Page 9 of Soulmates and Slapshots (Love in Maple Falls #6)

FIONA

M abel points to the book propped in the front window of Falling for Books. “There it is. That’s the book my friend Willa wrote, Benny the Blue Rock Thrush . It’s a children’s book all about the endangered bird I mentioned.”

“ Benny the Blue Rock Thrush ?” The bird has a name.

“We’re doing this,” Mabel exclaims. “We’ll contribute to the town with Benny’s help.”

“Okay,” I say unconvincingly. Mabel seems more confident than I feel.

“Anyway, Willa says the bird was thought to be in Europe and Asia, but it ended up in Oregon and Washington. And the best part is it was added to a protection list.”

“So that means the land around here could be protected as well?” I ask. Could it be this easy?

“I’m not sure,” she says. “But we could find out.”

“All right. Let’s do it.” This might be a long shot, but I’m willing to do some investigating.

Mabel and I chat for a few more minutes and then I start to head home.

I admit it feels good to have friends here in Maple Falls.

I’ve always been a social person, so building connections matters to me.

Working together for such an important cause gives me a chance to get out of my own head for a while.

And speaking of friends, I owe Hayley a call. I also need to tell her about Joshua trying to reach me. At first, I thought it was just a pocket dial…but he called again. Something is up with him.

I dig through my bag for my phone and scroll to Hayley’s number.

“I was wondering when you were going to call me,” she answers. “Is small town life getting to you yet? I can pick you up at the airport, just tell me when.”

“Actually no,” I admit. “It’s been nice being here. Until I received two unexpected phone calls last night from a certain ex.”

I’m still reeling from seeing Joshua’s number on my screen.

I haven’t heard from him since we broke up, nor did I expect to.

This is the same man who blindsided me by telling me he needed a break from our relationship while I believed we were taking the next step.

Ugh. Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach.

“Ohhh…about that…”

I chew on my lower lip. “Hayley Jean, do you know something I don’t?”

She hates when I use her middle name, so she knows I’m being serious.

“I might have a bit of info,” she replies.

“Okay? Were you planning on letting me in on it?” I ask. “Isn’t that what best friends are supposed to do?”

“Of course, but I figured you’d be back home by now,” she says. “I didn’t think you’d last more than a few days in that tiny town. Speaking of which, why aren’t you back yet?”

In her defense, my trip was supposed to be over by now.

“Well I’m still here, so spill,” I reply, avoiding her question.

She sighs before diving into her story. “I ran into Joshua a few nights ago. He was sitting at the bar all by himself, and he looked so lost. Naturally I approached him ready to unload, but before I had a chance, he started asking about you, and honestly, I expected him to burst into tears at any second. He knows he messed things up.”

Hearing this brings an array of emotions, but mostly I feel validation. I’m glad he’s feeling regret—he should.

“Fiona?” Hayley calls, dragging me out of my thoughts.

“I’m here, I was just thinking,” I say. “Did you know he was going to call me?”

“He didn’t say anything about that, but I’m not surprised. Did he leave a message?”

“No.”

“Are you going to call him back?”

I don’t say anything while I try to process the information she’s just shared with me.

“Probably not.”

“Well—what if he calls again? Will you answer?”

I sigh. It’s too early for this topic of discussion after only one cup of coffee.

“I don’t know. There’s not much for us to say to each other. Plus I came here to get away from all the stress. Hashing all our issues out is only going to bring up the emotions I’m trying to take a break from.”

“Do you really like it there?” she asks as if it’s the craziest thing she’s ever heard .

“I do…” Suddenly the image of Weston pops into my head, which catches me off guard.

“And you’re not bored out of your mind?” she asks.

“No. There’s actually a lot happening right now.”

I don’t give her any details about joining in the efforts to help Maple Falls. Or about researching something called the Blue Rock Thrush. Hayley wouldn’t understand. And I’m not in the mood for an inquisition.

“Fine. Hurry and get it out of your system and get back here. It’s autumn in New York, and we have things to do.”

I smile to myself. “Okay.”

“I need to run, but let me know if Joshua calls again,” she orders.

“You’ll be the first to know.”

“Fiona—”

“What?”

She sighs. “Maybe you should hear what he has to say.”

