Cael (Were Zoo Book 11) by R. Butler (best e reader for academics .txt) 📗

“You’ll come find me in the office?”

He offered her his trunk, and she helped herself up with it. He nodded and she smiled at him.

“I’ll miss you.”

She picked up the bucket, and he followed her to the shed. He could hear a Jeep rumbling near, and she hurried into the shed and waved at him before closing the door so that the VIP didn’t see her leave the paddock.

“Love you,” she called through the door.

He gave a happy rumble and listened to her open the door in the floor and then shut it again. She’d head back to the security office to make the albums for the day’s VIPs.

The afternoon dragged, and he was going crazy without his sweetheart, but Alistair insisted that even mated males had to spend time in the paddocks for the tours, so he grudgingly agreed.

When the last tour had left the area, they waited for the patrol to come by and let them know it was safe to shift back, which took anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour, depending on how quick the tour finished up and the humans were all gone from the area. He hurried to the shed and shifted as soon as he was inside, relief flooding him at being able to see Novi soon.

He was tugging on his jeans when Kelley came inside and shifted. “I take it you’re excited to go see Novi?”

“You know it. Isn’t it hard for you to be away from Rhapsody?”

“Absolutely, but it would look weird if she posed as a handler and had Khap in a carrier on her back. It’s just safer for them to be home and away from the public eye.”

“Good point. I heard you’re on kid-duty while the girls hang out. Want some company?”

“That would be great. We can watch a movie.”

“Sounds good.”

Cael said goodbye and hurried down the stairs, making his way back up to the employee cafeteria. He crossed the park to the security office and saw through the windows that Novi was handing a photo album to a young woman. He waited outside until they were finished. Novi opened the door for the woman and said, “Enjoy the park!”

“Thank you for the album, it’s so cute.”

Novi waved at the woman as she walked away and then smiled at Cael. “That was the last book. I’m hungry for ice cream.”

“I thought you were eating in the market with Rhapsody?”

“We are, but that’s not for two more hours. I’m ready for a treat.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“See ya later, Javan,” she called into the office.

“Have a good night, Novi,” Javan called back.

She stepped into Cael’s arms and gave him a hug. “Missed you,” he said.

“I missed you too.”

They walked toward the ice cream stand that was run by Tayme and his mate, Rory. He took Novi’s hand and told her he was going to hang out with Kelley and Khap while she and Rhapsody had their girls’ night.

“That sounds fun. He’s such a cutie.”

“He is.”

“I can’t wait to have a baby. But I’d like to get married first.”

“Absolutely. My parents will want to come out for the wedding, even if we do something small.”

“I’ve always wanted a fall wedding, when the leaves are so pretty.”

“That sounds perfect. I guess I better come up with a romantic proposal.”

She stopped walking and he thought she was going to say something teasing to him, but when he looked at her, she was staring over her shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“That’s...my mom.”

He looked in the direction she was, and his brows went up. Lori was seated at a picnic table with a burger and fries basket in front of her. Across from her was the gorilla alpha Atticus, who also had a burger and fries basket, but his basket had two burgers in it instead of just one. They were smiling and talking in between bites.

“Wow,” he said.

“Who is that?” Novi asked.

“Atticus.”

She turned to look at Cael with a questioning look and he mouthed “gorilla.”

“Ah. I knew the name sounded familiar. I wonder when that happened.”

“She didn’t say anything to you about meeting him?”

“No, but I haven’t talked to her since dinner last night.” Novi glanced once more at her mom and then smiled at Cael. “My mom made a friend.”

“It seems so.”

They continued on their walk to the ice cream stand. “Do you think they might be soulmates?”

“It’s possible. But like you said, they could just be friends having dinner.”

“Either way, I’m really happy for her. She deserves to have a friend other than me. I’m certainly much happier with you in my life.”

“Aw,” he said, “I’m much happier too.”

They stopped at the ice cream stand and got in line.

“I think,” she said, “that my favorite thing about the park is the tour where we met. But the ice cream stand is a close second.”

“Me too. My life changed for the better that day.”

“Mine too.”

They got ice cream cones and walked around the park, enjoying their time together before they parted for a few hours to spend time with their friends. He couldn’t believe how much had changed for him since she’d come into his life, but he’d never been happier. Soon he’d ask her to marry him, and they’d have a fall wedding like she wanted. And then they’d have a baby, and hopefully more than one, to fill up their home with love and laughter.

He was feeling damn sentimental as he kissed her goodbye and went to hang out with Kelley and Khap.

Novi was the most amazing female he’d ever met, and that she loved him and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him made him thank his lucky stars for the day the VIP tour coupon showed up in her mailbox addressed to someone else.

That little mix-up