by R. E. Butler
“Me too. Thanks for your help. I need to get back to work.”
“I should too, but I’d rather stay here and ogle the cutie behind the counter,” Justus said.
Cael shook his head with a laugh as he left the shop. He knew he didn’t have to check with Novi to see if she liked the idea of the steak house, because she’d told him she wanted to be surprised.
And he was definitely hoping to surprise her in more ways than one.
Chapter Seven
As Novi got ready for work on Tuesday, she mulled over what to say to her mom. Novi was working until four, and then Cael was picking her up for their date at six. She had no idea what he was planning because she’d asked him to surprise her. All she knew was that she should dress casually. On Monday, she’d found a cute denim mini skirt in the donation bin at the store, and matched it with a turquoise top with short, ruffled sleeves. The clothes hung in her closet, freshly washed and ironed.
Despite being ready to see Cael again—more than ready, actually—she hadn’t told her mom anything yet. Not about the safari tour or meeting Cael or the hours they’d spent on the phone talking since meeting on Saturday. She was head over heels for him, and she’d only spent a couple hours in person with him. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they were fated to meet, that he was her Mr. Right, and there was an answering echo of contentment within that part of her that felt feral.
And there was something Cael had said to her the day they met that she hadn’t been able to shake.
He’d asked if she took after her father physically.
At the time, she’d thought he might mean the growling and other odd physical stuff, but she’d convinced herself that he must mean did she actually look like her father. But now, she was almost one hundred percent sure that Cael knew there was something different about her and it was related to her father. She just wished she could talk to her mom about that without her freaking out.
It begged the question—was there something different, really different, about her father that she’d inherited?
Was the part of her that felt like a feral barn cat when she got emotional more than just simple emotions?
She wanted to confide in Cael, but she was afraid he’d think she was nuts. And what would she say anyway? That she thought her dad was part animal and she’d inherited some of it too?
Shaking her head, she finished tying her tennis shoes and grabbed her phone from the dresser.
Taking in a deep breath, she opened her bedroom door and walked into the kitchen to find her mom stirring honey into a mug of steaming tea and looking at her phone.
“Morning,” Novi said. She grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter and sat, rubbing the shiny skin and thinking about what she would say.
“Hello, did you sleep well?”
“Not particularly.”
“Oh?” Her mom looked up at her. “What kept you up?”
This was it. It was tell her now or keep hiding the truth.
“I met a guy.”
“At work?”
“No...at the park.”
Her mom’s brows dropped down, a wrinkle forming between them. “What park?”
For a moment, Novi didn’t say anything, but she decided in that split second that she didn’t want to hide anything from her mom about Cael because she liked him, and she thought there might be more there than just a guy she could date for a while and have fun with.
She thought Cael might be her future.
“I went to the safari park on Saturday afternoon, and after the tour, I met a guy named Cael there. He’s the vet for the safari animals. We ate dinner together, and he took me into one of the paddocks to meet Tank, the park’s mascot, and we’ve been talking on the phone ever since.”
The words rushed out of her like a dam breaking, and she inhaled deeply to catch her breath when she was done.
Her mom said nothing, just stared at her with the same brown eyes Novi had herself.
“I told you it wasn’t safe,” her mom said finally. “Places like that use photos for publicity all the time. Your father could see your picture and know where we are.”
“Mom, we haven’t seen him in almost two years. We’ve moved three times since then, and there’s no reason to think he’s watching advertisements for a safari park on the East Coast.” Novi rubbed her temple. “Aren’t you tired of running? Because I am.”
“For a guy.” Her mom’s brow arched, her gaze boring into Novi.
“Yes. No. Not just him. But I really like him.”
“You don’t know him.”
“I know enough about him to know I want to see where it goes. I don’t want to fall in love with him and then have to disappear because we may or may not still be on my father’s radar.”
Yes, she was very sure her father was dangerous. He’d made that abundantly clear. And there was also the pesky little fact that he didn’t think Novi should even be alive.
“Do you think there’s something different about him?” Novi blurted out.
“Who?”
“My father.”
Her mom’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I mean really different. Like not...” She let the sentence die. Was she really going to say she wanted to know if her mom thought her dad wasn’t fully human? It was too incredible to consider. But then she thought about how she felt when she was around Cael. That rumbly part of her liked him. A lot. Maybe even loved him a little already.
Novi pushed her hair back from her face and said, “I just want to stay, Mom. I don’t want you to be afraid anymore. I don’t want to be afraid. I feel safe with Cael, and I think you’ll like him too. I know you will, because you love me, and you want me to be happy. Did you really think that we could live our entire lives without actually living? Aren’t you ready for more, for better than just existing and always watching over our shoulders?”
Her mom went silent again, and Novi wanted to let out a growl in frustration.
