Oh God, here it was. She was going to have to meet this lady, and then find a seat, because it was definitely crowded here, and there was only one seat by her.
Cam grabbed her hand right here in front of the entire stands and led her up to his sister.
His sister gave Cam a quick hug, and then to Moira’s shock, she turned to her and gave her a hug too, then pulled her down to the seat she’d been saving.
“What am I?” Cam asked. “Chopped liver?”
“That’s such a weird saying,” his sister said. She pointed to the ice rink, where a bunch of kids were warming up and shooting hockey pucks at a goal. “Coach Matt was sick tonight, and Coach Daniel asked if you could help.”
Moira thought Cam would’ve balked, but he nodded and said, “Yeah, no worries. Hey, be mean to that one,” he teased, pointing to Moira as he backed slowly down the stairs. “She doesn’t like nice people.”
“Are you going to introduce us, idiot?” his sister asked.
“Oh yeah. Avery, Moira. Moira, Avery.”
Mortified to be alone with yet another stranger, in a sea of strangers, she turned awkwardly to Avery and offered her hand. “Hi. Hello. I’m…Moira. Moira Jennings. Your brother’s…” Fuck buddy? Friend.
“Girlfriend,” Avery finished for her, shaking her head.
“Oh no, not even close. We barely know each other.”
“Mmm hmm. Well, he hasn’t brought anyone around the family since Sarah and that was an eternity ago. He likes you. Let’s go, boys!” she called as the little hockey players took their positions on the ice.
Cam had reached the box with the other coach and was talking to one of the players.
“Does he know what he’s doing?” she asked, curious.
“Yep. He coached for a few years, but the business is keeping him too busy to make all the practices now.”
“How is your son playing? You know…with humans?” she whispered.
“Cam didn’t tell you?” she asked.
“Tell me what?”
“He’s the only shifter in our family,” she whispered. “He’s adopted.”
Moira frowned. “Oh.” She looked back down at Cam, who was talking to one of the players now as he taped up a hockey stick like he’d done it a hundred times. “But how does that work? Raising shifters is hard.”
“Well, he was an absolute nightmare in his younger years, but by the grace of God, my parents survived him. Now, he’s the best.” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell him I told you that.” Avery shrugged. “My son is number ten.”
“Ten?” Moira asked, scanning the kids on the ice. He was near the center, leaning on his stick by a referee, ready. “I see him.”
“Uncle Cam has had him on ice skates since before he could even walk.”
“Is he close with your mate?” she asked, then realized her slip up and clapped her hand over her mouth. “I mean husband,” Moira said softly. “Sorry, I thought you were all shifters this whole time. I’m catching up.”
“There is no husband,” she said low. “There was a drunk night and some questionable decisions, and then I was pregnant, and alone, and didn’t even know the guy or how to get ahold of him. And I was terrified, and that’s when Cam really stepped up as my big brother. He doesn’t let Nathaniel feel the loss. He’s atevery father-kid-donut breakfast, every game, every school play, every awards ceremony.” She nodded thoughtfully, watching the boys flying all over the ice, passing the puck. “He’s a pretty great brother and uncle. He’s also really reserved and private, and I saw him holding your hand. I never saw him holding Sarah’s hand, and she was supposed to be the one, you know?”
“I had one of those once,” she said softly.
“Looks like we’re all three pretty bad at love,” she said, pulling a floral bag over between their feet. Inside were two purple tumblers, and a pair of miniature bottles of white wine. “I hope you like it cheap and red,” Avery muttered as she poured one into a tumbler. She screwed on the lid and handed it to Moira.
“For me?”
“Yep,” Avery said as she poured the other one into the empty cup.
“Wait, so you knew I was coming?”
