So she flashed an upbeat smile and answered, “Disappointed? Are you kidding? He’s having a great game. He’s racking up assists and making his presence felt out there. As for him not scoring, there’s still a whole period left to play, so I wouldn’t count him out if I were you.”
As the reporter grinned, Reid’s father caught her eye, smiled approvingly and winked.
Then Avery and Aria directed her attention to the Jumbotron, where the three of them appeared on the screen. They grinned, waved and gestured proudly to the number six on their jerseys.
In the final thirty seconds of the game, the score was tied at 4-4 and appeared to be headed into overtime.
Suddenly Reid stole the puck from Detroit’s right winger and raced down the ice on a breakaway.
A gasp went up from the crowd.
Nadia felt her heart thumping wildly as she watched Reid. His powerful legs were pumping, his skates slashing the ice as he charged forward with explosive speed. All that stood between him and Detroit’s net was an eagle-eyed goaltender.
The crowd had gone silent as if collectively holding its breath.
The goaltender confronted Reid in front of the net. Reid deked left, effortlessly sliding the puck from his forehand to his backhand. When the goalie bought the fake, Reid pulled back his stick and lasered the puck right through the goalie’s legs.
It all happened so fast Nadia would have missed it if she’d blinked a second too soon.
When the scoreboard lit up, a collective gasp of shock swept over the crowd. Not only had Reid just clinched the win, he’d also scored his three hundredth career goal!
As he pumped his fist in the air, his family and friends erupted in celebration, leaping to their feet as they cheered and screamed and hugged one another.
Beaming ecstatically, Avery and Aria waved homemade signs that read: CONGRATULATIONS ON GOAL #300!!! WE KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!!!
Reid’s mother hugged and kissed his father right on the lips, then turned around and embraced Nadia so hard she thought her ribs might snap. They pulled apart and grinned at each other, tears streaming down their faces.
Down on the ice, Reid was celebrating with his teammates, laughing as they swarmed him with triumphant grins and pounded him excitedly on the back.
The crowd was stunned, their crestfallen faces captured on the Jumbotron.
Several fans stood and began to boo and jeer in bitter disappointment.
Nadia bit her lower lip as she looked around the arena. She hoped this wouldn’t get too ugly.
And then something amazing happened.
As if in slow motion, clusters of fans rose to their feet and began clapping and chanting Reid’s name.
Nadia exchanged stunned looks with his family and friends. Was this really happening?
Dawn’s prescient words drifted through her mind: This is Detroit. Anything’s possible.
Apparently so, Nadia marveled, watching as more and more people stood up. There were some boos interspersed with the applause, but the angry and disgruntled fans were soon drowned out by the graciously magnanimous ones.
Reid pulled off his helmet and ran his fingers through his damp hair, sweat streaking down his face. Slowly he looked around the arena, the arena he’d dreamed of playing in when he was growing up. He looked amazed and humbled by the sight of so many fans on their feet cheering for him, celebrating his accomplishment even after he’d just put a dagger through their hearts by defeating their team.
With a quiet smile of satisfaction and gratitude, he lifted his hand and waved to the crowd.
The cheers and applause grew louder.
When Reid met Nadia’s gaze, she felt that same jolt of electricity she’d felt the night they met. It was like déjà vu.
He smiled tenderly and mouthed, Love you, baby.
Grinning from ear to ear, Nadia mouthed back, I love you too, Reid Holden!
He winked at her and patted his heart. Then his teammates surrounded him again, all but carrying him off the ice in their excitement.
Nadia hoped this was just a preview of things to come for the Denver Rebels.
30
At the postgame press conference, the first question fired at Reid was the predictable, “Were you surprised by the home crowd’s reaction after you scored the game-winning goal?”
“Yes.”
Reid’s succinct answer sent a ripple of laughter around the room.
He flashed a lazy grin, a dazzling slash of white against his skin. Right after the game he’d showered and changed into a dark navy suit that brought out the deep blue of his eyes and fit his powerful body like a dream. He looked so handsome, so arrestingly masculine, that he took Nadia’s breath away as she stood in the back of the room with his family.
