Flipping Love You by Erin Nicholas

10

Zeke’s arms loosened and Jill looked up at him. “What was that for?”

“I don’t know how to give you advice about penguins. But you seemed to need a hug. And that I can do.”

She wasn’t much of a hugger… until now. If Zeke Landry would hug her whenever she started to get a little worked up about the penguins, not only would she get to press up against his big, hot, hard body a lot but it did actually seem to be helpful. Her heart rate had definitely slowed and the swirling tension in her stomach had loosened a bit.

She nodded. Even as she stepped back from him. “I might take you up on that.”

“You know where to find me.”

Jill turned to give Griffin a smile. “Thanks for greeting me this morning. But everything seems to be on track and mostly ready to go. The guys are showing up with the penguins on Thursday.”

“Let’s go make sure everything is ready,” Zeke said.

“I’m going to head out and check on that horse then,” Griffin said. “But if you need anything, you know how to get a hold of me and Charlie.”

“Um, Griffin,” Jill said. She wasn’t sure this was the exact time to bring it up, but she wasn’t sure when would be a good time. Probably the sooner the better. “Is there any issue with Charlie and the penguins?”

“What do you mean?” Griffin asked.

It had been clear last night that Charlie clearly had the gruff, semi–anti-social man wrapped around her finger.

“I just need to be sure that, Charlie, and everyone, understands what we’re trying to do here with the penguins. I didn’t bring them here to be an exhibition. They are here as part of a breeding program and to keep them safe. I don’t want anyone thinking that they are just another attraction at the animal park. If I want to limit the number of people interacting with them, is she going to be okay with that?”

Even in the emails she had exchanged with Charlie it’d been clear that Charlie’s mission and passion was growing the previous petting zoo into a larger animal attraction.

Griffin’s frown deepened. “We haven’t talked about it specifically. I don’t know that she understands exactly what you’re doing with the penguins, but she will when you explain it.”

“So there is a chance that everyone is going to be confused and disappointed?” Jill asked, though it was more a statement than a question. “They all think they were adding penguins as another animal exhibit for the tourists.”

“I suppose they do,” Griffin said. “But I promise you that everyone will be on board with whatever you think is best.”

“So people shouldn’t be looking at the penguins?” Zeke asked.

“Not until we have some hatchlings,” Jill said. “At least until then. If we can have some baby penguins then we’ll know that keeping them here in this habitat in this climate with us as caretakers is going to work. But until then I feel like we need to control as many factors as we can. A lot of noise and traffic and human interaction could have a detrimental effect. And we just won’t know until the penguins are here for a while.”

Jill realized she sounded like a killjoy. People loved penguins. Penguins were incredibly cute and very interesting and not something most people ran into on a regular basis. They were a huge attraction at the Omaha zoo. She knew people would want to look at them. She was going to get to be the bad guy that brought cute, interesting penguins to town and then told everyone that they had to stay away. Great.

“If it’s not good for the penguins, then we keep people away,” Zeke said. “Right, Griffin?”

Jill watched the men. Griffin was a wildlife veterinarian. For as long as she’d known him, he had been a fierce protector of animals, and a huge advocate for their care.

Zeke, on the other hand, was a small town construction contractor. He said himself that he knew very little about penguins. So why did this feel like Zeke was the one being protective of the penguins and was warning Griffin about how he should respond to the situation?

“Of course. We will do whatever needs done to make the project successful, Jill,” Griffin finally said.

“I appreciate that. I know this might put you in a weird position between me and the Landry family.”

She was, of course, funding everything that was going into bringing the penguins to Louisiana. The Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild hadn’t needed to come up with any money to construct the penguin habitat or plan for the care and feeding of the birds. Nor would they going forward. It really was just that they had the land and she’d wanted to be around other animal enthusiasts like Griffin, Fiona, and Tori. What they had done so far with Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild was impressive and being around like-minded people as she undertook this huge project had been comforting. But she didn’t want to disappoint or upset anyone.

“The family will be fine.” It was Zeke who spoke. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“You will?” Jill was surprised.

“Of course. I’ll just explain that we’re working to knock up a few penguins and we need some peace and quiet for that. My family’s not great about peace and quiet, but they understand the general concept. Don’t worry; I’ll talk to them.”

She definitely noted his use of the word “we”. Again, there was that sense of protectiveness from him. She was finding that very endearing. And attractive. “I would…appreciate that.”

“Sure. Everyone loves Griffin, especially Charlie, but sometimes the Landrys need to be talked to a certain way. I’ve got it covered.”

