“Heck yeah. Cam texted me earlier. He told me to be inviting and not chase you away.”
“So, we’re drinking together. At a children’s hockey game,” she said, confused.
“Look at the cups around you,” Avery said low. “None of them have water. There isn’t any wine at the snack shack, but it’s an unsaid rule at these things, we can kick back and have fun. Long as we aren’t driving, of course. Cam will get us home. He never drinks at these things.”
Huh. She looked down at Cam, who was looking up at her from the team box. He winked at her and mouthed,You good?She took stock of her face. She wore a baffled smile. With a nod, she lifted up her glass in a silent cheers, and his grin was the most handsome thing she’d ever seen. He lit up the whole building. If anyone noticed his bright eyes, they weren’t paying attention, but for her? He held her heart in this gaze.
She took a sip from the straw and was pleasantly surprised. “It’s not disgusting.”
Avery giggled and tinked her glass against Moira’s. “It’s a damn good night.”
Yeah.
Moira looked from Avery to Cam, who was back to calling instructions to the players on the ice, and then back to Avery again. It was a good night.
Up until the point when she noticed the row behind them.
There sat Birdie, the mother-freaking hamster shifter herself, frozen and smiling at Moira like an idiot. Beside her was Lance, and Brock and Ava were here from the lodge too.
What in the hay bale.
“Hi!” Birdie said, waving so fast, her hand blurred.
“What are you doing here?”
“We are here watching some of the kids Lance and Brock know. We’re on a double date. What are you doing here? Cam? Are you doing the hot ATV guy?”
Moira blinked hard and took a healthy swig of her drink.
“Hi, I’m Avery,” her new acquaintance said, offering her hand for a shake. “The hot ATV guy’s sister.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” Birdie yelped. “Please forget I said that.”
“This is my nightmare,” Moira gritted out.
“Are you two friends?” Avery asked, pointing between Birdie and Moira.
“Yes!” Birdie exclaimed at the exact same time that Moira said, “You couldn’t pay me enough to be her friend.”
And then Birdie did something unforgivable. She looked hurt. Her annoying, sad little puppy dog eyes dredged up some awful feeling inside Moira’s gut.
“I’m going to move if you don’t suck your emotions back in your body,” Moira assured her.
Birdie pursed her lips and tried not to blink, but her eyes were filling with moisture as she stared ahead at the ice rink.
“You’re the meanest person I’ve ever met,” Lance announced.
Moira closed her eyes and counted to ten for patience, then took another sip of her drink before she turned around. “I’m sorry you are crying,” she muttered.
“It’s okay. I’m just emotional today. I don’t want to leave tomorrow,” Birdie said.
Moira frowned, then cast a look at Lance, who leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Oh.
Oh, they felt for each other. Really felt.
Moira’s heart stopped hammering quite so hard with the desire to flee.
