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CHAPTER NINE

LEDGER

Harrison

Hey Dayne! High fives for stepping up the other day with Remington. I must admit I was shocked but proud as fuck. How’d that go by the way?

Oliver

Wait…what? What did I miss?

Bodhi

Whoa! Is this like…big news? Did Ledger and Marlee finally get together?

August

WHAAAT? When did this happen? What did you do, Dayne?

August

Ella’s over here dancing her little happy dance for you btw. So, did you two fuck or what? (also, sorry if you can hear her singing bow-chica-wow-wow from your apartment. There’s no stopping her when she’s this excited.)

Bear

Who knew menstruation was Ledger’s kryptonite?

Bodhi

GIF of dog on couch saying WHAT? Come again?

August

Wait…that’s not where I saw this conversation going…

Harrison

LOL @Bear.

Oliver

Is someone going to tell us what happened or do I have to beat someone’s ass?

Harrison

We saw Marlee crying in the hallway after Pucks & Blades the other day.

Bear

Yeah and Ledger went all possessive caveman and offered her a shoulder to cry on.

Bodhi

About fuckin’ time, Dayne! Way to put your man-balls on display.

Harrison

She said her period came and she wasn’t feeling well so Ledge said he was taking her home. Didn’t even give her the chance to say no.

Oliver

Wow. That’a boy Dayne! Way to be all comforting and shit. That’s definitely one way to score points with the ladies. Did you buy her chocolate?

Oliver

Also, where’s Ollenberg? How is he not flipping his shit right now that his best buddy went all softy on Marlee Remington and didn’t tell him?

August

We worked out downstairs this morning so I know he’s in the building.

Bodhi

True…OLLENBERG, put your pants on and get in this chat! There’s news!

Griffin

Relax Pickle Pants. She was just sad because period = no baby so they’ll just have to try again.

Bear

Huh?

Harrison

when you say ‘they’ll have to try again…’ who is they? And what are you talking about exactly?

August

Ella is now frozen in place and staring at me. She’s either waiting to hear what you say next or she’s trying not to pee her pants.

Me

way to go Ollenberg.

Griffin

Fuck. I’m sorry man. You know how hard it is keeping shit from our brothers.

August

Okay it’s time to fill in some gaps here gentlemen.

Griffin

*looks at Ledger*

Me

*sigh* fine. Marlee wants to have a baby and she asked me to be her donor.

Bodhi

Her donor?

Griffin

Her sperm donor, Pickle Pants. Get with the program.

Harrison

Wow…Uh…I had no idea. So, you guys have been a thing this whole time?

Me

No.

Bear

But you are now?

Me

No.

August

So, you’re just fucking?

Me

No again.

Oliver

Oh man…you’re literally just sperming it up for her?

Me

Sort of…but right now it feels like a little more than that. I don’t know guys. I think I’m fucked.

Oliver

Party at Ledger’s in five.

Me

What the fuck? Who says?

Oliver

I say.

August

I say.

Bodhi

Dude…me. I say.

Bear

This has got to be good.

Harrison

Already on my way.

Me

*stares at Griffin* You fucking owe me.

Griffin

Yeah yeah. You’ll thank me later.

I n less than ten minutes there’s a knock at my door.

That’s the downside to living in the same condo complex as almost everyone on the team.

Though we don’t all live in the same building, we share a parking garage, which means we can be at each other’s doors in an instant if need be.

And I suppose while living so close to each other can be a detriment to living here, it can also be a benefit.

As much as I wanted to keep this a secret from the guys, they’re my family and it's driving me crazy that I can’t talk to anyone about it.

“What a bunch of pesky little assholes,” I say when I open the door to a smirking Bear, Harrison, August, Ella, and Griffin.

Griffin is the first one to push through and step inside my apartment. “Don’t pretend you don’t love us. Got any beer?”

“Eeeek! I’m so excited for you, Ledger!” Ella wraps her arms around me in a huge hug. I don’t miss the plate of cinnamon rolls she had in her hand when she and August walked in. Cinnamon rolls are her nervous habit.

“Did you bring those rolls for me?” I ask, chuckling.

She releases me and shrugs her shoulder. “Or me depending on how this conversation goes.”

“That’s fair,” I tell her with a nod.

There’s another knock at the door just as it closes from the first round, but I don’t even bother opening it. Bodhi, Corrigan, Oliver, and Scarlett let themselves in. “Hey, I brought beer,” Bodhi says, lifting a couple six-packs in his hands.

Griffin pumps his fist in the air with an appreciative smile. “I knew I liked you, Pickle Pants.”

“Ledger!” My cousin, Scarlett, wraps me in a huge hug when she comes through the door with Oliver. “Oh, my gosh, you have to tell us everything! This is so exciting! There’s going to be a little baby Ledger running around the arena! Eeeeek!”