Dammit, she was going to have to let him hang around.

Not only could he potentially be helpful, and with more than his hammer and nails, but she liked him. He’d gotten her shoes, fixed her grits, and hugged her. And if he could translate between her and his family, that would really be helpful.

“Thank you,” she told him.

“But of course, we’ll have to hang out,” he said. “You’re gonna have to teach me all about penguins so I can explain it to them.”

“Hang out, huh?”

“Yeah, you have to help make me into a penguin ambassador.”

Her lips twitched. “Penguin ambassador?”

“I mean, I can just tell them all to shut up and butt out, but the more I know about the penguins and why they need to be left alone, the better I can explain it.”

“Aren’t you the guy who just earlier said you don’t need to know all the whys to things? You just need to know what I need done?”

Jill stood watching him think about that for a few seconds. Then she shook her head. This guy was unexpected. After she met him last night, she’d pegged him for a bad boy and had loved how talented he was between the sheets. And against the wall. And that desk chair…

She cleared her throat as her body heated.

Now today, he was so much more. He was funny, charming, and seemed captivated by the penguins. And maybe even by her. Which, dammit, was definitely appealing. Her professional passion had led to more than one person thinking she was a little strange. Her immediate family at the top of that list.

“So I definitely don’t need to be here for this,” Griffin said, looking back and forth between them. He started for his truck. “I’ll let Zeke handle the Landrys at large, but I’ll talk to Charlie.”

“Thank you!” Jill called after him. “For everything!” she added.

She felt like a bitch for coming here and immediately shutting down all of the happy excitement over the penguins.

Griffin drove off, leaving just Jill and Zeke.

“Okay, let’s get these rocks set up just right.” He started for the gate to the enclosure. He pulled out the key, unlocked the gate, and then handed the key over. “It’s all yours.”

She felt a rush of adrenaline and she knew it was half excitement and half oh-shit-this-is-real-and-all-mine-and-I’m-in-charge-oh-shit.

She followed him inside. They went in through the penguin house to get to the island, no need to deal with wet shoes and clothes this time.

She directed him where she wanted the lava rocks that had been the one thing she had succeeded in bringing in from the Galápagos Islands, and he put them together exactly according to her specifications. Then she knelt and started digging. He joined her a moment later.

“What are we doing?”

But she noted that he started digging even before she answered the question.

“They need to be deeper.”

He nodded and kept digging.

They worked together on the first one until Jillian was content. She wanted to have five nesting sites for the three breeding pairs, hoping that with some options, the penguins would each pick a site they liked.

“Do they always nest in the rocks like this?” Zeke asked.

“Usually. Sometimes they nest under bushes. Wherever they feel safe and protected and can keep the eggs cool. But the little rock caves seem to be the most popular. There’s a group that travels to the islands twice a year and constructs multiple sites to supplement the natural ones so there are plenty.”

“Won’t they figure out they don’t have any predators here?”

“Yes, maybe. Actually, food supply seems to be a better indicator of successful breeding and nesting. But they also use the rocks to keep their eggs in the shade and cool. Plus, a strange human coming in and out of the habitat and wanting to get close to observe the nests, could bother them. They’ll need time to get used to…” She sighed. “Everything.” There was so much going on for the penguins. And for her.

“You’re willing to take this on all by yourself?”

Her eyes widened. “Definitely.” In spite of the pressure and anxiety around it, Jill felt butterflies when she thought about having eggs in these nests in a few months. “This is what I’ve wanted to do my whole life and even if I didn’t, like I said earlier, the fewer factors we have being introduced into their environment and situation, the better.”

“That’s a lot to take on yourself.”

She shrugged. “I don’t really have anything else going on.” That was an understatement.

“Really? What do you do for fun?”

“Hang out with penguins.”

He chuckled. “But that’s your job.”

“I picked it as my job because I couldn’t think of anything more fun to do all day long. I don’t really consider it work most days. I suppose that’s why it’s easy to lose track of time and let other obligations and relationships go.”

“So the penguins have your heart?”

“Completely.”

She knelt next to a bush and reached underneath to dig some of the dirt out. It would be a great place for a penguin pair to make a nest if they didn’t like the rock formations.

Zeke crouched beside her. “So why penguins? I mean, Griffin’s into all the wild animals. Tori loves all animals period. But you specifically like penguins. Do you really not like any other animals?”

Jill sat back on her heels and looked at him. There was something about Zeke that made her comfortable talking. Maybe it was just that he was asking questions. Which was kind of pathetic. Did she really not have people in her life that asked about her work?

