Page 21 of August

At the petting zoo, Rhomi and Mercer stayed to check in on the animals, and Lucius and Justus stopped at the security office, leaving August and Ginny alone.

“Do you have any questions?” August asked.

“About what?”

He shrugged. “The park, the people, the security systems, anything?”

“Not really,” she said. “I very much appreciate you making arrangements for this. It’s helped settle the doubt-demons in my head.”

His brows went high again. “What the heck are doubt-demons?”

“That’s what my grandma used to call them,” she said with a chuckle. “They’re the little voices of doubt in your head.”

“I like it. But I’m glad they’re being quiet now.”

“Me too. I don’t like feeling stressed and helpless.”

“You’re definitely not helpless, Ginny. Plus, I’ve got your back.”

August wanted to work on some hush-hush things for their date, so he walked her back to the petting zoo where she spent the morning hanging out with Rhomi and Mercer and playing with the baby animals until it was time for the park to open. August came to get her and they headed down to the private living area because no one thought it was a good idea for her to be topside in the park during operating hours as long as it was possible jackals might walk through the front gates.

Maybe someday she’d be able to be topside and not worry about someone trying to abduct her and troop her off to her grave, but that wasn’t going to be today.

The temperature was a little cool once the sun went down, so Ginny borrowed a warm jacket from one of the females mated to a gorilla, Lexy, who was human and mated to Win.

“Maybe we can have a girls’ day,” Lexy said as she watched Ginny put the coat on over the long-sleeved top and jeans.

“Oh, I second that,” Adriana, who was also human and mated to Zane, one of the gorillas, said as she sat on a stool at the counter of Lexy’s kitchen.

“Did you say a girls’ day or a girls’ night?” Lori asked, swiveling on the stool next to Adriana.

“Definitely a girls’ night,” Dani, who was mated to Neo, said. She was human too.

“So August said that Nathan and Patton are the only gorillas without a soulmate?” Ginny asked as she pulled her long, dark brown hair from the back of the coat and turned to face the females.

“Yep,” Dani said. “I’m sure they’re both super hopeful to meet their soulmates soon. Zane was the first one, right, Adriana?”

“Yes,” she said with a nod. “In fact, me and my bestie Celeste were the first two humans to have soulmates on the VIP tours. Everyone had really high hopes when there were two soulmates early on in the program, but it hasn’t been that successful.”

“I think,” Lori said, “that as long as there’s hope, the alphas will keep doing the tours. Even just one soulmate is worth the work and cost of the VIP tours.”

“I definitely agree,” Adriana said. “I wouldn’t have met Zane otherwise, and Celeste wouldn’t have met Jupiter. The park is a wonderful place, it’s just tough for the guys when they go years without finding their soulmate.”

Ginny had never really given having a soulmate a thought, even before her grandfather went crazy. But now she had August, and he was amazing. Sweet and sexy and protective.

Her parents would have loved him.

There was a knock at the door, and Lexy let out a little girly squeal. “I bet that’s your date!”

Ginny couldn’t help but smile. The females had all come over when they heard that Ginny was going to borrow one of Lexy’s coats. The trip to Lexy and Win’s home had turned into a half-hour chat fest, which she’d thoroughly enjoyed.

“I wonder what he’s going to do for your big date?” Dani asked. “The gorillas are so romantic!”

“They sure are,” Lori said with a smile.

August was waiting at the door with a bouquet of flowers. He wore a button-down shirt and jeans, and his eyes were sparkling with interest when Ginny joined Lexy at the door.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” he said, handing her the flowers.

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