“He...um…” Her mom cleared her throat. “He purred. Or growled, I guess. When we were...together.” Her cheeks pinked and she averted her gaze. “I thought he was playing at being a tough guy, I even told him I thought he sounded like a cat. He got offended, but then he laughed and said he was just a growly guy by nature. When I told him I was pregnant, he was mad. He accused me of lying to try to trap him. His eyes changed color. They went from brown to pale blue—it was so startling that I never forgot it. When he tried to snatch you when you were two, his fingernails were black and sharp, and he had fangs in his mouth. I was terrified. I see that image in my dreams, of him trying to slash at you while my sister and I fought him back and kept you safe.” She touched her arm and lifted her sleeve, showing Novi a set of scars on the underside of her arm. “He grabbed me. I wrenched my arm away and got these. I told you they were from a childhood pet, but they were from your father.”
Novi stared mutely at her mom. She’d never told her so much about him.
Keir.
“But to answer your questions,” her mom continued, “yes, I’m tired. Tired of running, tired of being scared. But I’ll never stop wanting you to be safe. You think because we haven’t seen him that we’re safe, but I don’t know if we are. I’m afraid to lose you. He wanted you dead, Novi. He’s come after you more than once.”
“Mom, I feel safe with Cael.”
“Why? Because he’s good-looking?”
“I never said he was.”
Her mom rolled her eyes. “I’m sure he is.”
“Well, yeah, he is, but that’s not why. I feel connected to him in a way I can’t really explain. I miss him terribly and I want to see him again.” She rubbed the space over her heart. “Whatever my father is, whatever...other thing is within him, it’s in me too. And I think it’s why I want to be with Cael. He might be my forever guy.”
“Might be?”
“I don’t want to jinx it.”
Her mom snorted and then closed her eyes with a groan.
“I need to know that if I feel we’re in danger, if I truly sense it, that you’ll trust me.”
“Of course I trust you.”
Her mom opened her eyes, leveling a serious look at Novi. “Maybe this man of yours will keep you safe; that’s what I’ve always wanted. I know you’ve been lonely all these years with just the two of us. You were bound to meet a man at some point, so I’m not surprised. I am surprised that you defied me, but I’m not mad. I’ll want to meet him, of course. If you’re going on a date, then you need to go about it the right way. I expect him to come to the door for you and to meet me.” She narrowed her gaze. “Does he know?”
“Yes.”
“Even your tendencies that are like your father’s?”
“Yeah.”
“I hope you’ve placed your trust in the right man, Novi, I truly do. I once trusted a man, and it put a target on my back. While I wouldn’t trade you for anything in the world, I do wish that we hadn’t been in danger all this time.”
“Maybe my father’s moved on,” Novi said, sounding more hopeful than she actually felt.
“I guess we’ll see.”
Novi smiled and stood, then hugged her mom. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Just be careful.”
“I will, I promise.”
Novi left for work, her steps feeling lighter than they had in years. She had a date and her mom’s blessing, and she’d learned a lot more about her father. While things were still a mystery, she thought she could tell Cael and he’d understand. Maybe there was even something more to him than met the eye too. She certainly thought there might be, otherwise why would she feel so connected to him after such a short time?
* * *
Novi fiddled with her hair, growling in frustration as the braid she was attempting to use as a headband refused to cooperate. Finally, she twisted the offending locks away from her face and clipped them, fingering out the soft curls she’d placed at the bottom of her long hair.
She’d been on dates before, but she never dated a guy more than a few times because of her mom’s insistence that she not get too close to anyone when they might have to leave suddenly. This date with Cael felt so different, though.
Monumental.
She heard a car door shut outside, and her heart clenched. Cael!
Giving herself a once-over, she left the bathroom and quickly walked into the family room. Her mom looked up at her and said, “You look very lovely.”
“Thanks.” She smoothed her trembling fingers down the front of her short skirt and tugged on the hem. “I’m nervous.”
“I’m sure he is too.”
There was a knock at the door, and Novi smiled at her mom and then hurried to the door. After a quick peek through the peep hole to ensure it was him, she opened the door and her breath caught in her chest.
He was just so damn sexy.
Tall and broad, and stacked with muscles. And those eyes! Gray...no wait, they were brown. Like the elephant’s eyes.
In that moment, she put two and two together and realized that he was like her and her father, not just a man but more.
Instead of being freaked out by that news, she was bolstered by it. It meant Cael would understand what she was feeling. And maybe he could even guess what her father was and help her understand what she was dealing with.
Cael held out a bouquet of colorful daisies and said, “You look amazing, Novi.”
“Hi Cael,” she said, thanking him for the flowers. He kissed her cheek, and she turned to the side and said, “Come in and meet my mom.”
He stepped inside, and she shut the door. “Mom, this is Cael Donnelley. This is my mom, Lori Jones.”
Her mom stood as Cael crossed the small family room to greet her. After they shook hands, she said, “Have a seat, Cael. It’s nice to meet you.”
Cael sat on the couch opposite her mom, and Novi took the flowers and hurried into the kitchen to find a vase. She dusted one off from under the sink and filled it with water, listening as her mom and Cael exchanged pleasantries. She wondered if her mom would come right out and ask him, but she didn’t let on that she and Novi’s conversation that morning had been so serious.
