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“Best fries in town,” Juni quips as we hand the menus back to Dottie. “Thanks, Dot.”

As soon as she’s walked away, both women turn to me and stare.

I feel heat start to build in my cheeks. “What?” I ask nervously. I’m not exactly used to having girlfriends. Sure, I was friendly with fellow students throughout my studies, and I’ve got work acquaintances, but close friends? Haven’t really had that since high school, and even then, most of them just wanted to get close to Kyle.

But something about Juniper and Isla feels different. They’re welcoming, open, and I haven’t felt a second of judgment for showing up just as I am.

“Okay, what embarrassing stories do you have about the guys? Give us all the tea, immediately.”

Isla nods in agreement with Juniper. “Too bad Sage isn’t here, we’ll have to fill her in later.”

“Who’s Sage?” I ask.

“Oh yeah, she’s involved with Brady Dixon, a former pitcher for the Thunder. They moved to Vancouver last month with their adorable daughter because Dixie got signed by the Vancouver Tridents.”

“A bunch of us are going over to watch their home opener in April, you should totally come with us.”

My gaze bounces back and forth between the two women. “And Sage would care about stories involving Griffin and Denver because…”

“Because they’re Griff and Foxxy!” Juniper exclaims, lifting her hands up in emphasis. “Best friends who live together, totally straight, but still attached at the hip. They’re total opposites, and yet on the field? Completely in sync. It’s a bromance for the ages, and I just know you’ve got stories to tell about them when they were younger.”

Isla lifts one hand to her heart and adopts a solemn expression. “I promise, whatever I hear will not be used in any future PR or marketing materials and is solely for my own amusement.” Her face relaxes into a smirk. “And for future blackmail, as needed.”

Juniper giggles and nods. “Amen to that.”

Crap. A wistful part of me wishes I had stories to share, that I could partake in that sort of girl-bonding activity and gossip about the guys. But I barely know these women, and no matter how nice they are, admitting that I had a crush on Denver and Griffin back then, a crush that I resolutely ignored, makes me squirm in my seat.

“Honestly, I don’t have much to tell you. We hung out occasionally, since my brother and I are close. But they’re two years younger than me, and we have very different interests. I was dedicated to school, so aside from watching their baseball games with Kyle, and sometimes letting him drag me to a party they were at, we didn’t spend much time together.”

Juniper’s face falls for a second before brightening again. “Darn, I was seriously hoping for some blackmail. Oh well. Hey, do you like hot yoga?”

Isla groans. “Oh god, say no. Trust me, say no.”

Wide-eyed, I look from Isla to Juniper. “Sorry, yoga’s not my thing.”

Juniper’s face falls. “Darn it.”

Isla nods sagely. “Wise choice.”

Juni shrugs. “Whatever, you don’t know what you’re missing. But you have to say yes to joining us for lunch again next week.”

A smile breaks free on my face at the earnest invitation. “I’d like that.”

6

GRIFF

Every year, without fail, I hit a certain point in the offseason when I question my sanity for working in search and rescue.

It’s usually on days like today, when we’re dealing with torrential rain and idiots who don’t know how to prepare for the fluctuating seasons and conditions we’re known for on the West Coast.

As two of just a handful of paid contractors working on the Mid-Island Ground Search and Rescue team, Foxxy and I work the typical four-on, four-off shifts, but we’re also on call 24/7 for any major emergencies. And while today’s call isn’t exactly major, it is majorly annoying coming in on our last shift, when all I want to do is go home and sleep.

“At least we only have one more set,” Foxxy gripes as we gear up. “I’m so ready to take a break.”

I grunt in reply. We always give ourselves two weeks off between the end of our contract with the MIGSAR team and the start of spring training for the Thunder. Sometimes we travel, sometimes Foxxy heads home to visit his family and I go somewhere by myself, and sometimes we just stay in town and chill.

“Gentlemen, are you ready to head out?” Our team leader, Dougie Armstrong, comes into the locker room just as we’re finishing double-checking our packs.