The bouquet of flowers on my desk was beautiful. A blend of elegant lilies and pink roses scattered amongst an array of white gyp, all accompanied by a handwritten card.

You deserve the chance to live your dreams. I'm so proud of you. Love, Seb.

The words tugged effortlessly at my heartstrings because they were exactly what I needed to hear. Yet at the same time, exactly what I didn't.

Because they were from him.

It'd been nearly a month since our break up, and despite my best efforts, thoughts of Seb still managed to squeeze their way past my defenses. They would pop up at random times, whether I was washing the dishes, cranking out new designs, or falling asleep. Even here, in the boutique I'd worked tirelessly to get ready for tomorrow's official opening, my attention still veered to him. After all, he'd been the one to help me find this place back in January, and despite our distance the past month, every time I imagined kicking off tonight's celebration, Seb was in the crowd.

But that wouldn't be happening. In fact, his name on the card in my hand was likely the closest he'd come to being here.

A shaky breath escaped as I resigned myself to that fact. Resting the card down, I ran my fingers gently over the soft petals, my lips quirking upwards with fondness before I took a step back.

There was no need to dwell on Seb or the past. Especially not tonight. Tonight was about me and about welcoming what the future had in store. It was about celebrating what had once been a small idea, and after taking root, had blossomed into something incredible. It was about acknowledging that there'd been speedbumps along the way and knowing the difficulties I'd encountered had only made the result more rewarding.

It was about commemorating the official opening of Ever After—Boston's newest lingerie boutique. A place where all women would be able to find something to feel beautiful in.

"Knock, knock," Aimee said, pulling me out of my thoughts as she pushed open the door to my office. Turning around, I saw her poke her head in. "You almost ready?"

I nodded. "Ready." After shaking out the nerves that had begun piling onto my excitement and anticipation, I smoothed my hands over the front of my dress. A cream blazer rested on top of the figure-hugging, navy long-sleeve I'd thrown on over the latest lacy number in my collection. "How do I look?"

"Like someone about to conquer her dreams."

Returning her smile, I felt confident as I stepped out of my office, but wasn't prepared for the wave of emotions that washed over me.

Over the last few weeks, I'd spent practically every waking hour in the boutique, making sure everything was ready to go. I'd signed contracts with other local designers to carry their merchandise, had spent endless hours perfecting the window displays and mannequins throughout the store, and had even hired a spunky designer just out of college so there was an extra pair of hands on deck. I'd been aware of everything slowly coming together, each small piece important in the grand scheme of things, but seeing it now, my breath caught.

My vision had come to life, with my designs filling more than half the clothing racks scattered throughout the space, but it was the people that made this moment special. So far, there'd been no more than five or six people in the store at a time. Tonight, however, it was full, and it was a sight I didn't think I would ever get tired of. My parents had made the drive into the city, as well as my sister and her husband. Aimee and Jack had come to support me, friends from university and Apollo's had dropped in, and I'd extended invites to the designers I now worked with. Even some of the other business owners on the block had made it here tonight.

All to celebrate my hard work.

Several conversations blended together as I made my way across the room to the small bar cart that'd been set up specially for tonight and grabbed a glass of champagne. However, I didn't take a sip. Instead, I reached for one of the small utensils resting beside the assortment of snacks and tapped it gently against the glass.

The clangs echoed throughout the room, and within a few moments, a silence enveloped the space and all eyes were on me.

"Thank you all so much for coming out to celebrate the opening of Ever After," I said, grinning as my gaze swept over the small crowd. My mom had pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she watched me with proud eyes, Mackenzie was smiling softly as she waited for the rest of my speech, and Aimee gave me a stealthy thumbs up. "The idea for this boutique came to me in my sophomore year of university, but the inspiration had been there long before that. Back when I was an overweight teenager who didn't feel secure with her body, I saw the way people were portrayed in the media and believed I wasn't worthy enough to be beautiful. That changed quickly, however, with help from my family and friends, and even though I lost some of the weight, I'm still not a size two. I'll never be a size two, and that's okay. I've learned to love my body the way it is, and whether you're a size zero, a size twenty-four, somewhere in between or beyond, every woman—hell, every person—deserves to feel confident and beautiful in their own skin.

"These days, while there's been significant progress in the world surrounding body positivity, it still never seems like enough. There's always people who are left out and can never quite find their size, and that's what I had in mind when I crafted Ever After. Even with the wide selection, sometimes things aren't quite right, and if someone ever found themselves struggling to find the perfect fit, I wanted to create an environment where they weren't afraid to ask for help. Where customers know I'll happily design pieces to fit individual body types. A place for anyone and everyone, no matter the size, shape, race, or disability. There's something here for everybody." My eyes swung to my dad—who, over the years, had gotten used to the idea of his youngest daughter designing lingerie—and I chuckled. "Though I'll be honest, dad, I don't think anything here is quite your style."