“What kind of reaction were you expecting from the fans?” another reporter called out.
“I don’t know,” Reid drawled humorously. “I mean, I wasn’t expecting them to hurl hubcaps or anything.”
Another rumble of laughter swept over the room.
Reid chuckled, then sobered after another moment. “Seriously though. You guys know how much Detroit means to me. I was born and raised here. My family and friends are here. So it’s still home to me. Of course it goes without saying that I love and appreciate the good people of Denver for embracing me, and I enjoy playing for such a great fan base. But while I may be a Rebel on the ice, I’ll always be a Detroiter at heart.”
That earned him a quiet round of applause interspersed with approving murmurs.
“On behalf of my colleagues,” an ironic voice drawled, “can I just say how glad we are that you’ve finally stopped giving us the silent treatment?”
“What?” Reid cupped a hand to his ear. “I didn’t catch that.”
More laughter erupted.
Nadia grinned, marveling at his sense of humor and comedic timing. The man was a natural on that podium.
“I bet the folks at Gatorade are celebrating right now,” someone said jokingly. “The way you won the game was pretty similar to your Gatorade commercial. They should give you some sort of bonus for that.”
“Hmm. That’s not a bad idea.” Reid stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I’ll have to ask my agent about that.”
Everyone laughed.
Another reporter piped up, “On a personal level, Reid, it must have felt deeply satisfying to score that goal tonight and bring yourself that much closer to tying Ray Bourque’s record. If the Rebels win the Stanley Cup, how much more satisfying will that be?”
“Very satisfying, of course.” Reid grinned. “Winning the Cup is the pinnacle, the holy grail. We’re playing well, winning games and doing everything we can to put ourselves in the best position to take home the Cup. But you know what? I’m not gonna think about that tonight. Tonight I’m just gonna savor this win and the special milestone I reached, which I couldn’t have done without the help of my teammates.”
“How do you plan to celebrate your big night? Got any special plans?”
“I do, actually.” There was a mysterious glint in Reid’s eyes. “I’m heading to a party to celebrate with my family and friends and teammates. But before I do that, I’m gonna make my way to the back of the room, get down on one knee and ask my girlfriend, Nadia, to marry me.”
A stunned gasp went up from the crowd.
Oh my God, Nadia thought, her heart pounding against her chest. Did he just say what I think he did???
Avery and Aria, flanking her on either side, wrapped their arms around her waist and hugged her excitedly.
“This is so freakin’ romantic!” Aria squealed in her ear.
Nadia watched in breathless excitement as Reid rose from the table. He made a show of fastening the last two buttons of his suit jacket, adjusting his shirt cuffs and straightening his silk tie.
The reporters laughed good-naturedly.
“Go get ’er, Rocket. Hope she says yes!”
Reid laughed. “I hope so too.”
Nadia’s hea
rt rate kicked up another thousand notches as she watched him saunter down the aisle toward her, his eyes never leaving hers.
His family stepped back, melting into the background as he came to a stop before Nadia. His eyes roamed her face as cameras whirred and clicked frantically around them.
Nadia stared up at him, her heart in her throat.
His eyes glinted. “I guess my announcement kinda ruined the element of surprise.”
She laughed softly. “Just a little.”
He grinned broadly, then suddenly lifted her off her feet, crushed her to him and kissed her with breathtaking fervor.
“I love you so much,” he whispered.
She stared down into his eyes. She felt positively reborn. “You mean everything to me.”
“That’s good. Because…” He set her back down, then hitched up his pants legs and smoothly lowered himself to one knee in front of her.
“Oh my God. Reid…” Nadia was trembling all over with excitement, love, joy. Too many emotions for one person to contain without bursting.
