“He was the first to hold your hand, the first to dry your tears, we had a man to man and now I’m taking it from here… I’m gonna have a hell of a time trying to fill your daddy’s boots…”


The American Airlines Center was buzzing because with less than ten seconds left in the final game of the regular season, Jamie got the last point he needed to win the Art Ross trophy. Nineteen thousand people were on their feet, screaming and clapping for their captain, and Cassidy was no exception. She was like everyone else, cheering loudly for his accomplishment. His face appeared on the jumbo screen as the game finished, and although he had just beat out top players in the league for the trophy, he didn’t even have a smile on his face.

Even as his team bombarded him with pats on the head and bear hugs, he remained fairly stoic, grinning every once in awhile. The exact reason for his expression was unclear to Cassidy, but she figured it had something to do with the fact that Tyler had been benched.

Following the game, it was time for Jamie to take pictures with the trophies he was being awarded on the spot. The rest of the team was already taking part in the fan appreciation ceremony, taking off their jerseys, taking pictures and signing autographs for the fans that now lined the ice. From her spot in the family suite, Cassidy watched as Jamie skated from the trophies, over to an older man waiting by himself. There, he slipped his jersey over his head, signed the back of it, and handed it to the man. There were small, quick smiles throughout his time on the ice, but for the most part he looked the same as he did every other night, despite getting a hat trick and winning several awards.

Most of the crowd had filed out by the time Cassidy moved through the back hallways to wait for Jamie to exit the locker room. It would’ve been nice to have Kennedy waiting with her, but she was out on what she described as “important wedding business”. So Cassidy waited alone in the hallway along with security guards, who eyed her like they were waiting for her to do something illegal. She looked down at her blouse, smoothing out a wrinkle as she heard the locker room door open. When she looked up, Jordie was bounding towards her with open arms.

He hugged her tightly, pushing his bushy beard against her cheek to kiss her. “I can’t believe my baby brother just won the Art Ross trophy!” Jordie’s smile and excitement was making up for Jamie’s lack thereof. “He’s going to be awhile, they’ve got him swarmed. Interviews, pictures, he’ll be ready for that honeymoon after tonight.”

“Two more days… Is he getting nervous?”

Jordie shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets, “the normal amount. Are you getting cold feet?”

Cassidy pursed her lips and shook her head. “It’s kind of emotional for me because of my dad. I mean, Kennedy’s the one walking me down the aisle and giving me away, and we’re skipping over the father, daughter dance… that’s just something I always imagined I’d be doing at my wedding.”

“It’s all going to be great. The ceremony’s going to perfect, and the reception’s going to be the best time of your life.” He set his hands on her shoulders and gave them a slight squeeze. “I’ll see you back at the house,”

He was off, and Cassidy was left alone again. But thankfully, Jamie didn’t take nearly as long as Jordie had let on. He was out almost fifteen minutes later; wearing the suit he had left the house in. His face was still pretty solemn, so instead of running up and congratulating him, Cassidy waited for him to approach her.

“Look at you, superstar,” she mumbled quietly as he wrapped his arms around her, ducking his head into her shoulder. She returned the action by clutching his sides. “What’s wrong,”

“Like I told the press, I’m happy and honored to have won it, but it wasn’t the trophy I was shooting for.” Jamie pulled away from her and held onto her hand as he let her towards the parking structure.

Cassidy glanced up at him and knew what that meant. The Stanley Cup blues. She pressed her lips against his bicep as he walked briskly.

“I know you wanted the Stanley Cup, Jame. I know that’s what you want every year, to have your team recognized. But you deserve the Art Ross trophy; you deserve to have that recognition for yourself. You’re a talented and skilled hockey player. You beat out athletes who are recognized internationally, so you’re worthy of being in the spotlight for awhile.”

Beside the car, Jamie nodded and looked down at her. It seemed as though her speech inspired him to be proud of himself. “I love you so much,”

“That feeling’s pretty much mutual.”

---

Cassidy stared at herself through the full-length mirror as Jenny stood behind her, placing the veil on top of her head. Beneath the white, lace dress, you could barely tell twins were growing inside of her. As Jenny made sure everything looked perfect, Kennedy ran for the door after there had been a gentle knock at it.

“Probably the usher! It’s show time Knoxious!” Kennedy shrieked, getting a quiet groan from Cassidy. Her stomach was twisting; butterflies were blossoming from nervous caterpillars.

“Not the usher…” Cassidy looked through the mirror, eyes landing on Randy as he stood at the doorway in a black suit. “But yes, it’s still show time.”

“Dad, what are you doing up here?” Jenny asked, walking up to him.

Before she could get an answer out of him, the actual usher appeared behind Randy, telling the girls it was time to go. Kennedy and Jenny rushed out to get to their places, and Cassidy took a deep breath in, approaching Randy.

“Don’t you want to be in the barn watching your son’s reaction?” Cassidy smiled and leaned in, kissing his cheek.

“I figured I’d have a better view of it if I were beside you,” he murmured, taking one of Cassidy’s hands in his, and tucked it around his forearm. “I’m giving you away,”

Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt as though she lost the ability to formulate intelligible words.

“You’re my daughter, aren’t you?” Randy grinned and lifted his free hand up, pulling the veil down over her face. “Oh please, no tears yet. We don’t want to look like babbling brooks before the ceremony even begins.”

Cassidy choked out a giggle, and nodded as Randy led her down to the outside of the barn. Already Jamie was standing at the makeshift altar with Jordie and Tyler behind him. And across from them, Jenny and Kennedy were waiting for Cassidy to make her appearance. Then as the minister asked, everyone rose from their seats and looked back at the entrance to the barn.

