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“Relax,” I said drily. “I’m not going to fire you for watching…what are you watching?”

“It’s an old documentary about Adélie penguins in Antarctica.” Carina paused the video, her cheeks turning pink. “Sorry. I hope you don’t mind me using the den. I can leave and⁠—”

“It’s fine. Stay and finish it.”

I glanced out into the hall. I should check in on Evie, but I didn’t want to interrupt her practice and throw her off. She was a talented player, but she still had hang-ups about performing in front of other people. Hopefully, we could cure her stage fright before the recital, or we were in trouble.

There were other things I could do besides check on Evie, of course. Like call my agent and review my new sponsorship deals, or go over the final World Cup logistics for the US team this summer.

Instead, I pointed my chin at the seat next to Carina. “Mind if I join you?”

A flicker of surprise crossed her face before she smiled. “Not at all.”

I tossed my gym bag on the floor and sank onto the couch. I made sure to put as much distance between us as possible. “Catch me up on what’s happening. What’s the documentary about?”

Her smile widened. “I thought you’d never ask.”

For the next ten minutes, she speed-ran me through the surprisingly dramatic lives of penguins. Harsh winters and constant survival battles were juxtaposed alongside tender family moments and even love stories. Unfortunately, I’d walked in on a darker moment, after one of them got snatched by a leopard seal.

“Jesus,” I said when she finished. “That’s sad.”

“It is, but that’s nature. They live in such a brutal environment, yet they keep going anyway. Their resilience is one of the things I love about them. But if it makes you feel better, the documentary ends with the birth of the cutest little chick.” Carina’s blush deepened when I arched a surprised eyebrow. “I may have watched this before. Like, a dozen or more times before.”

“It’s that good?”

“You’re asking the wrong person. I can’t be objective since this film is the reason penguins are my favorite animal. I’ve been obsessed since I was a kid.” She gave me a sheepish smile. “It’s also why I’ve taken on so many side gigs over the years. I’ve been saving up for a trip to Antarctica so I can see them in person.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“We don’t know a lot of things about each other.”

That was by design. I’d avoided asking my friends questions about Carina in case it gave them the wrong idea.

Part of me was glad I had. I loved hearing her talk about her interests firsthand. Her whole face had lit up when she was explaining the documentary, and her words had tumbled forth like she couldn’t get them out fast enough.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been that excited about anything other than football. And even football didn’t give me the same high it used to.

“What made you watch this as a kid?” I asked. “Nature documentaries aren’t usually popular with the under-twelve crowd.”

She laughed. “No, they’re not. My dad thought it was a kids’ movie and put it on for me after school. I was a big cartoon girl, so I don’t know why this worked for me. It just…did. I think it’s because I liked how close-knit the penguins are. They survive in part because they have such a strong community. I feel like humans could learn some lessons from them.” There was a small pause. “Or maybe I liked them simply because they’re cute. Their little waddles? Adorable.”

My mouth curled with amusement. “Two things can be true at the same time.”

“What about you? What’s your favorite animal? Besides a cat or a dog,” she added. “Those are cop-out answers. Give me something unique.”

It took me less than a minute to come up with my answer. “A bearded dragon.”

Carina’s eyebrows winged up. “Interesting. Why?”

“They look scary, but they’re generally very chill and friendly. Classic example of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’ Plus they can sleep standing up, which is a handy skill to have. There are tons of photos of them sleeping in ridiculous positions.” I shrugged. “Cute animals like kittens and bunnies already get plenty of attention. I figure the stranger-looking ones need some love too.”

Carina’s mouth twitched. “Looks scary but is a softie underneath. Sounds familiar.”

“Are you comparing me to a bearded dragon?”

“I would never. You, a softie? Please.” But her grin said otherwise. “Out of curiosity, what was your favorite movie as a kid?”

That was an easy one. “Jurassic Park.”