Page 33 of Ruled Out

We stare at each other for just a couple of beats, but it’s not uncomfortable.

“Are you here with friends?” she asks, her English accent noticeable.

“Yeah,” I say on a semi-sigh. “We’re celebrating a birthday. We have a private booth in the back.”

“Oh, that’s where we’re sitting.”

“You come here a lot?”

She smiles and begins applying some gloss. “Yeah. Typically when we’re celebrating a win.”

“Scorpions girl?” I ask.

Her face seems even more familiar as she fluffs out her thick chocolate-colored hair.

“You bet. You?”

“Getting there, I guess. I’ve always followed the Destroyers.”

For a second, I think about telling her who my dad is, but right at the final moment, I change my mind. There’s something about her that draws me in. Apart from Jessie, she feels like the closest thing to someone I can trust since arriving in Seattle. Still, I don’t know her.

“Well, I won’t hold that against you.” She clips the cap back on her gloss and tosses it into her cosmetic bag. “I can definitely recommend the cosmos here if you’re a cocktail girl.”

“Oh, I don’t drink much, but thanks, although I might make an exception tonight. I think my student budget could stretch to one.”

She smiles again and turns to me. “You’re new to Seattle, right?”

Raising an inquisitive brow, I turn to face her too. “I am. Other than the Destroyers, how could you tell?”

She runs a manicured hand through her hair, her smile growing wider. “Because you have the same look on your face when I came to this city—overwhelmed. It’s fine though; people are kind of friendly when you get used to it.”

She throws her bag over her shoulder and makes for the door, stopping just before she gets there. She walks a couple of paces back to me, holding out her hand. I take her soft palm in mine.

“Felicity. Nice to meet you …”

“Mia.”

“Pretty name. Well, Mia, when you head up to the bar—there’s one in the private area—just mention that the drinks are on Felicity Morgan.” She squeezes my hand. “And happy birthday to your friend.”

I’m pretty sure my eyes are bugging out of my head as I finally place her face, although she clearly doesn’t recognize me. I saw her in the café that time in Whistler. “Call me crazy, but are you Jon Morgan’s wife?”

She throws her head back and laughs sweetly before focusing her green eyes back on me. “I am. You really are a hockey fan if you know who I am. I try my best to keep my face out of the spotlight as much as possible.”

I’m a hockey fan, but I also have a good memory.

I nod as our hands break apart. I want to tell her I know the feeling of wanting to stay anonymous all too well.

“Well, thank you, Felicity.” I point at my hair. “For the tie and the drinks.”

I’d usually never accept anything from a stranger, but there’s a strong part of me that doesn’t want to reject her kindness.

Felicity walks back over to the door and pulls it open, casting an appreciative gaze down my outfit. “Nice skirt and boots.”

“That wasthe longest pee in history,” Tara drawls as I walk back into the main bar area.

“Sorry. Got to talking.”

“To who?”