For the moment, Jamie was staring at his feet, but when the music began to play, he looked up, and it was a moment Cassidy would not soon forget. He was standing with his hands folded in front of him, and when he laid eyes on her, the biggest smile she’d ever seen stretched across his face.

Jordie was grinning as well, and he nudged his brother, and Cassidy felt herself blush, thankful that the veil mostly hid her nervousness. As they got closer, she gripped onto Randy’s arm tighter, and Jamie lifted one of his hands to his mouth as if he really couldn’t believe he got to marry the woman in front of him. Then she was handed off, letting go of Randy’s arm, and reaching out for Jamie’s hand as he helped her up the steps to the top of the altar.

“You look absolutely stunning,” he whispered, letting go of her hand when she was in her spot next to him.

She blushed again harder and turned to hand her bouquet to Kennedy. Even though the minister began speaking, Cassidy could barely even focus on it. She and Jamie were standing pretty close together, and at this distance, she could smell a hint of his cologne. That mixed with the fact that while their arms were at their sides, Jamie would brush his fingers against the back of her hand, and it was driving her insane. She wanted to kiss him now and forever, regardless of whether they exchanged “I do’s” or not.

It could’ve been five minutes or it could’ve been an hour, but the next thing she knew, they were already exchanging rings. Jamie slipped the silver, diamond studded ring onto her finger along with the engagement ring, and Cassidy slipped the silver band onto Jamie’s ring finger. Then the minister was calling out her name, asking if she would take Jamie as her husband. “I do,” she managed to say despite her throat going dry.

“And Jamie, do you take Cassidy Knox to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do,” he grinned enthusiastically.

“It is my great pleasure to pronounce you Cassidy Knox, and you Jamie Benn, as husband and wife. Jamie, here’s the moment you’ve been practicing for; you may kiss your bride.”

Jamie licked his lips and held onto the end of the veil, lifting it up to clearly reveal Cassidy’s face. He let it go and held onto either side of her neck, thumbs pressed gently against her cheeks, and leaned in to kiss her for the first time as a married couple. She smiled against his lips, kissing him back in a way that felt more passionate than any kiss they had shared before.

They walked back down the aisle and exited the barn, immediately sharing another kiss once they were hidden from the wandering eyes of their guests. For the next hour or so, while the barn was being transformed for the reception, the guests would entertain themselves with food, drinks, and small lawn games while the weather wasn’t too hot in Dallas.

The reception started with Jamie and Heather dancing together to a slow song. The plan was that after their dance, Cassidy would cut in, and she and Jamie would share their first dance together to a Brad Paisley song. However, after Jamie’s dance with his mother ended, another slow song came on, but it wasn’t the one they had agreed on. But as Randy appeared by her side, she caught on to what was happening, and she allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.

“Every girl deserves this on her wedding day,” Randy smiled and held one of Cassidy’s hands while his other hand rest on her mid-back.

“You just keep on surprising me,”

“You can thank your friend Kennedy for that. She called me up, asking if I would do this for you. I’m only saddened by the thought that it wasn’t my idea.” He spun her around the dance floor, slowly.

“Well thank you. I couldn’t have asked for a better family to marry into,” Cassidy squeezed her hand around his shoulder.

“And Jamie couldn’t have found a better woman to have as his wife. You just take good care of yourself and those grandbabies you’re giving us,”

“If I may…”

Cassidy turned to the side and looked up as Jamie now stood next to them. Randy backed up and hugged his son, before allowing him to cut in. Their Brad Paisley song began playing, and Cassidy reached her arms over his shoulders and buried her face into his neck, while he looped his arms around her lower back.

“You look so beautiful,” he whispered in her ear. Despite everyone staring at them, they were able to share a private and personal moment. “And you did a great job planning the wedding,”

“I just can’t wait to spend the rest of forever with you.” She lifted her head and leaned in to kiss him, giggling and running her thumb along his lips to wipe away her lipstick. “How was your exit interview and physical?”

Jamie groaned and leaned in to kiss her again, hesitating to answer her. “Um… I’m having hip surgery when we get back from the honeymoon.”

Cassidy stared up at him. She had known his hips had been bothering him since the beginning of the season, but she didn’t think it was bad enough to require surgery. After all, Jamie never complained about them too extensively. “Oh,”

“It’s not too bad, not that big of a deal. I just don’t want to wait for it to get worse.” He spun her around, catching her back in his arms, “see I can still dance.”

“Barely,” Cassidy joked, tucking her head against his chest. “You’ll be all better by the time the twins are here, right?”

“Should be; I’m planning on being ready for training camp in September.” Jamie kissed the top of her head softly, “please don’t worry about it. It’s just a little surgery.”

“You have a funny way of making hip surgery sound like a yearly occurrence… I know you love to play, but you should reconsider playing injured. You’ve got kids on the way to think about. And the last they need is an dad who’s bedridden at twenty-six.”

Jamie smiled at her nervousness. He expected nothing less from her. “Honestly Cass, it’s not too big a deal. I’m not getting them replaced with titanium joints; it’s just a little upkeep surgery.”

Cassidy stared up at him unconvinced. Jamie could spin it any way he liked, but at the end of the day, he’d be undergoing surgery and then spend months in intense rehabilitation to get to the point of playing hockey again. And somewhere deep down, Cassidy knew that after the surgery, he’d never really be a hundred percent again.

Notes

This chapter is titled after "Your Daddy's Boots" by Dustin Lynch