She wrapped her arms around his strong bicep and nuzzled her face against him, first one cheek and then the other.
“Is that what you do when you’re happy?” he asked softly.
Moira dropped her gaze and couldn’t answer. She hadn’t realized she was doing that.
“That’s a yes,” he said, slipping his hand over hers at his bicep.
Birdie hugged Ava goodbye and then turned to Moira. “I would hug you, but I’m pretty sure you hate me, so in my imagination, we are best friends and hugging.”
Moira narrowed her eyes at her and considered saying something scathing, but Birdie, for all her annoyances, she had good intentions for people. Moira could tell.
Moira sighed and said, “I have no interest in a hug, so keep that in your imagination.”
Birdie’s shoulders slumped and the hope died from her eyes.
“But,” Moira said. “If I really hated you, I wouldn’t insult you at all. Loser.” She allowed the corners of her lips to curve up into a smile.
Birdie’s spine straightened right up. “Is insulting people your love language?” she said at a too-loud volume.
“Go catch your flight already,” Moira muttered.
But Birdie did something atrocious and rushed her, yanked her off the couch and gave her a back-cracking hug. Moira stood there with her arms out to the sides, and a scrunched-up expression on her face.
When Birdie released her, she whispered, “That was my favorite hug.”
“Why are you breathing heavy?” Moira asked.
“Because I was a little scared,” Birdie admitted.
Moira bit back a smile and recited her phone number fast.
“Is that your phone number?” Birdie asked, her eyes wide as dinner plates.
“Maybe. I’m not repeating it. Hope you got it.”
Birdie repeated all the wrong numbers and Moira rolled her eyes heavenward.
“I’ve got it,” Lance said as he offered Moira a wave. “I’ll save it into her phone.”
They left and Moira helped Ava clean up the leftovers, soda cans, and the pack of disheveled cards. The boys moved the furniture back to the right place, and Brock was back to throw away the empty champagne bottles and turn off lights as they all made their way outside.
“Hey,” Ava said to her as she made her way down the snowy stairs behind Cam.
“What?” Moira demanded.
“If you want to come back next year for UnValentine’s Day week? We’ll give you a twenty percent off discount.”
Behind Ava, Brock wore a soft smile.
Moira was invited back? At a discount? She blinked hard a couple times, then nodded stiffly. “Goodnight. Bye bye now.”
She dared one glance back and Brock and Ava were still standing on the porch of the main lodge, waving them off as she and Cam walked back to her cabin.
“Everyone is so different here,” Moira murmured.
“Maybe it’s you who is different here,” Cam said mysteriously.
Moira frowned and thought about it. Perhaps he was right. She didn’t feel like burning everyone so badly that they turned away from her and left her alone. She didn’t mind being seentonight, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt like that.
