Kayden
"Oh my goodness, you look so pretty!" Soren exclaimed, clapping his hands together as he pointed excitedly at the vanity mirror in front of me.
I looked at my reflection and let out a soft gasp. The person staring back at me looked completely transformed.
Leo had hired a professional makeup team to get me ready, and they had gone all out.
My eyes were highlighted with a smoky eyeshadow that brought out their color, framed by long, dark lashes.
A bold, rich lipstick gave my lips a sleek finish, making my entire face pop under the bright vanity lights.
It wasn’t just makeup—it was a full transformation.
I looked like royalty.
"Phenomenal," Leo declared, clapping his hands with a satisfied grin as he rested a palm on my shoulder. "I am certain that the moment Rhys looks at you, his brain is going to flood with so much dopamine that his prefrontal cortex will temporarily short-circuit. His heart rate will spike by at least forty beats per minute."
I chuckled at Leo’s medical jargon, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the mirror.
My mind was racing with a million questions.
How was Rhys feeling right now? What was he thinking?
How would he react when he finally saw me like this?
My chest tightened with nervous excitement. He had seen me in light makeup before—like that time we went to Nico’s after-game party—but this was on a whole different level.
"You look amazing, brother. Rhys is going to lose his mind," Raymond added, stepping beside me to snap a few photos on his phone while posing with a huge grin.
Then came the outfit.
The stylists helped me into a sheer, royal-blue mesh top that fit comfortably over my upper body, paired with matching tailored pants that accommodated my bump perfectly.
They draped a silky sash across my chest that read GROOM TO BE in elegant silver lettering.
To top it all off, Leo carefully placed a shining tiara studded with deep blue sapphires right onto my head.
"Yay! You look incredible!" Soren winked at me. "I bet Rhys will want to drag you straight to the altar right now."
"It really suits you," Alaric pointed out with a polite, genuine smile.
I smiled back, trying to keep my cool even though the fanboy inside me was screaming at the fact that Alaric De Villier was complimenting my outfit.
After checking my reflection one last time, I looked at the rest of the group. Soren, Raymond, Alaric, and Leo were all wearing matching mesh outfits, but theirs were pure white, making my royal-blue ensemble stand out even more.
"Alright, lineup!" Leo called out, clapping his hands like a strict dance instructor. "We need to run through the choreography one last time before we head over."
For the next half hour, Leo put us through our paces.
"Come on, Kayden, your right foot steps out on the beat, not after!" Leo corrected me, pointing at my feet.
I groaned playfully, but I followed every instruction.
Leo was so dead serious about this routine you’d think he had been rehearsing it his entire life.
Finally, after practicing until every step was muscle memory, it was time to head to the main hall where Rhys and the rest of the guys were waiting.
Before we left the room, Soren pulled a soft black blindfold over my eyes.
The boys wanted the whole thing to be a total surprise, planning to kick off the night with our group dance.
I let them guide me through the corridors, walking carefully for about ten minutes until we finally came to a stop.
I couldn’t see a thing, but the shift in the air told me we were in a massive room.
My heart hammered against my ribs, and a helpless smile spread across my lips.
Was Rhys sitting somewhere out there right now, watching me?
"Your man is staring at you like he wants to eat you alive," Leo whispered directly into my ear.
A sudden shiver ran down my spine at his words, and my skin tingled with anticipation.
"I’m taking the blindfold off now," Leo whispered. "Prepare yourself!"
I held my breath, clenching my hands into loose fists as the fabric slipped away from my eyes.
The lights in the hall were bright, forcing me to squint for a second as my eyes adjusted. But when my vision cleared, my jaw dropped.
The private venue had been turned into an absolute masterpiece. The stage and the entire hall were decorated in sweeping draped fabrics of royal blue and white, lit up by floating fairy lights overhead.
Hanging along the high walls were giant, framed photographs of Rhys and me—capturing moments from our rivalry days on the ice, our private dates, and our quiet moments at home.
It was breathtaking.
"SURPRISE!"
A loud cheer erupted through the room as everyone clapped and whistled.
I looked around the venue, spotting all our teammates and friends. Jaxson, Theo, Luca, Philip, and even Nico Park were standing near the front of the stage, cheering loudly.
But as my eyes swept across the crowd, I froze.
