Page 95 of Beauty and the Bayou

She finished her cup, swallowed the ibuprofen she’d brought with her, and fixed another cup.Ten minutes later, she was feeling a little better.

“This was bad timing,” Kennedy said from behind her.

Juliet turned.“What was—”

Her question was interrupted by the door swinging open and two little kids came running into the office already talking.

Kennedy’s entire demeanor changed in spite of her hangover.She lit up with a huge smile and slid off her stool.She rounded the counter and crouched to gather the little girl and boy into a hug.

“Hey, guys!Oh my gosh, you’re here!I’m so excited!”She seemed completely sincere, too.

Juliet wasn’t sure she’d seen Kennedy looking this friendly before.Then again, the kids were absolutely adorable and clearly ecstatic about being at the docks.

As the kids were greeting her and telling her about their baby sister and a trip to the aquarium, a big, good-looking guy stepped through the door.

Kennedy grinned up at him.

“Hey, Gabe, it’s great to see you guys.”

“Thrilled to be here,” Gabe said.“It’s been a while.”

“Are Logan and Caleb with you?”

“Logan’s girls had a dance competition this weekend and Caleb is working,” Gabe said.“But they said to say hi and they definitely want a rain check.”

Kennedy nodded.“Any time.You know that.I’m just so glad he texted you.I was shocked but—” She glanced in Juliet’s direction.“There have been some changes around here.”

The man followed her gaze and gave Juliet a smile.“Very glad to hear it.”He stepped forward and extended a hand to Juliet.“Hi, you must be Juliet.”

“I am.”She took his hand, completely puzzled.

“I’m Gabe Trahan.I’m a friend of Sawyer’s.”He glanced at Tori, who had slipped into the room from the other side of the building.“And Josh and Owen’s.”

“Josh used to work part-time for Gabe at his bar in New Orleans,” Tori said.“Josh and Owen and Sawyer have spent a lot of time up at Trahan’s with Gabe and his brother, Logan.”

“We’re very glad to be back down here with the gators in the wild, aren’t we, Stella?”Gabe asked the little girl.

“Soooo glad!”Stella nodded her head so hard her dark curls bounced.“It’s beenforever!”

“It feels like it,” Gabe agreed.He looked at Juliet again.“I’ve only got so many excuses for not building an alligator pond in my backyard.”

“Someone wants you to build an alligator pond in your backyard?”Juliet asked.

He pointed to Stella, who was now peering into the tanks full of frogs and turtles that Maddie had put on shelves in the room to occupy the tourist kids while they were waiting for their swamp tours.

“Did you know that Stella and Sawyer were engaged?”the little boy asked her.

Juliet’s eyes widened.“Is that right?”

“Because he’s got the boats and the alligators,” Stella said, turning back.“But he’s old.And he hunts the alligators.”She frowned.“When he works for me, I’m not going to let him do that though.”

“You’re going to have a swamp boat tour company?”Juliet asked her.

“I’m going to havethisswamp boat tour company.”

The girl had to be about nine, but she seemed determined and very sure of her career path.Juliet figured there was time for her to learn about conservation measures and other reasons that keeping animal populations under control was important.

“It’s nice that you’ll let the guys still work for you,” Juliet said.

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