Page 52 of Well Aware

Iris appeared moments later, and she waited for Beau before following him to the plane.

I grinned from my position mid-bus as I waited for the ladies in front of me to grab their belongings and get out of the bus.

Nettie, who was directly behind me with her bag, said, “That’s super cute. I don’t know how he gets her to talk to him. I’ve tried so hard, Magnolia.”

I looked over my shoulder at my friend.

“They have a special bond,” I admitted. “Their love of documentaries and sign language bonded them pretty quick. But I think the reason that she loves him so much is because he treats her like she’s normal. Like she isn’t flawed. And I know that you do, too. But he just gets her on a level that most don’t.”

“I’m sad that you’re leaving at the end of the season,” she said. “Next year really would’ve been my year to make her like me.”

I stepped forward a foot. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing plenty of each other. I like it up here, and I know that Iris does, too. It’s an adventurer’s paradise.”

“I love Montana,” she agreed. “I had no clue how much until I moved to Miami. I loved the sun and the sand. The beach. But the beach doesn’t beat the mountains.”

I agreed.

Plus…

“It’s way nicer weather-wise here, too,” I said. “I just need to convince my best friend to move up here.”

“Does she not like it?” she asked.

We took another few steps forward as I answered, “Merrill is a sun and sweat girl. She says that it’s too snowy in Montana.”

“That is true,” she agreed. “It snows a lot.”

We were finally next off the bus, and the team manager took our soccer gear and bags from us as we got off.

“Thank you, sir.” I patted him on the back.

He winked. “Kissing up will get your stuff off first.”

I snickered as we made our way over to the men.

Weaver was there with Nettie’s daughter fast asleep on his shoulder. Iris was standing next to Beau, leaning against his leg, watching a couple of birds that were flying over the airport.

“Hey, kiddo.”

She looked up at me and smiled, then went back to her bird watching.

“I see she’s wearing clothes,” Nettie observed.

“You’re lucky,” Weaver drawled. “Everything was packed. I had to buy this in the gift shop in the stadium. I would’ve gone back up, but apparently there’s no re-entry once you’ve left.”

“It worked out,” Eddie said from our side. “How would you have gotten us churros otherwise?”

Weaver shot her a wink.

Court leveled his gaze on me and said, “Are you sure you have to retire this season?”

I flushed at the intensity in his eyes. “Yes, I’m sorry. I’m ready to start my career.”

A car came to an abrupt stop just feet from where we were standing, and Beau instinctively turned his body so that it was in between the car and Iris, even though the car came from nowhere and stopped really close.

It was no surprise when Seraphina and Mr. Vanderbilt got out.

I let my eyes travel from one to the other.