But no, not really. Her mom and immediate family got tired of hearing about penguins so they definitely didn’t ask. She’d been talking to them about penguins since she’d been eight years old.

Evan listened and thought what she did was cool, but he didn’t have any particular interest that would cause him to probe further.

Griffin knew about her penguin love, of course, but again, he hadn’t really probed, because he already knew a lot about the birds. Just like her co-workers and the researchers and vets she communicated with online already knew almost everything she knew about penguins.

Dan, her friend-with-benefits, had asked a few times but his eyes had glazed over about ten minutes in.

But Zeke had already heard her rant about the penguins and he was still asking for more.

“I do like all animals, of course. But I became a veterinarian specifically so I could work with penguins.”

Zeke lifted a brow. “Wow, really?”

“I’ve loved them for as long as I can remember.”

“Where did that start?”

Well, he kept asking questions. So he had to expect her to answer right? Even if the answer was strange or went on too long, that was his own fault. Besides, if he started to find her boring or strange, it would mean fewer trips back and forth between their two houses. Which could only be for the best.

“Honestly, I think it started with the books my mom read to me when I was little. She always picked books about finding your passion, and changing the world, and being who you were meant to be. The stories that she read to me and I liked the best were all about making a difference in the world and finding something that made you special and then celebrating it.”

Zeke was watching her intently. He didn’t seem bored. Yet.

“Then, when I was eight, my grandfather got me the book Mr. Popper’s Penguins and we read it together. Have you ever read it?”

Zeke shook his head. “Nope.”

“It’s…whimsical,” she said with a smile. “But it’s…becoming my real life.”

“How so?”

“It’s about a man who longs to see the world and is fascinated with the exploration of the poles. He writes to an explorer he admires and the guy sends him a penguin.”

Zeke laughed. “So, like the millionaire who gives you penguins in his will.”

“Right. Well, that penguin gets lonely, so they get him a girlfriend from the local aquarium who is also lonely. They end up having a big family and the Poppers renovate their home to accommodate all the penguins. They are Antarctic penguins, so this involves ice and cold, of course.”

Zeke grinned. “So a little different there. But I can see why you relate to having to come up with a way to house all the penguins.”

“Then, it’s so expensive to keep the birds, they decide to train them and make them into a traveling show, to make money.” Jill looked down at her hands. “Eventually, though, Mr. Popper realizes that isn’t good for penguins and he sends them all back to live in the wild, even though it breaks his heart.”

Zeke was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, “And that’s a little bit of why you’re worried about your penguins being here for people to look at for money.”

Her head came up. “That sounds insulting to your family, I know. I don’t think they’re doing any of this just for the money, Zeke.”

“I know. And they’re not. But sure, that’s part of it. It’s a business.”

“I understand that.”

“And this book is how you fell in love with penguins and determined to do what’s right for them.”

“After that, I wanted to learn all about penguins. For the next several Christmases and birthdays, my grandpa got me books about penguins, as well as stuffed penguins. Every summer, we took a trip to Omaha to the zoo and we spent half our time there with just the penguins.” She could still get misty-eyed thinking about working in the same zoo she’d frequented as a child with her grandfather. “So they were special to me because of him, too. He died when I was fourteen and about that time, I read a book by Jane Goodall. Do you know who she is?”

“The lady who lived with the gorillas, right?”

“Chimpanzees,” she corrected. “But yeah, that book really hit me. After that, I read everything I could find by and about Jane. She was this force that didn’t just go in and provide for the things she cared about, but made other people care about them too. I guess that, combined with all of the books about finding a way to make the world a better place and finding what you are especially good at made me realize that I wanted to do for penguins what Jane did for the chimps. That stuck with me all through high school and college. I was looking into different ways to work with penguins and realized that one of the paths was veterinary medicine. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

“So how did you meet A.J.?”

“He was just a nice little old man who came to the zoo every Thursday during the penguins’ feeding hour. We just clicked. One project he was particularly passionate about was constructing a man-made island off of the Galápagos that could be protected from invasive species and tourism. He was working on that the entire time I knew him. But I had no idea that he actually owned penguins. These private investors are trying to keep that on the down low because there are groups that would probably have issue with penguins being kept in private captivity. But I’m incredibly touched and flattered by him leaving them to me.”

“Why wouldn’t he leave them to you? Who else would he possibly leave them to?”

“In retrospect, now knowing the whole story about when he got the penguins and when he was diagnosed, I feel like maybe he agreed to be a part of the program knowing that I would eventually take it over.”

