Page 34 of Run Free

Clara shivered, and I wondered just what he meant by that, but something told me not to ask. She smiled when she noticed me.

“Jacob, this is my mate, Gage,” she said. The man looked shocked. Clearly he hadn’t heard our good news.

“Mate? I didn’t know you’d taken a mate. Congratulations!” Jacob said, shaking my hand vigorously. “But we just saw each other, and you didn’t mention a thing. How? When?”

Clara beamed up at me. “I guess we have you to thank for that. I found him here.”

“Your true mate?” he asked.

She nodded, taking my hand and squeezing it. “My one true mate.”

“Extraordinary! I always feared this job would keep you from taking a mate. I’m very happy for the both of you,” he said, and it felt like he genuinely meant it.

“Gage has been heading up restoration where Rick was slacking. He’s the man I was telling you about. I’m hoping he’ll agree to come on permanently,” Dave told him.

“Yes, yes, of course. I’ve heard many good things, and we could guarantee you and Clara are always assigned to the same missions. It would be perfect,” Jacob insisted.

The more I thought about it, the more I agreed, but I wasn’t ready to admit that to them yet. I really did want to discuss it with Clara and see how she felt about it first. It was strange wanting to include her in such life-changing decisions. It wasn’t just a courtesy thing, either; I wanted to know her opinion on it and weigh that in on my final verdict.

I saw Chelsea and the guys walking over and excused myself. I still had work to do. Everyone was anxious to finish the assignments and get back home. They had been away from their families for weeks and while Clara and I still had a few days left, the others would be free to leave once the elephants were safely and happily back in their home—or as happily as life in captivity could be. I still struggled with that concept.

We worked hard in the hot sun, breaking only for a quick lunch. On Clara’s breaks, she stopped by and delivered cold water bottles to everyone, fussing at us to stay hydrated. Chelsea commented it wasn’t something she usually did and teased that we were getting special treatment because of me. I couldn’t deny the fact that I was okay with that.

We pushed even harder through the afternoon, and just as the sun began to drop and cool things off, we finished. A round of cheers went up and I praised and thanked each and every person. They had dug deep and made it happen. More importantly, they’d all played a part in making my angel very happy.

Exhausted and exhilarated, I felt like a new man. I was done wallowing in self-pity or worrying I wasn’t good enough for Clara. The past needed to stay in the past. Shitty things happened to good people and I couldn’t let that define me as a man. I had been given a new lease on life and I wasn’t going to blow it.

Clara was mine. Not just some responsibility I now held, but mine in every way, to hold and cherish, and chase away the fears and emptiness inside. I wanted to put a smile on her face every moment of every day, even knowing that life wouldn’t always be sunshine and roses. Being with her was changing me, but I wasn’t going to fight it, because I liked the man I was with her.

After everyone had time to shower and change, we headed into town and met up at the diner Clara and I had eaten at. There was a feeling of celebration in the air as the job came to a close. It was a comradery I had rarely experienced in my life and enjoyed immensely.

We sat with Dave and Jacob, and just about everyone stopped by our table to thank and congratulate Clara on her first big leadership role, and to my surprise, they thanked and congratulated me on a job well done, too.

I felt bad for the waitresses handling our rowdy group and dropped an extra hundred dollar tip as thanks for putting up with us. When the meal was done and they still wanted to sit around and talk, I suggested moving our group over to the only bar in town.

It was karaoke night and all the locals were out for the event. Chelsea tried to convince Clara to sing with her, but she vehemently refused. I couldn’t help but smile at how adamant she was about not getting up in front of people.

I walked over to the DJ with Chelsea and looked over the playlist, picking a slow ballad I thought Clara might like. I didn’t tell her and enjoyed the shocked look on her face when my name was called.

I knew I could sing well. Playing and singing on a street corner when someone would lend me a guitar or let me sing with them was just one way I got around when I needed a little quick cash.

I took the mic and waved to the crowd giving them a sexy grin.

“This one’s for you, angel,” I said as the song began.

The crowd went nuts as I sang the final cord and jumped down off the stage. I walked straight to Clara and kissed her, letting every male in the room know she was mine. Her cheeks were flushed, and she had a dreamy look on her face as the audience cheered me on, requesting an encore that I politely declined.

“Shit, I’m not getting on that stage after you,” Chelsea whined. “Why didn’t you tell us you could actually sing? Karaoke is, like, for amateurs. No one will want to get up there now.”

She was wrong, as one terrible singer after another took the stage. We laughed and sang along with each of them. Even Clara relaxed and joined the fun.

By midnight most of our party was more than a little tipsy. A lot of them were staying at the local hotel and were able to safely stumble their way through town to walk to their rooms. I hadn’t had a single drink all night, and I noticed Clara didn’t either. Between the two of us, we rounded up the rest who were staying at the zoo and drove them back.

Once we had them all tucked in for the night, she let out a big breath. “That was insane.”

I laughed. “What? You don’t end every mission drunk in a karaoke bar?”

She snorted. “I’ve never actually been out with them after a mission. Usually we all have our own assignments, and then we just leave when they’ve been completed. This entire mission has been crazy, unlike any other.”

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