten your ugly a—”
He’s unable to finish the single syllable before both Diamonte sisters attack him with looks that could skin a cat.
Though not my cat, who’s plastered himself to my side ever since Gracie moved to Copper Valley with me permanently right before Christmas.
“Come on, sweet girl.” Gracie turns her governess glare on me as she steals my daughter. “It’s Aunt Joey’s turn.”
I’d like to tell Joey not to give her any cooties, but aside from her questionable judgment in men, Joey has few personality traits I’d object to my daughter sharing.
Though considering Gracie’s questionable taste in men as well, I probably shouldn’t judge Joey either.
Gracie herself slides into my lap. Her belly is still pleasantly round and recovering from pregnancy and birth, and were it not for the championship cup now residing at Mink Arena, I daresay this introduction would be happening in Goat’s Tit instead of Copper Valley.
As it is, we’ve been video chatting with half the town every waking minute the last week.
For the first time in my life, I understand what people mean when they say they feel like a king.
Zeus bends over my daughter. “Dude. What’s wrong with her nose?”
Ares punches him in the arm, and Loki beans him with a binkie.
“What’s wrong with your nose?” Loki says. Courtesy of Felicity, of course.
“Ignore him,” Joey says to Sophie in the softest voice I’ve ever heard her use. Apparently she’s not immune to the power of a baby either. “He’s trying to insult your father.”
“Her nose is perfect,” Gracie whispers to me. She brushes a hand through my hair and presses a kiss to my temple. “Just like her daddy’s.”
“I’m fairly certain, my lady, that every perfection in our daughter comes from you.”
My father clears his throat.
It’s not escaped anyone’s notice that he’s none too pleased with me for having failed to take Gracie down the aisle just yet.
Because old habits die hard, I’m rather enjoying the hell out of irritating him.
Although it’s far from my primary goal.
Gracie’s still adjusting to the idea of being a princess. She’s also approaching the idea on her terms.
She’s given up her Dickookie business—her dear friend Nancy took it on for her—because apparently Murphy truly did break her with his massive order to his sister’s ex-boyfriend.
Since moving to Copper Valley, she’s been regularly attending classes at a tutoring center to master reading, and she’s enrolled in university for fall to see how nursing school fits.
She’s also insisted on being the one to read stories to Sophie every naptime and bedtime since we arrived home from the hospital.
“I want her to know she can do it too, no matter what,” she whispered to me last night as I sat beside them in the small nursery off our bedchamber—my former office—and watched the two of them rock together after Gracie finished Goodnight Moon. “That there’s nothing she can’t do.”
Having watched Gracie grow and thrive in Copper Valley, I have no doubt our daughter will have the best example in the world.
Coach settles onto the couch beside us. Along with our families, half my team is here today as well to help us welcome our daughter. “So we’re keeping you,” he says to me.
“For four years.”
“Good. Bring me home another cup next year.”
“Fu—urckle that,” Zeus says. “New York’s gonna kick your aaaaashes next year.”
Ares punches him in the arm again. Loki throws a piece of cat food at him.
Mr. Beans yawns and puts a paw on my arm.
And I realize Gracie’s snoring.
She’s so bloody adorable.
“That’s right, my princess,” I whisper softly. “Sleep while you can.”
I should put her to bed. Sophie is the star of the afternoon.
Instead, I sink deeper into the sofa and shift her to make her more comfortable in my lap while her cat creeps onto the couch beside me.
I can’t help myself.
Love is something I never expected.
And now that Gracie’s shown me the way, I’m never letting go.