Where was Rhys? He wasn’t in the crowd.
Before I could turn to ask Leo where he was, the house lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only a bright spotlight focused directly on the center of the stage.
The familiar, rhythmic intro of Sam Smith’s Unholy began to echo through the venue’s speakers.
Leo leaned in close, whispering quickly, "Rhys is watching from the best seat in the house. Dance like you’re about to marry him tonight. Show him what he’s getting." He gave me a quick wink and stepped to his position alongside Soren, Raymond, and Alaric.
My heart was beating fast, but as the music picked up, the nerves melted away into excitement.
"Get it, Kayden!" Jaxson yelled from the front row.
"Show us those moves!" Luca shouted, laughing.
I took a deep breath, letting a confident smile break across my face as the beat dropped.
We moved into the choreography Leo had drilled into us. Even though I was never much of a dancer, the routine was smooth and full of energy. We swayed together, hip to hip, twisting our waists and stepping to the rhythm.
Every turn, every slow roll of my shoulders, and every movement of the dance felt effortless under the warm glow of the spotlight.
The energy in the room was electric, with the guys cheering and whistling after every transition until the final beat of the song echoed through the hall and we held our final pose.
The entire room erupted into wild applause and cheers.
I leaned forward, resting my hands on my knees as I panted softly, catching my breath while looking around the stage.
Suddenly, a tiny, familiar rustle caught my attention near the side stairs.
I looked down, and my eyes lit up.
It was Starlight!
Our Maine Coon kitten was trotting toward me across the shiny floor, wearing a hilarious little ruffled skirt around her waist and a matching miniature hairband tucked over her ears.
"Starlight?" I laughed, dropping down onto one knee as she purred loudly and bumped her head against my shin.
I scooped her up into my arms, gently stroking her soft fur. "Look at you, baby. You look so cute."
"Not as cute as you," a deep, smooth voice echoed through the main sound system.
The sudden sound sent a warm rush through my entire body.
A single spotlight clicked on at the far end of the hall, cutting through the dim darkness.
Standing right in the middle of the beam was Rhys.
He looked unbelievable. He was wearing a sleek, unbuttoned dark suit over a fitted shirt, holding a massive bouquet of soft white roses in one arm and a microphone in his other hand.
As slow piano chords began to play over the speakers, Rhys brought the microphone to his lips and began to sing. His voice was deep, soft, and completely full of warmth as he walked slowly down the center aisle toward the stage, his eyes locked onto mine the entire time.
A warm tear slipped down my cheek before I could even stop it.
Watching him walk toward me, hearing him sing just for me, made every struggle, every hardship, and every hurdle we had ever faced completely disappear.
When he reached the foot of the stage, he stepped up the wooden stairs, stopping directly in front of me. He held out the bouquet of white roses, his dark eyes shining with pure devotion.
I took the flowers, my hands trembling slightly as more tears spilled over my lashes.
"Hey, don’t cry, pretty boy," Rhys murmured softly, setting the microphone aside. He stepped closer, reaching up with his thumb to gently wipe the wet tracks from my cheeks.
"You..." I tried to speak, but the words got stuck in my throat. All I could do was stand there, grinning like a fool as I stared up at his face.
Rhys pulled me into his arms, wrapping his hands securely around my waist while being careful of my bump. He leaned down, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against the side of my cheek.
"You look so beautiful, Kayden," he whispered against my skin, his voice thick with emotion. "You look like an absolute dream. I love you so much."
My heart swelled, and I buried my face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his comforting pine scent. "I love you too, Rhys."
Rhys pulled back slightly, his eyes dropping to my lips as he started to lean in for a real kiss—
"NOPE! Hold it right there!"
Leo suddenly darted right between us, placing a flat hand against Rhys’s chest to push him back a step.
"Strictly no full kissing until the actual altar tomorrow!" Leo declared, pointing an accusing finger at Rhys. "The night is still young, Doctor’s orders! We have games to play and cake to eat!"
Rhys let out a loud, helpless laugh, shaking his head as he wrapped an arm around my waist, keeping me glued to his side anyway.
"Fine, fine," Rhys chuckled, looking down at me with a soft, affectionate grin. "Tomorrow it is but I know I’ll get a kiss before the night ends."
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