Laughter rang out throughout the room, and somehow, amidst the excitement, my gaze managed to land on the entrance to the store in time to see three new guests sneaking into the party. Isla, who held open the door, Cameron, and lastly, Seb, who hobbled inside on a pair of crutches.

My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open with a silent gasp.

Questions began to speed through my mind, all demanding immediate answers, but the most important one to me was why?

Why now? With the flowers, and now the appearance... what had changed?

A throat clearing at the front of the room shook me out of it, realizing the previous rounds of laughter had quieted and now, in the silence, everyone was looking at me expectantly. But a few of the guests, including my mother and Aimee, had turned to glance at Seb.

Clearing my throat, I plastered a smile back on. "To all of you who've supported me through the ups and downs of this journey, and those of you who I'm just getting to know, thank you. Truly. From the bottom of my heart, I don't know if this all would've been possible without each and every one of you." I lifted my glass in the air and everyone followed suit. "To the bumpy road behind and the adventures to come."

"To the adventures to come," everyone repeated, though not all at the same time, causing chuckles to break out amongst the applause I received.

As the guests broke off from the crowd, I let out a sigh of relief and stepped away from the food and drinks as I headed towards my family.

"I'm so proud of you," my mom cooed, pulling me into a hug as soon as I was within arm's reach. "Building all this from an idea you had years ago." She shook her head in amazement as she stepped back. "It's amazing."

"Thanks, mom, but I couldn't have done it without you." I swiveled my gaze to my dad and my sister as well. "All of you, and I'm so glad you all could make it out tonight."

"We wouldn't miss it," Mackenzie replied. "Though I guess this means I'll have to start paying for the lingerie you make from now on, huh?"

I laughed. "Maybe a few pieces."

"Of course we'll pay," my mom said, slapping my sister lightly on the arm. "In fact, I think I'm going to be the first customer to buy something when you open tomorrow. You're a small business owner now; you can't go giving us all these freebies like you used to."

My features softened and I wrapped my arms around her again. "Thank you."

"Anytime, sweetie." Her gaze flickered away for a moment, coming back to me with a hint of concern. "Though I do have to ask, did you know he was coming tonight?"

I didn't even need to look at where she was gesturing to know she was talking about Seb. Of course she was, consider I'd broken down over the phone with her the day after we'd split.

I shook my head. "No. We haven't really spoken."

My father, who'd been quiet up to this point, and had always been more of a strong and silent presence in my life, arched a brow. "Do you need me to ask him to leave?"

"You'd do that?"

"Of course. Today's about you, and if you don't want him here, I'll go talk to him."

While it was a tempting offer—to just move on—I knew I needed answers. Tonight, it appeared, would be the time to get them. "No, don't," I replied softly, glancing back over my shoulder to see him talking with Isla and Cameron, the three of them sticking to the side. "I need to speak to him."

With a nod, my dad seemed to know exactly where my head was at, and after squeezing my mom's hand, I slowly backed away. Turning on my heel, I made my way through the crowd, smiling at and thanking the rest of the guests before I finally came to a stop a few feet away from Seb.

I knew his eyes were on me, but I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze. Not yet.

"How did you guys know about the party tonight?" I asked, flitting my attention between Isla and Cameron. "Not that I'm not happy to see you. I am. It's just—"

"We get it, don't worry," Cameron replied, the corners of his mouth lifting with vague amusement. "And after some serious convincing, somebody here—" He hooked his thumb in Seb's direction. "—was clued in by one of his teammates that tonight was your opening party."

So, Jack was to blame. Good to know.

"And to be honest," Isla cut in, "I wanted to come and see everything. You talked about it so much, and I didn't want to miss congratulating you just because you-know-who is an idiot." I couldn't help the way my lips twitched. "Especially since I'll definitely be in here enough to warrant making amends with the owner."

"You haven't done anything wrong."

Isla's gaze was knowing. "I might not have, but he has," she said, nodding in Seb's direction as she rested a hand on Cameron's shoulder. "So, we're going to go grab some food while you two talk, and congratulations again, for bringing all this to life."

"Thanks," I said quietly, letting my attention trail after them to buy time to steel myself against the conversation that awaited me.

Though it did little good. As soon as I lifted my head to meet Seb's gaze, I felt my resolve crumbling.

A slight smile appeared on his lips. "Hey."

I crossed my arms, needing some sort of barrier to stop me from reaching out to him. "Hi," I said softly. "You're looking better."

And it was true. Besides the obvious cast and crutches, he appeared more upbeat than he had in the hospital, which was to be expected. Though there was something haunting about the way he looked at me—with regret and guilt—that had my heart leaping with anticipation.

"Yeah, I'm feeling better. Especially since the concussion faded and I learned to make my way around on these pretty well," he explained, tapping his crutches. "Though I doubt I'll be one hundred percent until next season."

"Yeah, uh, sorry to hear about the Knights' loss."

I'd been at Aimee's house the night of the team's game seven in Tampa, and the both of us had watched, wide-eyed and with disbelief, as the Knights defense had crumbled in the last period. What had been a tied game quickly went south, and the final score had ended up being 4-2.

