Page 112 of Slap Shot Daddies

My heart skips a beat, and I gasp, my fingers instinctively tightening around Ambrose’s hand.

It’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard, a melody of life itself.

“There’s your little one,” Dr. Patel says with a small, knowing smile, adjusting the wand slightly over my skin.

And then, unexpectedly, another heartbeat joins the first.

And then, yet another.

I frown, confusion knitting my brow. “Uh…was that an echo?” I ask, glancing at Dr. Patel for clarification.

Dr. Patel chuckles softly, shaking her head. “Nope. That’s baby number two.”

My stomach lurches in surprise. The boys beside me freeze, holding their breath as the realization sinks in.

She moves the probe once more, her eyes scanning the screen.

“And…baby number three.”

The room erupts into a cacophony of disbelief and excitement. Braden yelps, running a hand through his hair in shock. “Jesus H. Christ!” he exclaims, eyes wide with astonishment.

Reggie bursts into laughter, clapping a hand over his mouth to contain the sound. “Aye, that’s some prolific breeding we did!” he says, amusement coloring his tone.

Ambrose just stares at the screen, his eyes wide as saucers, trying to process the news.

I sit up slightly, a grin spreading across my face. “See? Plenty of baby love to go around,” I say, my voice brimming with joy.

Reggie snickers, nudging me playfully. “What about the cat?” he teases.

I smirk, feeling a new sense of camaraderie and adventure. “Momma and I are gonna be mommas together,” I reply, envisioning a future filled with bustling energy and shared memories.

Braden groans, but the pure joy in his expression is unmistakable, a testament to the unexpected yet welcome turn our lives have taken.

Dr. Patel hands me a folder thick with colorful pamphlets and neatly typed instructions. “I want you to take it easy,” she says, her voice gentle yet firm. “Increase your calorie intake, and start thinking about your birthing plan.”

“Plan?” I blink, trying to process her words. “I just found out I’m having triplets. I barely have a coherent thought process right now.”

She chuckles, a sound that feels like a soft pat on the back. “That’s fair. But schedule your next appointments soon, okay?”

I nod, still in a daze, as I push myself up from the exam table. The boys gather protectively around me, their eyes wide as if I’ve suddenly transformed into something as delicate as spun glass.

Reggie grins from ear to ear, his gaze flitting between the now-dark ultrasound screen and my stomach. “Icannaebelieve it. Three of ‘em.”

Braden gives him a light elbow jab. “Three. Like one for each of us.”

Reggie smirks, his eyes dancing with mischief. “We must’ve all gotten her pregnant at the same time, eh?”

Ambrose rolls his eyes and groans. “That’s not how that works, dumbass.”

Braden shrugs, throwing me a playful wink. “Still, hell of a team effort.”

I snort, rolling my eyes with amusement. “All right, let’s get me out of here before you start with the locker room jokes.”

They each take a hand or offer an arm, treating me like I’ve suddenly become a fragile relic, which is hilarious, considering I walked in here on my own.

Still, I don’t complain.

Because deep down, I can tell that they’re already falling in love with these babies.

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