“Be right back.” I fight not to skip down the hall, but do a little twirl and stag leap once I’m alone in my bedroom.
I return fully dressed and find Flip holding Parsnip like a baby, letting him lick his chin. “Oh, this is too precious.” I snap a photo and set it as my wallpaper.
Flip sets a disappointed Parsnip on the floor and helps me into my jacket. We’re nowhere near the end of snow season yet, so I bundle up.
Flip tosses a mouse before we leave the apartment, and Parsnip chases after it. Then he yowls forlornly when he realizes he’s been duped.
We run into Cammie and Chase on the way to the elevator.
“I just saw you on the ice last night. How are you here?” Chase asks.
Flip tucks me into his side as we join them in the elevator. “I took an early flight home.”
Cammie grins and hugs Chase’s arm. “That’s so sweet.”
“We’re grabbing a bite to eat off campus, if you want to join us,”Flip offers.
“Oh! We don’t want to impose.” Cammie glances at me, eyes wide.
Chase looks like someone just offered him a contract with the Terror.
“You’re not imposing at all,” I assure Cammie. This feels like kind of a big deal, especially since he called himself my boyfriend while he was in Colorado, and took an early flight home because he missed me. Now he wants to spend time not just with me, but with my friends, too.
“You’re sure?” Chase is already vibrating.
“Totally,” Flip and I say at the same time.
We exit the elevator, and Cammie and I climb into the back seat of Flip’s car, so Chase doesn’t have to eat his knees. Flip drives across town to the Pancake House. It’s a favorite, and they know us here, so Flip won’t be accosted by fans.
Once we’re seated, Rainbow, our usual server, pours us coffees and leaves us to browse the menu.
“That was one hell of an away series. First Colorado, and then Minnesota couldn’t keep their shit together,” Chase says. “They’re having a tough season.”
“Yeah, and Minnesota is up against New York this week.”
“Oof.” Chase shakes his head. “That’s rough. Kodiak Bowman is on fire this season.”
“Right? He beat his own scoring record four games ago,” Flip notes. “Guy is going in the Hall of Fame for sure.”
“I love his wife,” Cammie says. “I want to be like her when I grow up.”
“Oh my God,” I agree. “I love Lavender. She’s hilarious.”
“You have no idea.” Flip’s arm is draped over the back of my chair, and his smile tells an entire story.
I narrow my eyes. “What do you know that we don’t?”
“There was a problem with Tristan’s pants at the wedding,” Flip replies.
“Oh, I heard about this!” Chase’s eyes light up.
Cammie frowns. “Why do you know about this and I don’t?”
“Because Brody is Tristan’s brother,” Chase explains. “And he witnessed it.”
“I need the inside scoop,” Cammie insists.
“It’s cone,” Chase and Flip say at the same time. Then they fist-bump each other.