Reid’s gaze was solemn, his eyes holding hers with a deep intensity that reached right into the core of her soul. “I loved you almost from the moment I met you,” he said in a husky voice. “You took my breath away, and you never really gave it back. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, Nadia Warner, and you’ve changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. So with that being said, baby, will you do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife?”
Nadia opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was too choked up with emotion. So she just smiled and nodded really hard.
Reid’s eyes twinkled up at her. “Is that a yes?”
A breathy laugh escaped her. “Yes! Oh my God, baby. Yes!”
His face broke into a huge grin that was tinged with relief as boisterous cheers and applause erupted around them.
Nadia gave him her left hand, tears blurring her vision as she watched him slide the most breathtaking diamond ring onto her finger.
As more cheers went up, Reid rose to his feet and caught her face in both of his hands. They shared a long, slow kiss as cameras flashed around them, capturing and freezing the romantic moment that would soon explode all over social media.
They left the arena with Reid’s family and friends and headed to an upscale riverfront restaurant that he had rented out for the night.
A smiling hostess escorted their group to the dining room. When they stepped through the double doors, the first thing that struck Nadia was the enchanting décor. The restaurant was a blaze of twinkling lights that reflected off the gleaming marble floor. Dozens of linen-covered tables were set up along a wall of windows that overlooked the glistening river. Candles glowed in the branches of crystal candelabras placed in the center of each table.
When Nadia’s gaze swept over the sizeable crowd that had gathered, she was stunned and ecstatic to see her entire family there, along with Jess and Bianca and Ana. They all beamed at her, their eyes shining with laughter at her shocked reaction.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, turning to stare incredulously at Reid. “How…when did you…?”
He grinned down at her. “Whether you said yes or no tonight, I knew it would mean a lot to you to have them here. And I wanted our families to meet as soon as possible. So I flew them out today, and I asked them to keep it a surprise.”
Nadia’s heart melted into a puddle at his feet. She stood on tiptoe and gave him a resounding kiss on the lips, then pulled back and whispered earnestly, “Thank you.”
He stroked her cheek. “Anything for you.”
She beamed rapturously, then took his hand and ushered him and his family across the room to greet her people.
Laughter and hasty introductions flew through the air, mixed with tears and hugs. Her mother clung to her for a long time, whispering words of blessings in her ear. Nelson, Scarlett and Aunt Sherise also hugged her long and hard, grinning from ear to ear.
Her father wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek, then pumped Reid’s hand and grinned broadly. “Congratulations, young man. I’m impressed. Not only with your performance in tonight’s game, but with the way you proposed to my baby girl. I like your style.”
Nadia grinned. “So do I.”
Everyone laughed.
Roark and Arlene struck up a friendly conversation with Nadia’s parents and Aunt Sherise and Uncle Lavell. While they were getting acquainted, Reid wrapped his arm around Nadia’s waist and tucked her to his side as they began moving through the crowd of well wishers, accepting more handshakes and hugs and heartfelt congratulations. The guests included Reid’s teammates, coaches, trainers, old family friends and close acquaintances.
Since Nadia didn’t know most of them, she was beyond thrilled to see Dawn’s familiar face. They hugged like old friends before Dawn introduced Nadia to her husband, an attractive black man with an easy smile.
Nadia grinned at Dawn. “You were right about the standing ovation.”
“I saw that. Made me so proud.” Dawn smiled at Reid, her eyes twinkling. “So did you.”
He grinned and winked at her.
Nadia and Reid stood chatting with Dawn and her husband until they were interrupted by more well wishers. More hugs and greetings were exchanged, more friendly questions about where and how they’d met.
They made their rounds, grinning and holding hands as they moved across the room. The party was buzzing around them, lively conversation interspersed with gales of laughter and music.
As Nadia looked into the sea of smiling faces, she felt as if she were having the most amazing out-of-body experience. This was her engagement party. She was getting married to a wonderful man who loved her, cherished her, declared his feelings for her in front of the whole world.
It was positively surreal. A dream come true.
“I love the look on your face right now.”
