Page 9 of Lucius

Brent put the walkie back on the desk. “Joss said you’ve got the tour from two to three with your soulmate. Until then, he suggests showing her around the park and getting lunch.”

“That’s exactly what I had in mind. Thanks, guys.”

“Hey, you give us hope,” Felix said. “I can’t believe she came here with an email coupon and she’s your soulmate. It’s amazing.”

Lucius nodded. It was more than amazing, it was perfect.

Rapping his knuckles on the desktop, he smiled at the males and hurried back to his soulmate.

Her head was down and her pencil was scratching along the surface of the sketchbook. She seemed to sense he was near because her pencil stopped moving and she lifted her head to look at him. A smile lit her face and made him momentarily stunned.

“I’ve got some great news,” he said. He told her about the plans for a truly private tour for a full hour. “I don’t know how long it takes you to sketch things, but you can spend more time at each paddock.”

“That’s so cool.” She looked at her smartwatch. “I think I’ll go get a burger of the day and find something else to sketch. Maybe the carousel since I don’t think it’s too far from the burger stall.”

“Would you like some company?”

Please say yes.

Her brows lifted. “I’d love some. Don’t you have to work, though?”

“I’m off for the afternoon, actually.” Which was true now, thankfully. Once a male found his soulmate, everyone knew he’d want to spend time with her if possible. Lucius had filled in for his friends and other shifters when they’d needed to vacate their jobs for their soulmate.

He was thankful he was surrounded by such helpful people.

She closed her sketchbook and put it and the pencil away.

“Do you know what the burger of the day is?” she asked as they walked down the line to leave the tour area.

“Mushroom swiss,” he said. “I was going to get one for lunch myself because it sounded really good.”

“That might be my favorite kind of burger,” she said.

“So tell me about being an artist,” he said as they made their way to the burger stall, where Lucy and Tarquin were serving up the burger of the day along with fries and drinks. “Did you go to school to learn how to draw like that?”

She blushed, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink that he adored.

“No. I’ve taken some classes online and at the library, but my mom couldn’t afford to send me to school and I don’t make enough money at my job to send myself. So I’m self-taught. Lots of online videos and following people on social media who share tips for drawing.”

“I’d love to see what else you’ve drawn, but your sketchbook looks pretty new.”

“I wanted to start a new sketchbook today. I have pictures in my phone, I’d be happy to show you some things I’ve done.”

They reached the burger kiosk, which had a line of about ten people. He waved at Tarquin as they walked by and got in line.

While they waited, she showed him a dozen pictures on her phone of drawings she’d done of animals, the detailed drawings looking like something worthy of being framed and hung on a wall.

“I noticed you don’t have any lion pictures,” he said.

“Well, I’ve never seen a lion in person,” she said. “But I will today at the safari. Is that your favorite animal?”

“Yep.”

She smiled up at him. “I’ll draw a picture of one just for you.”

Maybe someday he could shift for her and she could draw him. Now that would be incredible.

“I’d love that.”

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