Page 122 of What if It's Us

Oh no.

Oh no no no.

“What is he doing?” I hiss at Ella, who doesn’t answer.

I glance back at Layken, who is now joined by Scarlett and Corrigan, all of whom are suddenly filming with their phones while wiping tears from their cheeks.

“Enjoy the show,” Ella whispers from inside her Lumin costume. “This was all his idea, by the way. I just helped with delivery.”

My brows furrow. “Boxes?!”

The crowd is amped. Ledger waves as if he’s greeting his own personal fan club. I half expect him to rip off his jersey to reveal a shirt that saysWHO’S YOURHOCKEY DADDY?

Instead, he watches as Lumin skates to center ice and places three pucks on tiny stands spaced out in a perfect line. Each one is painted white with a sparkly question mark.

“No,” I say under my breath. “He did not.”

Ledger picks up a mic.

“So, you might’ve heard some news floating around…about me and my girl, Marlee,” he says gesturing to me. “Expecting a few little rookies.”

The arena fills with laughter and applause.

“A few meaning three,” he announces with a happy nod.“That’s right, triplets. Because apparently when I go in, I goall in.”

The crowd roars.

My face is on fire.

But I’m smiling just the same.

“And tonight,” Ledger continues, “we’re going to find out who’s joining the team.”

I slap a hand over my mouth. “Oh my god. I cannot even…”

Lumin skates around each puck. Her sparkly wand in hand, she waves it around each of the three pucks and then brings Ledger to the first. He gives me one last look—a softer one, just for me—and winks before winding up. “I love you, Marlee.”

Tears already spilling from my eyes, I choke back a laugh. “I love you too, Daddy Dayne!”

CRACK.

The first puck explodes into a puff of pinkmist against the glass.

Oh, my God!

The arena erupts.

I blink hard, trying to absorb what just happened.

A girl.

One of them is a girl.

Ledger loops back for puck two, raises his stick and?—

CRACK.

Blue.

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