Page 50 of Alistair

Conversation flowed around the table as they discussed the day ahead and the various tasks, getting ready for the summer when the number of patrons coming into the park would increase significantly, and the VIP tours.

When they were finished with breakfast and made their way up to the norms’ paddock to take care of them, Maggie said, “So the VIP tours were meant to bring in single men and women in the hopes that they’d be soulmates?”

“Yes.”

“How successful has it been?”

“Not very. There have been a few soulmates who have come on the tour, but most of the time, the coupon-holders aren’t a match for anyone. It doesn’t matter,” he said as he opened the door in the floor of the norms’ maintenance building, “because even just one soulmate brought here with a coupon is worth it. We keep trying to find new ways to send out the coupons, change up designs, and try other things to bring in unmated males and females, but all we can really do is hope for the best.”

“I think it’s a pretty neat idea.”

“Did you ever get a coupon in the mail?” He prepped the food for the norms, adding vitamins to the mix. He pointed to the bag of carrots that one of the others had placed on the table earlier that morning, and Maggie picked it up, extracting the bunch of carrots and tossing the bag in the trash.

“I don’t think so. But I might have thought it was some kind of scam or junk mail depending on what it looked like.”

“We’ve heard that before,” he said with a chuckle.

Opening the door to the paddock, he said, “We’ve got dinner with the memory tonight. Tomorrow, I can run you to your apartment so you can pack some things to bring here.”

“That would be great.” She looked at him curiously. “Were you not allowed to stay at my apartment overnight orsomething? You always said you had early mornings, but when I stayed with you, we didn’t get up that early.”

“It’s a rule that no one can stay outside of the park overnight.” He told her how Win had accidentally shifted into his gorilla overnight while he was sleeping with his soulmate, Lexy—before she knew shifters were real.

“Holy crap, I would shit a brick if I woke up next to you and you were an elephant!”

He let out a loud laugh. “I kind of doubt anyone could sleep through that.”

She giggled. “I’m just picturing you ruining the bed in the process. Wow, Lexy must have been so scared.”

“She was, but it all worked out in the end and they’re very happy together.” He pulled her close and kissed her. “I can’t get enough of you, Maggie. You’re addictive in the very best way.”

A dimple formed in her cheek as she smiled. “I feel the very same way.” He released her slowly, reluctantly, and smoothed her shirt. “I just have one question.”

“What’s that, sweetheart?”

“When’s lunch?”

Monday afternoon, after the norms had been fed and taken care of, Alistair drove Maggie to her apartment so she could pack. She’d noticed a vehicle following them after they left the park, and he explained that no one left the park alone because they’d had issues from time to time with bad guys wanting to harm them.

She shouldn’t have been surprised that there was a whole other world going on with the shifters, who seemed to be everywhere but still unknown to humans.

“They’re going to help you pack too,” Alistair said.

“That’s nice,” she said. “I’ve lived in this place for a while, and I might be a bit of a knick-knack hoarder.”

“I’ve got a whole bookshelf you can put whatever you want on, and we can always get another one.”

“Oh right, my books,” she said with a chuckle. “You may need to go ahead and pick up another bookshelf or two.”

When they arrived at her apartment, she was surprised to see a large bouquet of flowers on the front porch that were wilted as if they’d been there for a while.

She glanced at Alistair, who shook his head. “Those aren’t from me.”

“I didn’t think so, because that wouldn’t make sense since we’ve been together this whole time.”

Her stomach twisted into a knot as she got out of the SUV and walked toward her front door. The huge bouquet was in a white vase that was inside a shallow cardboard box. She took the envelope from the card holder and opened it.

I remembered that pink lilies were your favorite. Please forgive me. Let’s talk about the future. XX Seth

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