"Don't worry about it." He shook his head. "The guys fought hard, and I would've loved to see them win it all, but my season ended the day I got hit."

The words triggered the memory I'd tried my hardest to compartmentalize and push to the dark recesses of my mind. One of him pushing me out of his hospital room and out of his life. "Seb," I started, voice thick with emotion, "what are you doing here?"

"I fired Henry."

My eyebrows shot up with surprise. "That's not—"

"Just... just let me explain," he pleaded, and when I didn't stop him, he maintained his balance while dragging a hand through his hair. "That day in the hospital, Henry tried his hardest to convince me my focus had to be on hockey, especially now that I was injured. He said I couldn't afford distractions and blamed you for my injury."

I felt a stab of hurt in my breastbone. "So you listened to him?"

He shook his head vehemently. "No, not at all. I fought for you because I knew this injury was on me. You had nothing to do with anything and he was projecting our differing opinions on my career onto you."

"Then why did you push me away?" I asked. "I don't understand."

"Because I didn't want to be selfish," he admitted, not leaving any time for me to question what the hell he was talking about before he continued. "Hockey is my career, and being in the NHL is what I've dreamed of my entire life, so I knew how you felt about this boutique. It's what you've been working towards for years, and I didn't want to be a distraction to you right when you couldn't afford one."

It felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over me when I realized what he was saying. "You're saying you broke up with me for my own good?"

There was no missing the anger that accompanied my words, causing him to flinch. "I know, it sounds bad—"

"It's more than that, Seb," I said, unable to stop myself from cutting in. "A relationship is based on the knowledge that, without a doubt, two people will be there for each other. Whether it's as simple as a rough day or a soul-crushing heartbreak, and when I needed someone on the day I lost the other location for this boutique, you were there. Way back when we barely knew each other. Then when it was my turn to be there for you, you pushed me away. I would've understood if you said you'd needed space, but you didn't need to be as harsh as you were." I paused, frowning as I looked him in the eye. "It hurt me—you hurt me."

"I know." Seb closed his eyes, and when they reopened, I noticed they were damp. "I know, and I can't tell you how sorry I am. There's no excuse for my behavior that day. I wasn't thinking straight and thought I was doing what was best for you, but instead I was an outright asshole to you." He reached forward, tucking my hair behind my ear and lighting a trail of sparks against my skin. "I made a mistake pushing you away, but I love you and all I need is a chance to show you that I mean it."

Knowing he was truly sorry and unable to turn off my own feelings, the apology would've been enough for me to forgive him, but when those three little words fell from his lips, all I could do was stand and stare.

"Jo? Did you hear me?" Seb asked, nervously scanning my features for any hint of reaction.

"Yeah," I finally said, exhaling slowly. "Yeah, I heard you."

"And?"

There were a million ways I could've responded, but my way seemed the most effective. Rising onto my toes, I leaned in, completely aware we had an audience as I pressed my lips to his. It was soft, sweet, and maybe a little desperate after spending a month apart. It also ended all too soon for my liking, but I was the one to pull back as he tried to pull me in closer, only to lose his balance momentarily.

"Woah," I laughed, grinning up at him as I placed my hands on his waist. "Easy there."

He smiled tentatively, lifting a hand so that his thumb brushed softly over my bottom lip. "So," he said, his voice thick, "you forgive me?"

I nodded, pulling his hand away, only to entwine our fingers and bring them to rest softly against my beating heart. "I do, but I need you to know I won't a second time. I know what's best for me and can decide what's important in my life, so don't try to pull shit like this again."

"I won't," he said quickly, squeezing my hand. "I promise."

"Good." I smiled softly. "But I also need to know you've thought this through. What if, somewhere in the future, you get traded and I can't go with you? My life and my career are here, so it wouldn't be an option."

The heat in his gaze didn't waver before his lips met mine again, just long enough to derail my train of thought. "If that happens, we'll figure it out, even if it means surviving long distance during the season. Whatever we need to do, we'll find a balance that works, but I'm here now, and I want another chance to make this work." The words were spoken calmly, as though he was sure of himself, but the smallest amount of doubt crept into his features when he lifted a brow. "That is, if you still want me."

"I don't think I stopped wanting you, Seb," I admitted. "I love you, and those kinds of feelings aren't easy to get rid of."

The combination of the warmth in his eyes and the grin that sprouted on his lips was enough to be my undoing, but I held it together as he leaned in, brushing his lips against mine as he spoke. "What a coincidence, because I love you too."

"That so?" I asked teasingly. "Prove it."

He pressed his forehead to mine. "I'll spend of my life proving it, Jo, there's no doubt about it."

And as my breath caught at the sweetness of his words, he kissed me, making it abundantly clear he hadn't been speaking lightly. That this, in fact, was a promise he intended to keep. 

a/n: only the epilogue left! remember to vote and leave your thoughts in the comments!