Page 89 of Hat Trick Daddies

Tyler skates out next, his sign reading:“WILL YOU”.

Nick follows with:“MARRY”.

My heart pounds as I take my place, holding the final sign, praying my shaking hands won’t drop it and screw this entire thing up:“ME”.

The crowd erupts into cheers, and the spotlight shifts to Ally, who stands frozen by her seat. Her hands fly to her mouth, and tears glisten in her eyes as she slowly makes her way down the stairs toward the ice.

I make it to the edge of the ice, the cool air biting against my flushed skin, and kneel in spite of the brace on my leg.

My hands tremble as I open the small velvet box to reveal the ring inside. The diamond catches the light, sparkling like the ice beneath us.

“Ally,” I say, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside me. “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?”

She nods, tears streaming down her cheeks, and whispers, “yes,” before repeating it louder of the crowd, “YES!”

The arena erupts again, but all I can see is her. As I lean forward to kiss her, I feel the twins’ presence nearby, their support silent but unwavering. Together, we’ll figure out the rest.

“Thank you,” I tell her, and I mean it. There are so many things I want to thank her for.

As I sit back down on the bench, the cheers from the crowd still ringing in my ears, I feel the weight of everything settle in, joy, relief, and a little bit of dread. Nick and Tyler slap me on the back, grinning like idiots, and the rest of the team gathers around, shouting congratulations.

“Brooks, man, we didn’t even know you were seeing someone, let alone ready to pop the question!” one of the forwards laughs, shaking his head. “You’ve been holding out on us.”

“I like to keep my personal life personal,” I reply with a chuckle, though the words feel awkward on my tongue. The guys burst out laughing, a mix of camaraderie and genuine surprise.

Another teammate pipes up, pointing at Nick and Tyler. “But you two must’ve known, right? I mean, you live with the guy.”

Nick leans back, folding his arms with a grin. “It was a well-kept secret.”

“Yeah,” Tyler agrees, smirking. “He didn’t let on much. We’re as shocked as you are.”

The conversation tapers off as Coach calls us back to focus for the third period.

I glance toward the stands one last time and see Ally back in her seat, her smile radiant. It steadies me, reminding me what this is all for.

The third period starts with both teams coming out strong, the score tied 2-2. The puck drops, and the intensity on the ice spikes immediately.

I stick close to my position, watching the Swans’ center barrel down the rink with the puck. He’s fast, but so is Tyler. He intercepts him, pressing him toward the boards, and with a quick flick of his stick, the puck’s loose.

Nick swoops in, grabbing it and darting toward their goal.

Their defense moves in, forcing Nick to pass to Tyler, who skates like a freight train down the ice. The Swans close in on him, and at the last second, he passes back to Nick. A wrist shot flies toward the goal, but their goalie blocks it.

The Swans regain control, rushing into our zone. Their winger sends a shot hurtling toward our net, but Bruno stretches out just in time, deflecting it with his pad. The crowd groans and cheers simultaneously as the game remains neck and neck.

I’m getting nervous for the team, but adrenaline keeps me steady. We’re in for a fight, but that’s exactly what we signed up for.

The final period is pure chaos. Both teams are desperate to break the tie, and the pace is relentless.

I keep my eyes sharp, tracking the puck as it ricochets across the ice. My heart pounds in rhythm with the deafening roar of the crowd, a steady drumbeat driving the team forward.

Tyler takes possession and rushes down the ice, weaving past two Swans players with a deftness that earns a cheer from the stands. He passes the puck to Nick, who takes a hard slapshot.

The puck bounces off the goalie’s pad, and another player seizes the rebound, skating into position for a clean shot.

But just as he’s about to shoot, a Swans defenseman slams into him. The impact sends him sprawling, but Tyler grabs the loose puck and circles around.

Nick positions himself near the crease, ready for the pass. Tyler fires the puck to him, and Nick slams it into the net with a resounding crack.

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