Page 87 of Hat Trick Daddies

He pulls a velvet box from his pocket and opens it to reveal a stunning diamond ring that sparkles under the bright lights.

“Ally,” he says, his voice steady. “You’ve changed my life in ways I never thought possible. You’ve brought out something in me I thought was long gone. Will you marry me?”

My knees feel weak, and the words catch in my throat, but somehow, I manage to nod through my tears. “Yes,” I whisper, then louder for the crowd, “YES!”

The arena erupts into applause and cheers as Brooks scrambles up again, then tugs me forward, pulling me into a short, passionate kiss. The coolness of the plexiglass presses against my arms, grounding me in this surreal moment.

“Thank you,” he whispers to me as the spotlight finally shuts off and there is an announcement about returning to the match.

I don’t know what to say, so I just nod, kiss him again, and let him get back into his seat near Coach.

I climb back to my seat in a daze, the ring on my finger catching the light and casting tiny rainbows across my lap.

Kenzie pulls me into a tight hug, her excitement bubbling over. “Oh my God, Ally, congratulations!”

“Thank you,” I manage to mumble, still struggling to catch my breath. My mind is spinning with too many emotions to name.

Kenzie grabs my hand, tilting it to admire the diamond. “This thing is huge. Brooks didn’t hold back, huh?”

I smile, though my thoughts are a mess. The weight of the ring feels strange, foreign yet comforting. My heart swells with happiness, but there’s an undercurrent of doubt and nervousness within me as well.

How did we get here so quickly?

The game resumes, but I barely register what’s happening. The players move like shadows across the ice, the puck gliding back and forth in a blur.

The crowd cheers, and Kenzie tries to talk to me about the plays that are being made, but I can’t focus.

All I can think about is Brooks.

And Nick.

And Tyler.

The memories of our shared moments swirl in my mind, mingling with the promise of a future I hadn’t even dared to imagine.

When the final whistle blows, the crowd explodes in celebration. The team has won, but the victory barely registers. My mind is still spinning when I make my way down to catch up with Brooks and the twins near the locker room.

Brooks pulls me into a hug, his grin wide and triumphant. “You’re coming to the house, right?” he asks, his voice low and warm.

I nod, catching a glimpse of Nick and Tyler a few feet away. Their smiles are just as big, their eyes shining with a mixture of pride and something else I can’t quite place.

“Yes,” I say, my voice trembling slightly. “I’ll be there.”

The wait outside the locker room is a blur. My stomach flips and somersaults the entire time. The image of Brooks on the ice, the look on his face when I said yes: it all just replays in my mind on a loop.

Then there are the twins. Their smiles linger in my thoughts, making my emotions even more tangled.

How do they feel about the engagement, are they happy?

Or will taking this step with Brooks mean losing everything with them?

I hear the team flood into the locker room and my heart races.

This is the moment when everything changes.

I take a deep breath, trying to steel myself for whatever’s about to happen.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

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