And Logan... Logan's sitting next to Emma like she might bolt at any second, his knuckles white around his beer bottle.
"So," Natalie says, turning to Mia with that innocent expression that means trouble. "How's the shelter?"
I decide to throw Mia a lifeline. She needs a night off work, and that's exactly what she's going to get.
"How about we talk about literally anything else?" I twist in my chair and nudge the Icehawks starting goalie beside me."Connor, didn't you and Luce have a date last week that went horribly wrong?"
"Hey!" Connor protests. "That wasn't my fault. How was I supposed to know she was allergic to seafood?"
"Maybe when she told you she was allergic to seafood?" Blake suggests.
"Pfft. Whatever," Connor huffs as Lucy rubs his back.
The chatter continues as the conversation shifts, and soon, I feel Mia relax beside me. Under the table, our knees brush, and I don't move away.
Eli eventually appears with food I ordered. Burgers that are perfectly char-grilled, sweet potato fries that are somehow both crispy and fluffy, and onion rings that could be classified as art.
The kind of comfort food that sticks to your ribs and makes you forget your troubles for a while.
"Eat," I murmur to Mia, nudging her plate closer.
She takes a bite of her burger and makes a little sound of pleasure that goes straight to my groin. "Oh God, I forgot how good Eli's food is."
"The man's a wizard," Blake agrees around a mouthful of fries he snatches from my plate. "Best kept secret in Iron Ridge."
"Not exactly a secret when you guys are here three nights a week," Eli calls from behind the bar.
As the evening progresses, I find myself relaxing in rhythm with Mia. When she smiles, I smile. When she laughs, I laugh.
Everything about this feels right. Natural.
Like we're just a group of friends hanging out, no pressure, no expectations.
Later, as I shoot a game of pool with the guys, I can't help but notice Mia's laughing at something Natalie's saying, her whole face lighting up as she wipes a tear from the corner of her eye.
My chest does this weird tight thing that feels like I'm staring out the back window at my house, looking at the tree I treasure dearly.
The world around me evaporates, and it's just… her.
Mia.
She's so fucking beautiful when she's happy like this.
Her whole face lights up, and those golden flecks in her hazel eyes dance like she's caught direct sunlight inside them. It hits me right in the chest every time, a reminder of everything I walked away from. When she's not carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, there's not a soul on this planet who's as gorgeous as she is.
"Dude. You're staring," Logan observes quietly, leaning over and knocking the arm supporting my body out from under me.
I clear my throat and chalk my cue. "Am not."
"You've been staring at her for the last twenty minutes like she's the last piece of pizza and you're on a desert island."
I glance around the table to see if anyone else has noticed, but they're all caught up in their own conversations.
"Is it that obvious?"
"To everyone except her, apparently." Logan takes a sip of his beer. "So did you listen to us? You gonna do something about it, or just sit there making puppy dog eyes all night?"
Before I can answer, Emma stands up, swaying slightly on her feet. "Hey, Big Guy! You. Me. Outside. Now."
