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  “If you aren’t married, or don’t have a girlfriend, then what’s in it for you?” she asked carefully.

  He stomped snow off his sneakers and dragged the bottoms across a towel beside the door. “I don’t have a girlfriend and I’m definitely not married. For me, it’s love of the sport. I get to be competitive once a week. Blow off steam.”

  “So you’re good then?”

  “Oh, no. I mean I played when I was in school and stuff, but I’m not the big fish on our team.”

  Oh. So he must’ve been a benchwarmer or something. Maybe played defense so he didn’t get as winded. Something like that.

  He led her to the bleachers, but they were nearly full, so she sat on the very end of one. Brock pointed out where a small concession stand was against the back wall, and then jogged toward his team who was warming up at the goal closest to Ava.

  She tracked him as he ran, thinking the man was very agile for a human, but her thoughts were interrupted by someone tapping her on the shoulder. “Are you here with Brock?” the woman right behind her asked.

  Ava nodded. “I’ve never seen an indoor game. Just the outdoor ones.”

  “Oh, you’re in for a treat then.” The friendly looking lady with gorgeous caramel-colored skin and dark eyes and braids leaned forward and offered her hand. “I’m Natalie. I’m with that one right there.” She pointed to the man taking a practice shot on goal. “His name is Reed. He’s good friends with Brock.”

  “Okay, good, now I have two people to cheer for,” she said.

  Natalie moved down to the bleacher beside her. “Your eyes are pretty bright.”

  Uh oh.

  “I’m not dangerous,” Ava said quickly.

  Natalie winked and leaned in, whispered, “Reed says that, too.”

  Shocked, Ava took a second look at the tall man, jogging back to the end of the line. His skin was darker than hers and his hair was longer but braided like Natalie’s. When he turned around, his eyes were a normal chocolate brown.

  “He’s a shifter?” Ava whispered.

  Natalie put her finger to her lips. “Not even Brock knows. No one in this town does.”

  “Then…then why did you tell me? I’m a stranger.”

  “If Brock brought you, you’re good. He’s picky about people, and besides. what are you gonna do? Announce it to the town? You probably hide just the same.”

  Ava nodded. She did. That was kind of sad. She was sad for Reed, too.

  “Cheetah,” Natalie said low.

  “Daaaamn,” Ava murmured. “So fast AF, huh?”

  “Yep. And the sports keep his animal happy. For the most part.”

  “Yeah, you got a meat-eater. You probably have your hands full.”

  Natalie snorted. “You have no idea. What about you? Meat-eater?”

  Ava shook her head. “More like ant-eater. I’m the least scary shifter in existence. Everyone is safe around me.”

  “Okay, so you have the best of both worlds.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Natalie cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, “Thata way, baby!” as Reed sunk another practice shot in the high corner of the goal. Softly, she said, “You can date humans or shifters. And you don’t have to hide as much when you date a human. Who can give you shit if you aren’t dangerous?”

  Huh. She’d never looked at it like that. She’d always seen it as her animal’s existence kept her out of both worlds. Humans wouldn’t date her, and shifters were all badass predators who stuck up their noses at unterrifying critters like herself. But maybe it was like Natalie said. Maybe her armadillo made it possible to date either. She wouldn’t ever hurt Brock. She couldn’t if she tried, but Reed and Natalie?

  Ava studied a trio of long scars down Natalie’s arm. She really did have her hands full with a cheetah shifter for a mate.

  “He didn’t mean to. He Changed in the house and was tearing everything up. I rushed to let him out the front door, but he took a swipe as he was leaving. Happened eight years ago, and I don’t think he will ever forgive himself. Whatever you are?” Natalie bumped her shoulder. “You’re all right.”

  Ava was dumbfounded. A human stranger had just shown her a kindness and told her she was all right. She liked Natalie. And Brock. And this town.

