Page 57 of Botched

Once we’re settled into Theo’s Porsche, he pulls out of the parking space and starts driving. Resting my elbow on the car door and supporting my chin in my palm, I watch my small-town turn into the highway which turns into the nearest cityscape. “Once again, I’m going to ask, where are we going?”

Theo sighs. “You are the worst person to surprise, aren’t you?” When I don’t answer, he continues. “We’re going to the zoo.”

I turn to look at Theo as he taps his fingers against the steering wheel. “The zoo?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Yeah, Iheardyou. It’s—” Theo taking me to thezoois very weird. It’s not expected. Sure, I should probably expect the unexpected when he’s involved, but the zoo came out of the blue. “Why the zoo?”

“Do you not want to go?”

“Not what I said, Theodore.”

A smirk tugs at his lips. “God, I’ve missed you saying my name like that.” He shakes his head and gets back on track. “Anyway. The zoo. Because you’re sad and having a shit time right now. The zoo’s a good distraction.”

“I—okay, that’s good reasoning.”

“Yeah, I know.”

I’m beginning to feel normal again. If I can keep riding this wave of normal, it’ll all be okay. Unfortunately, that’s not how moods work. It’ll ebb and flow, especially when something cuts as deeply as what happened to me. I’m not sure how I’ll face worknext week or the week after that, if I even have a job when it’s all said and done.

When we arrive at the zoo, Theo pulls into a parking spot. As we walk to the ticketing gate, his hand goes back to my back. I try to pay for my ticket, but he doesn’t let me. He glares at me, snatches my wallet, and holds it away from me until he can tap his card and pay.

Once we're inside, there’s a fork. Left to the flamingos or right toward the elephants.

Obviously, I go for the elephants.

Theo follows along behind me as I lead the way toward the elephant exhibit. The zoo isn’t insanely crowded today. There are still families with small children and groups of tourists, but I guide us around them to an open spot along the fence.

I hop up on the curb, lifting my chin over the black metal so I can peer inside with ease. “Oh mygod,” I gush. “Look at the baby!”

There’s a baby elephant following right by its mother. It hides by her legs, occasionally peering around, but mostly focusing on its mother.

Theo’s larger body is right behind me. His chest is pressed against my back, locking me in. It’s comfortable and I try not to think about that. If I let those thoughts linger, then I’m right back to looking eye to eye with the truth of my feelings for him. I can’t do that right now. Not when everything that happened with Austin is so fresh.

“Adorable,” Theo drawls, resting his chin on my shoulder. I get the feeling that the baby elephant isn’t melting his heart the same way it is mine, but he doesn’t complain. We stay there, watching as long as I want.

I could look at the sweet baby all day, but I don’t want to bore Theo to death. So, with one last look at the baby, I slip away. He stays by my side, hand on my back as we walk to the next exhibit.

Until I get sidetracked.

I notice the directional sign pointing to important exhibits. The big cats, the monkeys, the bears, and the petting zoo.

“Theo, do they have pigs?”

“What?”

“The petting zoo. Do they have pigs?”

Caramel eyes look down at me, an eyebrow raised as he shrugs a shoulder. “I think so, yeah. Why?”

Not giving him an answer, my hand reaches for his. With ease, I intertwine our fingers and tug him in the direction of the petting zoo.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

THEODORE

“Iamnotsitting down there with you.”

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