I groan. “Hmm…I’ll think about it.”

After the call ends, I sit still for a few minutes wondering why Joshua is suddenly having a change of heart. And what’s even more surprising is I’m not sure I even care.

“It’s finally game day!” Aunt Dee squeals as we weave our way through the buzzing arena concourse. The hum of anticipation hangs in the air, and it’s electric as fans flood in from every direction. The smell of popcorn and fried food fills the chilly air.

The seats are filling up fast, and the place already feels like it’s vibrating with energy.

It’s clear this isn’t just a game to Maple Falls.

This town takes its hockey very seriously, and I’m starting to understand why.

It’s a chance for this tight knit community to come together and celebrate something good amid everything else.

Aunt Dee is fully in her element and decked out from head to toe in Ice Breakers merch.

Her jacket is bedazzled, and her makeup includes bright blue eye shadow.

Her ears are once again adorned with her hockey puck earrings.

I lucked out because she has an entire wardrobe of Ice Breakers garb, and I’m wearing one of her jerseys, paired with a knit beanie featuring the team’s logo. Admittedly, I kind of love my outfit.

“This is insane,” I say, glancing around at the organized chaos. Fans are lined up at the concession stands and merch booths. Seeing all of this reminds me how important this town is to all these people.

“I told you tonight would be epic,” Aunt Dee says smugly, already snapping a few selfies. “The first game of the season is like Christmas. Now let’s get to our seats so we don’t miss the face-off.”

Face-off? I guess I need to study up on hockey lingo if I’m going to sit next to her at these games.

She practically drags me down the stairs to our row.

As soon as we reach our seats, the first few cords of“Ice Ice Baby”pump through the sound system, and the entire building comes alive.

Lights swirl across the ice to the beat of the music, and Aunt Dee immediately starts dancing in place, singing every single word.

I laugh and join in on the chorus which is the only part of the song I know.

There’s something incredibly entertaining about watching her do finger guns while mouthing every lyric with complete confidence. This is going to be quite an evening .

The lights dim further, and a booming echo fills the arena.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the inaugural home game of your NHL Maple Falls Ice Breakers!”

The crowd begins screaming, clapping, and stomping their feet. And I can’t help but feel just as excited. I’ve never seen anything like this. Every single person around me seems completely consumed by the moment.

“And now, let’s introduce tonight’s visiting team—the Great Lakes Vikings.”

A sea of boos cascades through the stands as the opposing team glides onto the ice.

Aunt Dee leans over, launching into a rapid-fire breakdown of the Vikings’ roster, including top players, stats, and weaknesses in defense.

I try to follow, but it’s all going over my head.

I do admire her passion for the sport. I’m beginning to think she missed her calling, because her knowledge is astounding.

I wonder how much time she spends studying all these facts.

“And now…the moment you’ve all been waiting for…” the announcer declares, dragging out the anticipation like he’s done this before.

Aunt Dee grips my arm like a giddy child waiting to open gifts on Christmas morning.

“It’s time,” she whispers, her eyes locked on the tunnel.

“Introducing your Maple Falls Ice Breakers!”

The lights blaze, and the music surges as one by one the team skates out onto the rink. The crowd goes wild, making the floor shake like an earthquake. My heart thuds in rhythm with the beat as we listen to the team introductions.

“Weston Smith,” the announcer calls, causing me to jump to my feet, clapping and yelling along with the rest of the fans. It’s surreal hearing his name echo across the stadium because I know him. It almost feels like I’m friends with a celebrity.

“There’s your friend ,” Aunt Dee teases, elbowing me with a knowing smirk.

I roll my eyes but can’t stop grinning. “Yep, there he is—my friend .”

She lets out a dramatic sigh and resumes clapping.

I do the same, watching Weston skate effortlessly around the rink, high-fiving his teammates and soaking up the love from the crowd.

All the players move like they’re part of the ice—fluid, fast, and completely in control. It’s mesmerizing to watch.

I’ve tried ice skating in the city a few times, and it never ends well. My experiences usually involve a lot more wobbling, gripping the rail, and apologizing to everyone around me after accidental collisions. The way these players effortlessly slide and spin blows my mind.

“Here we go,” Aunt Dee says, sliding to the edge of her seat as the puck drops.