  The referee blew the whistle, and Ava ripped her gaze away from Natalie, who was cheering. The game was starting. She searched the bench for Brock, but he wasn’t there. When she looked onto the field, which was really a big gym floor, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. If he wasn’t that good, why was he playing forward and why was he already maneuvering the ball toward the other team’s goal with a whole lot of fancy footwork that said he was really good at soccer?

  Silly, modest boy.

  For the next hour, she got to talk with Natalie, find her comfort zone, and cheer loudly, and eat nachos (because, apparently, she could always find room for those, no matter how full she was). She watched Brock beast out as a star forward with Reed. She was awed the entire game. And when he scored one of the three goals, he looked right up in the stands at her while his team was clapping him on the back and high-fiving him.

  She was pretty sure she was glowing.

  After the game, Ava and Natalie filed down the bleachers. Brock had a five-minute team meeting on the sidelines, and then he turned and jogged toward her, his duffle bag bouncing against his hip.

  “Hey,” he rumbled in a tired voice. He held an arm out and pulled her against his side like she was an old friend, not some stranger he met this morning. And for her? She was just as comfortable for some reason.

  Likely, she would overthink this all tonight, get breathless, and her anxiety would take over, but for now? She was completely comfortable saying yes when he asked if she wanted to go down the street to a local pub and get a beer with him and his friends for an after-game celebration. Natalie and Reed were going, too, and they walked out with them.

  “This is Ava,” Brock introduced her as soon as they were outside, trailing behind the rest of the team.

  Reed narrowed his eyes, and his nostrils flared as he scented the air. “Huh,” he said.

  “Dude, manners,” Brock said.

  “Ava is my new friend, so you have to like her,” Natalie informed him.

  “What are you?” he asked as he shook her hand.

  “She’s not a threat to you,” Brock said coolly. Ooooh ho hoooo, perhaps Brock knew more than Natalie thought he did. Maybe Brock did know Reed was a shifter, or why would he have said it like that?

  Predator shifters were always standoffish when meeting another shifter, though. They were territorial, and Ava had a tendency to confuse them. Her scent was muffled and wasn’t of fur. She wore armor instead.

  The other teammates were putting their bags in their cars, but Reed and Brock brought theirs along and started walking down the street toward a big glowing sign that read Frank’s Pub. Didn’t sound very Irish, but inside, it looked authentic enough, right down to the dark wood walls and floorboards, Irish drink list, and shepherd’s pies on special for happy hour.

  Brock ordered her a beer, but he drank water, and as they settled in around a trio of pool tables, she kind of took it all in. Brock introduced her to everyone. He didn’t seem ashamed by her in the least. On the contrary, he seemed proud to have her there, and it meant something to her. No one had ever acted like that about her before—proud.

  And as the night wore on, and they played doubles against other teammates, couples, against Natalie and Reed, Brock loosened up even more and touched her hip sometimes when he talked to her, or leaned in close to hear her better. Once he moved a flyaway strand of her short hair from her face, and it all felt completely right and natural.

  She liked him. She liked this place and his friends. She liked the way they all joked and teased each other. As the night went on, even Reed relaxed around her. She liked that Natalie stuck right near her and made sure she didn’t have to go to the bathroom alone. Everyone was so diff
erent in their personalities, but genuine.

  She’d missed this small-town camaraderie. Or perhaps it was that she’d never fit into the small town she’d grown up in, and hadn’t adjusted to the small town she’d moved to. But here? Brock was making sure she was safe and comfortable with everyone. If anyone noticed her eye color, they didn’t mention it. Probably all the beers and chaos kept her safe from people paying too much attention to her.

  Two hours later, and they were saying their goodbyes. Natalie scooped her up in a big hug that made Ava’s tipsy little heart happy.

  “Tonight was a good night,” she said as Brock led the way out of the bar.

  He reached back and grabbed her hand, led her around a trio of good ol’ boys throwing darts. His hand was warm and strong around hers, and she held on tighter.

  He looked back, his blue eyes dancing, and did something that lifted the butterflies in her stomach. He intertwined their fingers and squeezed her back.

