Page 43 of What if I Told You

“You’ve met them?”

“Yeah. A couple times now. Oliver and his fiancée Scarlett got together at an Anaheim-Chicago game. Well, really they got together on Scarlett’s honeymoon but?—”

“Wait…Scarlett’s honeymoon?” she asks wide-eyed.

“Yeah. It’s a cute story. You should ask Scarlett. She loves talking about it.”

Ella beams back at me. “I will absolutely ask her.” She shuts her laptop and takes a deep breath. “I guess I should get ready. I have some promo videos to make with Marlee this afternoon before the game.”

“Want to know a secret about Marlee?”

Her brow furrows. “Umm, is it going to change my perspective on her? Because maybe I don’t want to know.”

“Nah, this is cute gossip.”

“Oh, well then by all means, lay it on me.”

“She’s the one Ledger has had a crush on. Remember I mentioned it before you moved here?

“Oh, my God! Yes, I remember! Why doesn’t he just ask her out? She’s super nice.”

I shake my head. “She was dating some rich dude in the corporate world for a while. Honestly we think maybe they broke up but she might still be with him. I’m not positive, but we like to tease Ledge about it.”

“Aww, poor Ledger.”

I stand from the couch. “Alright, I’ll let you get yourself ready.” I offer her my hand and help pull her up from the couch.

“Can I give you a good luck hug?”

She smiles. “I’d be pissed if you didn’t, Auggie.” She wraps her arms around my neck and I pull her against me, covering her with my arms. “You give the best hugs.”

“Do I?”

Maybe hugs are my superpower.

She likes hugs?

I can give hugs.

I can give lots of hugs.

“Mhmm,” she says. “I’m anxiously nervous for tonight. Is that a thing to be? Anxiously nervous? Like I’m super excited to be out there but nervous as hell at the same time?”

“Yeah, that’s a thing you can be,” I tell her, squeezing her a little tighter and wishing I didn’t have to let go. “But you’re going to be great and you’re going to have so much fun. And I’ll be around the arena all day so if something happens or you need me, just call.”

“Thank you, Auggie.”

“You’re welcome. Good luck out there.” I place a swift kiss on her forehead and then give her a fist bump before walking out of her room.

Little thingsthat make her think of me.

This one might not be on Charlee Landric’s list but it’s an obvious one for Ella’s first day as the team mascot for tonight’s season opener. As I walk down the hall toward Ella’s dressing room, I hear music playing in the arena so I make my way up the tunnel to see what’s going on. Assuming they’re running sound checks before tonight, I’m surprised to find Ella on the ice. Dressed in full costume she dances for the camera as Lizzo sings about getting loose and blaming it on the juice.

Look at her go.

Doin’ her thing.

The new Lumin costume is so perfectly her. The character almost resembles that of a cat with bright yellow fur and a yellow tail tipped with a glittery star. The cat-like face has star shaped ears and little stars in the pupils of its eyes. Three blue tufts of fur sit between the ears like a bow in her hair and of course she’s wearing a STARS jersey with the name LUMIN printed across the back.

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