Alicia flung her arms around her. “Thank you so much. You’re such a good friend, Han. You saved my life and my dream.”
Hannah left her to get settled before they all sat down to dinner together. Just as she predicted, it took Coco all of two minutes before falling in love with their new houseguest.
By dessert they were best friends.
CHAPTER 10
After a couple of weeks, it was official that Mei-Ping’s residence at the Mapleton Regional Zoo was a success. Which meant they could keep him permanently.
The interns and other staff of the zoo were having an informal celebration on Friday night. Someone had made punch while a few others had opened a couple of packets of potato chips. It wasn’t exactly well catered but the mood was lively and happy anyway.
Who needed canapés when they had a panda?
Hannah found Harry in the crowd, chatting away with Alicia as her hands moved wildly about. They made room for her as soon as she was spotted.
“And here’s my lifesaver,” Alicia said, giving Hannah yet another hug. She did that a lot now, only one day since moving in.
Hannah ignored the compliment and moved on. “Great news about Mei-Ping, huh?”
“I know, right?” Alicia said. “I’m going to see what gossip Anna has. I’ll catch you later, guys.” She gave Hannah a purposeful wink as she excused herself.
Hannah hoped Harry hadn’t noticed. He gave her a big grin. “It seems like ages since I’ve seen you. You look as beautiful as ever.”
She looked down at her zoo uniform, covered in mud and what she suspected was poop. “Yeah, real hot. Our rosters seem to be conspiring against us, aren’t they?”
“Yeah. Maybe I should have a word with whoever does them? Ask them what they have against us working together.”
Hannah panicked with the idea of him investigating further. Logan did the rosters and she helped. The last thing she needed was Harry demanding they all work together. “I’m sure they’ll switch it up again soon. Are you still keen for that second date?”
“Do you really need to ask?” Harry’s brilliant blue eyes were sparkling with the reflection of the party lights. “Of course I want to go out with you again. I promise I’ll make it something epic.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“It’s a good thing what you’re doing for Alicia, you know.”
Hannah felt a blush rising, she didn’t need people to think it was a big deal. Alicia needed help and she could help her, it wasn’t something that needed discussing. “Anyone would have done the same thing. Besides, Mom loves her. Alicia will be begging to move out soon.”
Harry laughed and she felt all the tension leave her. “Coco’s not so bad.”
“No, she isn’t,” Hannah agreed, just as her phone beeped with a text message. She looked at the screen. “I need to go to the admin building. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
“Yeah, of course. Do you want me to walk you there?”
“No, it’s cool. Enjoy the party, make sure Alicia doesn’t drink too much of the spiked punch.”
Harry saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”
Hannah shook her head as the smile quirked her lips. She left the party and headed down the windy stairs to the building at the end designated for all the administrative work.
The text had been from Logan, asking her to help him out with something. There had been no more details, leaving Hannah buzzing with curiosity as she reached the building.
Logan, as head of the interns, had his own office. He rarely used it but his name was printed on the door in neat lettering anyway. Hannah knocked before entering the small room.
Logan spun around on his chair, having to grab the desk to stop himself. “Hey, it’s Hannah the Spectacular! Thanks for coming. Did you get my text or are you just psychic?”
“I saw your text.” She sat across from him when he gestured to the chair. “What’s up? Everything is okay with the animals, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, nothing like that.”
Silence settled in the room, the only sound being the distant calls of the animals and the tapping of Logan’s pencil on the paper pad on his desk.
Hannah couldn’t take the suspense much longer. “So… do you need help with something?”
Logan startled as if just remembering she was still there and they were in the middle of a conversation. His foot tapped on the floor. “Yeah, actually, there was something I wanted to discuss with you. I’m doing an operation on a lemur tomorrow morning. Poor thing has a sore tooth which needs to come out. I was wondering if you wanted to assist with that? Oh, and also I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me? Separate issues, of course. I’d never take you to an operating theater for a date.”
Hannah tried to absorb all the words that had been thrown her way. There were so many of them she wasn’t entirely sure she had heard right.
“You’re asking me out on a date? Like a real boy/girl date?” She wished she had a better way of asking, instead of sounding like a third grader.
“Yeah. You know, if you want to. I like you and I was hoping you liked me. And if not, I’m hopeful I could convince you I was worth dating about midway through the said date.”
All the blood rushing through her veins thundered in her ears. Logan spoke so fast that it was making her head spin trying to keep up with him.
After a few moments of staring at him, she realized he was actually asking her out on a date. A real one. Which meant he liked her in a way more than a co-worker did.
“So is that a no?” Logan asked, finally speaking at regular speed.
“No.”
“So, no.”
“No,” Hannah said, wondering when it got so difficult to speak like a regular person. “No, I mean yes. I would like to help with the operation on the lemur and I’d like to go on a date with you.”
A bright smile flashed across Logan’s face. He all but lit up like a Christmas tree. “That’s great. It’s a date then. We take out the tooth at nine a.m. tomorrow and we’ll kick up our heels at six p.m. on Saturday. Okay with you?”
“Okay with me.”
“Looking forward to it,” Logan replied.
Hannah left the office in a daze, but in a good way. She went to return to the party but stopped partway down the path.
What was she going to tell Harry?
What had she done?
Also by the Author:
A Hairy Tail
Cinderella is Evil
Saving Rapunzel
Killing Snow White
Ugly Sleeping Beauty
Ashes to Ashes
A World Without Angels
Angel’s Uprising
All The Pretty Ghosts
I Am Never Alone
We Are Always Forever
Gifted
Ignite
Unite
Divide
Conquer
Soar
Rise
Dark Eyes: Cursed
Liar
Love Songs
Songbird
The Star Kissed Series
Through a Tangled Woods
Trouble
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Jamie Campbell grew up in the New South Wales town of Port Macquarie as the youngest of six children. She now resides on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
Writing since she could hold a pencil, Jamie’s passion for storytelling and wild imagination were often a cause for concern with her school teachers. Now that imagination is used for good instead of mischief.
Visit www.jamiecampbell.com.au now for exclusive website only content.
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