  Oh, she was in trouble.

  Brock opened the door for her, and out they went, connected at the palms. She bumped his shoulder. “I think we are breaking all the UnValentine’s Day rules.

  “I thought you said you don’t like rules.”

  “Touché.” It was snowing again, and she looked up and opened her mouth, caught a snowflake on her tongue.

  “You’re pretty darn cute, you know that?” he asked.

  “You should see Little Dillo. She’s the cutest.”

  “Did you just call your animal Little Dillo?”

  “I sure did. She’s thirty pounds of armored adorable. If you think I’m cute now, you should see me Changed.”

  “I would like that.” He’d said it so softly she almost missed it.

  Convinced she’d misheard him, she asked, “What?”

  “I would like to see you Changed.”

  Ava shook her head. “Oh, you don’t mean that. I was just teasing about you seeing her.”

  “Sure, I mean it.”

  They were almost to the Bronco, one of the last cars left in the sports complex parking lot. Under the tall street lights, the snow was falling good, illuminated by the gold glow. “The one time I dated a human, he thought he wanted the same thing. When I showed him Little Dillo, he changed his mind.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He started thinking it was wrong. Like he was…”

  “Fucking an animal?” he asked in a dark tone.

  When she looked up at him, his eyes were somber, and red was creeping up his neck. “Screw that guy. You aren’t an animal, Ava.”

  “That break-up happened right before Valentine’s Day.”

  “Aaaah, there is some of the trauma. I knew you were holding onto some hurt to travel all the way out here for an UnValentine’s Day celebration.” He released her hand, and a part of her was so disappointed. Her palm was instantly cold, and she missed that steady feeling his hand gave her. But before she could get in a good pout, he slid his arm over her shoulder and matched her stride.

  “I would probably like you even more if I saw Little Dillo. That’s not me blowing smoke. That’s just how it would be for me.”

  “Breaking. The. Rules.”

  “Oh, right. I would unlike you even more if I saw her. There. Better?”

  “Much better,” she teased. “Well, I unliked you more tonight when I realized you were a mother-freaking soccer stud.”

  Brock snorted. “I wouldn’t go that far. We just play for fun.” Suddenly he asked, “Do you know what Reed is?”

  “Uuuuuh, I think so?”

  Brock unlocked her door for her and helped her into the Bronco. “He never told me. I’ve known for years, but he won’t talk to me about it.”

  “Honestly? He probably won’t talk to anyone but Natalie about it until he feels the town would accept him. Look what he’s got going for himself here, Brock. Natalie is safe when the town doesn’t know. He’s safe.”

  “He’s safe to tell me.”

  Ava reached forward and ran her fingertip over his drawn-down eyebrows to smooth them out. “Maybe he will someday.”

  “I could tell he knew you were a shifter. The way he sniffed the air and asked what you are.”

  Ava shrugged. “That’s the way most shifters greet each other. Most of us aren’t this tight-knit community like humans have. We have to be wary and ease into friendships.”

  “That sounds exhausting.”

  She ruffed up his messy hair, dislodging the snow there. “You’re going to catch a cold, fragile human. Take me to Lodge 10.”

  The smile returned to his face, thank goodness. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Hey, Brock?” she said before he could shut the door.

  “Yeah?”

  He looked so handsome in his soccer uniform, standing in the snow, looking at her with such expectation and curiosity in his bright blue eyes.

  “I’m glad you would unlike me if you saw the animal.”

  Relief washed through his features, and the tension faded from his shoulders. “Can I tell you an unsecret?”

  “You can tell me anything.”

  He lowered his voice and leaned in closer. “I already unlike you, with or without the animal.”

  Chapter Six

  Happiness manifested in different ways for different people.

  For Ava, when she was happy, she danced. And she sang. And she got lost in music. For so long, music had only been a background noise for her during work while she built graphic design files. It was the static in the background as she let her creative side take over, but here, in Lodge 10, for the first time in years, she played music just to play it.