“What made you want to be a vet?” her mom asked as Novi came back into the room with the flowers.
“I love animals. I always wanted to work with them. When I came to work at the safari park when I was eighteen, they put me to work in the paddocks cleaning and feeding the animals, and it just seemed natural to go to college to learn how to really take care of them.”
“Sounds like you’ve got a nice setup there. Do you live near the park?”
“I do, actually. There’s an apartment complex at the back of the park for staff.”
Her mom nodded. “I should let you two get on your way. I’ve got plans to curl up with a good book.”
“It was nice to meet you, Lori,” Cael said as he stood and offered his hand to Novi. She took it and stood with him. “Night, Mom. I’ll be quiet when I come in.”
“Have fun,” her mom said.
When Novi looked back at her mom as they headed to the door, she smiled and nodded her approval which made Novi grin.
When they were outside, Cael blew out a breath.
Novi chuckled. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Just wait until you have to meet my parents. They’re in Indiana, though, so you have a reprieve before that happens. Maybe we can video chat soon though, I know they’d like to meet you.”
“They would?”
Cael opened the passenger door of a large, white SUV, and she sat down. “Of course, sweetheart,” he said, smiling down at her. “You’re important to me. Why wouldn’t they want to meet you?”
Novi smiled, feeling warm all the way through to the center of her being. He shut the door and came around to the other side, sliding behind the wheel. “You still want to be surprised, right?”
“Yep.”
“Good. I won’t make you close your eyes or anything, but I hope you like what I chose.”
“I’m sure I will.”
“I like your faith in me.”
While he drove, she told him about the customer who’d come in and bought a dozen t-shirts to turn into yarn so she could make crafts, and the mother of three who was looking for shoes for her kids. He told her about tending to the giraffes and rhinos, and how Tank followed him around his paddock and made grumbly noises at him.
“What do you think he wanted?”
“I don’t know, it’s hard to say. Maybe more carrots.”
“How did he come to the park?”
“Hunters came across his herd up north when he was young. He took a bullet to the leg and ran off. He was found by the side of the road by a man who had connections to an animal rescue in upstate New York. They didn’t have room for him, but it’s well known in the zoo community that we’ll take certain animals in to care for them, so Alistair and I went to get him. He’s been with us ever since.”
“Aw, he lost his family though.”
“He did, but I know he thinks of us as family, as well as the animals in his paddock. He’s really protective of Kelley’s wife, Rhapsody. They just had a baby, and Tank recognized that she was pregnant and was really sweet with her.”
“Kelley’s one of your co-workers?”
“Yep.”
He pulled to a stop in front of a Japanese steak house and turned off the engine. She let out a gasp. “I love these places. I haven’t been to one since my mom’s birthday last year. The guy tossed a shrimp at her and she freaked out and ducked, and it went flying onto another table.”
He laughed. “I’m glad you’re happy. I wanted something special for our first date.”
He got out and came around to her side, opening her door and helping her out. He shut the door and looked down at her, curling his arm around her back and drawing her close.
“Novi.”
“Yeah?”
“Did I tell you how beautiful you are?�
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Her cheeks heated as she smiled up at him. “You’re pretty sexy yourself.”
“Then I’d say we’re perfectly matched.” He lowered his head, their lips nearly touching, and he whispered, “I fucking missed you, Novi.”
And then he kissed her.
Chapter Eight
Since they were in a public restaurant and not alone at the table that surrounded their talented chef, Cael couldn’t really talk to Novi about anything relating to what he was and what she might be, which made his elephant irritated. They’d already suffered without her for two nights, and the thought of a third night without her in their arms looming ahead was enough to make his beast want to riot.
But despite the fact that they kept their conversation light, talking about non-private subjects like work, hobbies, and favorite things, he felt like Novi’s attitude had shifted since their first meeting. Something had changed her feelings toward him. It wasn’t that he thought she didn’t like him in the beginning, because he was sure she did, but she’d seemed hesitant and confused by her attraction to him.
Not anymore, it seemed.
She flirted and teased him, giggled and blushed, and every time her fingers grazed his skin his whole body jolted with awareness.
Her eyes, the beautiful dark brown that he’d memorized at their first meeting, slipped frequently to ice blue. The crinkles at the corners of her eyes when that happened told him that she wasn’t fighting the change and was genuinely happy to be with him.
When they’d eaten their fill of steak and noodles, he paid the bill and took her hand.
“I notice we hold hands a lot,” she said as they left the restaurant.
He chuckled. “I guess we do. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. I like it. It feels familiar and comfortable.”
He unlocked the park’s unmarked SUV and opened her door. “You haven’t had that before.”
She looked up at him, a flicker of sadness in her eyes. “No. It’s just been me and Mom for so long.”
“You don’t have to be alone anymore, sweetheart. I’m here for you and I’m not going anywhere.”