Nadia turned her head to meet Reid’s satisfied gaze. She smiled. “You were watching me.”
“I’m always watching you.” He lifted her hand to his lips, his eyes smoldering with heat as he slowly looked her over.
After the game, she’d changed into a sleeveless Miu Miu dress that Avery and Aria had helped her pick out today. The fitted bodice cinched at the waist before flaring out into a short skirt with frothy layers of black net peeking enticingly from beneath. The designer dress was metallic gold with black piping, so she appeared to be wearing the Rebels’ colors.
Reid leaned close to murmur in her ear, “You look absolutely incredible in that dress.”
The low, sexy timbre of his voice sent a thrill down her spine and had her nipples pebbling against the lacy cups of her bra. And that was before he added, “Can’t wait to get you out of it though.”
She shivered and gave him a breathless smile. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“I know.” He nipped her earlobe. “Just don’t make me wait too long.”
Before she could respond, they were interrupted by his mother, who had her phone pressed to her ear as she strained to listen above the din of the buzzing crowd.
“There you are,” she said to Reid. “I’ve been looking all over for you and Nadia. Your grandparents want to offer their congratulations on your big night. I told them we were at your party, but they insisted they’ve been trying to reach you since the game ended. They couldn’t wait to— Yes, Dad, I found them,” she spoke into the phone, raising her voice. “It’s pretty noisy in here. I’ll put Reid Tyler on the phone and then you can have a proper conversation with Nadia tomorrow. Okay? Give us a minute to find someplace quiet. I said— Oh, never mind. Just hold on.”
Arlene covered the mouthpiece of her phone and smiled ruefully at Reid. “I’m sorry. You know how they are. They love to dote on you, and they really wanted to be here.”
“It’s all good, Mom. I wish they could have been here too.” Reid took the phone from his mother, then brushed his knuckles down Nadia’s cheek and winked. �
��Be right back.”
“Take your time.” She grinned. “I see some of my womenfolk headed this way.”
Reid and Arlene smiled at her before turning and disappearing into the mass of bodies.
Nadia accepted a flute of champagne offered by a passing waiter, then laughed as she was swarmed by Aunt Sherise, Scarlett, Jess, Bianca and Ana.
“All right now, missy,” Aunt Sherise demanded. “Let’s see it.”
When Nadia stuck out her hand, all the women squeed and gushed excitedly over her stunning emerald-cut diamond ring.
“Damn, how many carats is that?” Ana breathed.
“Has to be at least ten,” Aunt Sherise asserted. “So you know it cost a fortune.”
The others hummed loudly in agreement.
Nadia chuckled and withdrew her hand, feeling self-conscious. “I don’t care about any of that.”
Ana snorted. “Says the lucky girl wearing the big ass rock.”
Everyone laughed.
Aunt Sherise placed her hand over her heart and sighed. “Nadia, honey, that was one of the most romantic proposals I’ve ever seen.”
“It sure was,” the others agreed with sentimental sighs.
Nadia smiled softly. “It was pretty memorable.”
Scarlett grinned. “Hell, yeah, it was.”
“And he apparently didn’t tell anyone what he was planning to do,” Aunt Sherise said. “We were just talking to his sisters, and not even they knew he was going to propose to you. But Avery said she had her suspicions, which is why she had you guys change your clothes right after the game instead of waiting to get to the restaurant. She wanted you to look fabulous just in case her brother decided to pop the question at the press conference.”
“Which you do,” Jess said approvingly. “You look absolutely gorgeous, Nadia. Love that dress.”
“So do I.” Bianca ran an admiring eye over her. “Miu Miu?”
Nadia grinned. “You know your designers.”
“But of course.” Bianca grinned, holding up her phone. “And I’m glad Avery made you change after the game, because your proposal video has already gone viral. If ever there was a time you needed to look your best, this was it. And girl…” She gestured to indicate Nadia’s appearance. “Your hair, your makeup, your dress and your shoes are on fleek!”
Wicked Games (Denver Rebels) Page 47
