Page 25 of Bigfoot's Bride

I take the plate, sniffing tentatively. It's...pungent.

“I had to use honey since I couldn't find syrup," she announces as though the statement explains what I’m looking at.

She waits, watching me with hopeful expectation as I take a bite, fighting back a grimace as the charred, overly-sweet concoction hits my tongue.

Her face falls. "You hate it."

"No, no! It's great. Really." I shovel in another mouthful to prove my point. "Best pancakes I've ever had." I chew with all the gusto I can muster. "Delicious," I lie through my fangs. But the way I see it, a little white lie never hurt anybody. Especially when it puts a smile on my mate's face.

And it does. Kiki beams. "I'm glad you like them! I was worried they might be a little overdone."

I just smile and try not to wince as I force myself to swallow the bite in my mouth.

"I need to head over to Eden this morning. I've got to tend to the gardens. You're welcome to join me if you'd like?"

Kiki glances down at her rumpled clothing. "I should probably hit the dorm. I need to grab a fresh change of clothes and check in with the other women. But maybe we could meet up later?"

"Definitely. There's another event tonight. A hootenanny."

“Hootenanny,” she repeats, her forehead furrowing. “Right, well then, it's a date."

As luck would have it, Kiki turns her back to me and, quick as a flash, I seize my chance to scrape the remaining “Kiki Special” into the trash.

Chapter 17

Kiki

Once again, I slip into the dorm room, hoping to fly under the radar. The moment I close the door behind me, four pairs of eyes zero in on me like heat-seeking missiles. Busted.

"Whadda ya know," Steph singsongs, her freckled face split in a cheshire cat grin. "Someone just waltzed in doing the strut of shame."

I glance around, taking in the scene. The girls are lounging on a plush fur rug, each cradling an iPad. And Frank, our custodian-in-training is here too, perched on the edge of a split-log chair.

"Funny," I roll my eyes as I plop down next to Bambi. "I don't remember buying a ticket to this comedy show."

Bambi cocks a perfectly arched eyebrow at me. "Spill, sister. Where were you all night? Wait, don't tell us. We already know." She punctuates her words with an exaggerated wink.

Heat creeps up my neck as the others chime in with a chorus of "oohs" and kissy noises. Mature, ladies. Real mature.

I'm saved from further interrogation by Frank, who clears his throat awkwardly. "Right. So, as I was saying, you eachget an iPad to order any clothing or personal items you need. Everything will be delivered to an Amazon locker topside and my grandfather—he's the current custodian—or I will bring it down for you."

I accept the sleek device and begin scrolling, not sure what I want. It’s not as though there’s a haute couture of Grotto since the Sasquatches don’t wear clothes. That's when it registers there’s a new face among us. Well, not entirely new. It's the woman who fainted when we first arrived.

"Hey there," I greet her with a smile. "I'm Maria, aka the chick who screamed like a freak and probably triggered your fainting spell. Sorry about that."

She returns my smile, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Deborah. And no worries, I'm pretty sure it was the whole 'underground city of mythical creatures' thing that did me in."

I laugh, but it fades quickly as I take in her appearance. She's still thin, of course, but she looks far less gaunt than she did two days ago, and the dark circles under her eyes are gone. She appears healthier. Grotto must agree with her.

"Deborah was with Dafydd last night," Steph chimes in, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh really?" I lean forward, curiosity piqued. "Do tell."

Deborah blushes, ducking her head. "It's not like that. He was just...very kind."

"Kind, huh?" Bambi gives a knowing smirk.

"We were ready to break down the door and rescue you," Steph admits, looking sheepish. "You know, in case he was holding you hostage or something."

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