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The caption under the picture told me her name was Sarah.

My breath caught as I stared at the child.

Bwat: Sarah is a beautiful blessing from the mountain gods.

Dylan: Rae and I agree, although we claim our blessing is from God.

I nodded, knowing that everyone found divinity in their own way.

Dylan: Hey, what are you planning to do in the off season? Besides practice skating, I mean.

I tore my gaze from the picture and my thoughts from imagining how beautiful a child with Abby would be. Off season plans? My mind swung back to the conversation with Abby earlier on Friday.

Bwat: Abby has expressed interest in going on a vacation with me. I am thinking of Spain as she mentioned it, but I will need to research more.

Dylan: Is Abby your girlfriend? Wife? I think I saw that you were looking to get married, but I’m sure I would have read something if you had. And I’d be very upset if I weren’t invited to the wedding.

I made a mental note to invite Dylan to any future wedding.

Bwat: I hope we are progressing to a romantic relationship, but right now she is a very good friend.

Dylan: A very good friend that would be happy if you took her to Spain?

His text was followed by a laughing face emoji.

Bwat: Abby has lots of money of her own, but she does not like to travel without companionship. I am excited to travel and experience more of the human world, so it would make sense we would do it together.

Dylan: Absolutely. Very logical. Are others going on this trip with you?

Bwat: I am not sure. Ozar’s mate is very focused on her dental business and I am told she does not take many vacations. Abby’s friends might not be available, and I’m not sure I want to invite Pfton or any of the other orcs.

Dylan: Pfton is the guy who sleeps naked? Yeah, probably not a good idea to invite him along. Besides, a third wheel isn’t going to help if you’re hoping this trip might turn into romance.

Bwat: The internet informs me I should invite another couple to come with us, but I don’t think Ozar and Jordan will be able to go.

Dylan: How about Rae and I? We can start the trip together, and organize three or four days in the same place before we head elsewhere. That way if things work out and you all decide you want to be alone, we can vanish.

Dylan: Rae and I have been wanting to go to the south of Spain. Her ancestors lived there before Ferdinand and Isabella conquered the area and it became unfriendly to Jews and Muslims.

Bwat: I would love if you and your wife joined us! Especially if your Rae can tell us the history of her family in the areas we are visiting.

Dylan: Deal. I think the girls will get along great. Rae will be thrilled to make a new friend, especially one who understands how it is to be involved, even as a friend, with a hockey player. Just a warning, we may need to bring Sarah, although I’m going to see if my parents or hers can give us some much needed alone time.

Bwat: I love young humans. And I am excited to possibly take this trip with you and your wife. Let me know where you and Rae would like to visit, and I will plan around that.

And, of course, I would need to ask Abby as well, although I felt certain she would enjoy another couple on vacation with us.

21

ABBY

Iwoke up bundled in my blankets like burrito. There was a glass of water by my bed which I quickly drank once I’d managed to extricate myself from my bedcovers. Then I thanked God I hadn’t managed to seduce Bwat last night.

What had I been thinking? I hadn’t been thinking. It was all hormones and champagne. It wasn’t that I wanted him any less in the cold light of the morning. Bwat was good looking with a rocking bod and I was willing to bet he was an amazing lover. But he was also a friend, and sex had a way of destroying a friendship.

He’d fall in love with me. I wouldn’t. And there would go one of the best friendships I’d ever had. Although maybe it was arrogant to think his heart would get involved. I didn’t know much about orc culture, and while I’d read a ton of romance novels with orcs, they weren’t exactly factual documentaries. Bwat wasn’t the brooding, touch-her-and-die orc hero. For all I knew, real life orcs were absolutely able to keep their emotions separate from occasional naked-fun with a friend.

But either way, it was something we should discuss before we had that naked fun. And I wasn’t sure I was ready to have that conversation with Bwat. It would be better if we just kept things platonic until I worked up the nerve to ask if friends-with-benefits could be a thing or not.