  She was dancing between getting ready, shaking her hips as she straightened her short hair, and when it came time for makeup, it was hard to stay still long enough to apply it while her phone ran through a random playlist of music she’d related to back in college.

  She almost missed the ding of a text message. Almost. Shoving the mascara wand back in its container, she looked at the glowing screen. It was a message from an unknown number.

  I broke more rules and pulled your number off the check-in information.

  She grinned and typed back to Brock. That’s it, I’m calling the cops ;)

  Haha, if you get me arrested, who will be your UnValentine’s Day undate tomorrow?

  Ava padded into the other room and sank onto the bed to respond. I have a back-up undate. A plan B, if you will. Send.

  What’s his name? I’m definitely going to fight him for you.

  Cornelius the Dandelion. Send.

  Okay, how can I compete with him? He’s a better listener than I could ever be. Admission, I am texting you to give you a heads up. I tried to bring you breakfast, but Gran robbed me.

  You got robbed by your grandmother?? Send.

  Yeah, she’s savage. Yanked the box of cinnamon rolls right out of my hand. Said she wants to talk to you. Stiffen that upper lip, girl, you got Gran on a mission, knocking at your door in three…two…

  Knock, knock, knock!

  Crap.

  With a sigh, Ava stood and made her way to the door. This went against the plan, which was to avoid his grandmother at all costs.

  Plastering a smile on her face, Ava pulled open the door. “Hello, Ethyl.”

  The older woman had her hair pulled up into a silver and white-streaked updo today, and behind her glasses, her intelligent blue eyes studied Ava, one gray brow arched up delicately. She handed Ava a box that smelled like cinnamon and frosting and a coffee that was still steaming. It was warm under her hand when she accepted it.

  “I made these for breakfast, and I stopped my grandson from bringing these out to you, because…well…I owe you an apology. And apologies usually work better if you come with a present in hand.”

  “An apology for what?” Ava asked.

  “For judging you. For making you pay for others’ mistakes. Brock has pointed out I’m stubborn and unforgiving many times over the years, but I suppose I never
really felt that until yesterday. That boy lit me up after you walked out of dinner, and he woke me up early this morning to take me on a drive and talk to me about you and shifters. I’m supposed to teach him everything I know, but somewhere along the way, he grew up on me and is now teaching me things.”

  The woman’s eyes were misting up behind her glasses, and it pulled at Ava’s heart. She stood to the side and asked Ethyl, “Would you like to come in?”

  “Oh no, dear. You have a big day ahead, and I need to get back to the kitchen. I’m serving a big breakfast in an hour. We had a couple more people check in late last night and a busy day today, too. Apparently Brock’s UnValentine’s Day celebration is attracting guests.” She gave a small smile and shook her head. “We will have a full inn by four o-clock today.”

  “That’s great! More business for you and Brock.” Ava hugged the cinnamon rolls closer to her chest. “Your apology means so much to me,” she said softly. “And the breakfast. If you get too busy today, I would be happy to help in any way I can.”

  “Oh, you should be out there snowmobiling and drinking brunch mimosas and having fun.”

  Ava shrugged. “I work from home, and I’m alone all the time. Those adventures would be fun with someone, but I’m on my own. I would have just as much fun helping around here. Around people. This place is…paradise.”

  With round, owl eyes, Gran blinked hard and looked about as stunned as Ava had ever seen anyone look. “Well, I could use a hand in the kitchen for breakfast. I’m a little behind. Even if you just bring the food out to the guests. And I’ll make sure you’re compensated.”

  “Oh, please, don’t pay me. I’m happy to help.” Ava grabbed her jacket and her purse and locked up Lodge 10.

  “Compensation doesn’t always mean pay,” Ethyl told her as they began making their way along the snowy pathway to the big lodge. “I have something else in mind.”

  Ava smiled at the new-fallen snow in front of her. “Okay.”

  Gran led her through the back door, down the hallway, and right past the front desk where Brock was checking someone in. When he looked up, his smile lit up his whole face.