“Listen, I don’t know.” I raise my hands in defense. “Maybe we shouldn’t go that far.”

Ella helps herself to a glass of water and then plops down on the very same couch where I was cuddling with Marlee just a couple nights ago. “Maybe start from the beginning. I mean we were all there at the wedding when Layken told us about Marlee, but how did you end up getting involved for real?”

I have to chuckle at Ella’s question because if they only knew the adorable and impressive limerick Marlee sent me that night, they’d see her in a whole new light.

“Marlee just…asked me,” I tell them, shrugging my shoulder.

“But why you?” Bear questions.

“Uh…”I shake my head. “I assume because Layken brought it up to her at the wedding and she kind of got it in her head. She sent me a text late one night.” I can’t hide the faint smile that comes with the memory of our text exchange.

“She texted you late at night?” Oliver wags his brows.

Bodhi smirks. “To ask you to give her a baby?”

“Something like that. Yeah.”

“And you said yes just like that?” Bear asks, his eyes narrowed and his head cocked.

Griffin backhands Bear’s bicep. “Of course he did, numb nuts. Ledger’s been in love with Marlee for three years. Where the fuck have you been?”

Bear nods. “Yeah, I realize that, but he just said they’re not a thing and they’re not fucking so how the hell is this all happening and how are you not going to get a broken heart out of this deal?”

“Aww, lookie there,” Ella says, winking at Bear. “I knew there was a softie in that big body of yours somewhere, Bear. You’re actually concerned for Ledger’s wellbeing.”

“I know, I know.” I groan. “I’m a pathetic sap of a man who is so crazy about a woman, who’s never even looked my way might I add, that I agreed to give her a million little parts of me in hopes that one of them will come through for her since I obviously haven’t gotten my shit together enough for her yet. ”

Ella tilts her head, looking at me like a man whose dog just died while Bear gives me a deadpanned expression.

“Nah, I don’t give a fuck about his wellbeing,” he teases in response.

“But if he thinks giving his jizz to a woman he has the hots for is going to turn into some blossoming relationship between the two of them when she’s literally just looking for the easiest way to get what she wants, he could be in for a world of hurt. ”

Ouch.

“Wow. Tell me how you really feel, Bear.”

He shakes his head. “I’m sorry man. But someone has to say what we’re all thinking.”

“Whoa, wait.” Scarlett stands, shaking her head with a scowl. “That’s not at all what I’m thinking so Bear doesn’t speak for me.”

“Me either,” Corrigan adds with a shrug. “I mean maybe I’m just a strong believer in the idea of love, but if Ledger desires an honest to God relationship with Marlee, I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility.”

“Whoa, wait, wait, wait.” August waves his hands. “Let’s back up a bit here.” He turns to me. “First of all, she asked you to be her sperm donor and you said yes.”

I nod. “Yes.”

“And you talked out all the details and asked all the questions etcetera, etcetera?” Corrigan asks.

I bob my head “Sure.”

August scoffs. “You want to answer that with a little more conviction?”

“Nope.” I shake my head. “No, I do not. That’s all I’ve got right now.”

“But you’re okay being a dad, right?” Bodhi asks. “If you’re donating your junk to her, you’re aware that her child will also be your child, right?”

“Yeah.” August nods. “How do you feel about that?”

I take a deep breath. “Look, I get that this is a lot. It’s a bit wild and if I’m being honest, a bit of a flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants process.

Am I aware Marlee would be having my child?

Yes. Do I want to be a dad?” I tilt my head back and forth.

“I don’t know, but I do know I’d do anything for her and that coupled with the idea of another man fathering her children?

” I scoff. “No fucking thank you. I’ll take it from here and do whatever I have to do for her. ”

Barrett’s brows raise and I can tell he’s about to open his mouth but I stop him.

“And I know that sounds fucking crazy but I’m crazy about Marlee.

I have been for years. You know that. But also, I’m a little fucked up where my upbringing is concerned,” I tell them.

“So, the idea of being a father scares me a little. I kind of vowed to myself years ago that I would never father children and now here I am wanting to give Marlee the world because she fucking asked for it and I can’t say no to her. ”

Griffin tilts his head, studying me. “What about your upbringing is so fucked up? Nick and Rebecca are amazing. Were they not good to you?”

My gaze moves from an understanding Scarlett, because we’re related, to Harrison, the only team member to know about my past, and that’s only because I told him not too long ago.

“Nick and Rebecca were the best thing to ever happen to me. But they didn’t happen to me until I was in eighth grade.”

Griffin’s jaw drops. “Dude, you’re adopted?”