“And you’re feeling the pressure,” Zeke said.

“Huge pressure.”

“You’ll be great. You know everything you need to know, and have this great place to keep them. Everything will be fine.”

She studied him. Griffin had given her a mini pep talk as well, and she knew that the other investors in the group were confident in her capabilities. But there was something about Zeke believing in her that hit her differently.

Maybe it was because he didn’t actually know what he was talking about. Or because he didn’t know her. He didn’t really know her credentials and even if he did, they wouldn’t necessarily mean anything to him. The investors in the group knew her experience and education level. So did Griffin. And Griffin knew her history with penguins and her work ethic and her enthusiasm from being up close and around her in a work environment for a year.

Zeke didn’t know any of that. He just knew what he’d seen so far. Either he was a little naïve and incredibly trusting, or he was trying to make her feel better. Either way, it was sweet. And it was making her feel better.

“Thank you for that.”

“Anytime. Again, I don’t know anything about penguins except they’re cool as fuck. But I do know that beautiful women who are enthusiastic about doing good in the world are hot as hell.”

She laughed softly. “You run into a lot of those?”

“Surprisingly, several here in Autre.” He gave her a grin. “There’s Tori, and Charlie has gotten all enthusiastic now. Jordan is really into the petting zoo, and how alpacas and other animals can help kids learn about disabilities and grief and depression and anxiety.”

Jill felt her eyebrows rise. “Really?” That sounded incredibly interesting.

“Yep. And then there’s Fiona. She gets excited about anything with four legs, fur, feathers, or fins. They’re all beautiful women, of course, but I’ve definitely seen how much more gorgeous they all are when they get enthusiastic about these projects.”

He tipped his head studying her face. “You’re definitely no exception. Last night I was incredibly attracted to you and we had one of the hottest nights I can ever remember. But today, finding out all of the stuff you’re into and all of the things you do, watching you light up when you talk about penguins, and even watching you worry about this program, has made me want you even more.”

Jill’s heart thumped against her chest wall and her stomach clenched. But she couldn’t tell for sure if it was panic over that declaration or if it was excitement.

“You better watch yourself,” she told him. “I don’t want to break your heart.”

“I appreciate that.”

“I’m really not looking for a relationship,” she felt compelled to say. “But I think we can definitely be friends.”

“You know, I don’t actually get the ‘I hope we can still be friends’ speech very often,” he told her.

“Really? They don’t want to be your friend after?”

“Sometimes they want more and when they can’t get it, they get riled.”

She gave a little snort. “Riled?”

“It makes it awkward in church when a girl I’ve known my whole life goes from bein’ friendly to bein’ snooty in one week. And my mom always knows why.”

She outright laughed at that. “And what’s your mom say about that?”

“Something like she says about everything I do. Last time she closed her eyes, shook her head, and said, ‘Probably a madam in an Old West saloon’.”

“What’s that mean?” But Jill felt herself already grinning over the explanation that was coming.

“She figures she did something bad in a previous life to deserve the shenanigans of me and my brothers. Nothing too terrible. We’re not that bad. But something sinful she’s being punished for.”

Jill snorted. “Your mom believes in reincarnation?”

“She’s decided it’s the only explanation.”

Jill liked him. Dammit. She liked Dan, of course. But she liked him because he gave her exactly what she wanted. No strings attached, hot sex, no clinginess. Zeke on the other hand, was giving her a few things she was pretty sure she did not want. Like the temptation to know his family better. And the urge to spend more time with him.

And she still definitely liked him.

“Okay, then.” He rubbed his hands down the thighs of his jeans and stretched to his feet. “I need to get to another project today. Do we have your rocks where you want ’em?”

She looked around the enclosure as she straightened. “Yes. They look good.”

“Great.”

“You have another project?” she asked.

“I actually have a house here in town to be workin’ on too, but the owner won’t tell me what she wants.”

“Ugh. I get it. But, you’ll be happy to know I’ve turned it over to my friend from back home. She’s great. She’ll answer all your questions.”

“Well, hallelujah,” he said. “As long as she tells me what you want.”

“I don’t care abou—”

He covered her lips with one big index finger. “Don’t,” he said simply.

She blew out a breath.

He moved his finger.

“Fine. Yes. She knows what I like.” She had no idea if Cori actually knew her tastes. Jill didn’t really have tastes. So, actually, whatever Cori picked would be Jill’s taste, she supposed. “Whatever she says has my stamp of approval.”

He nodded, but looked skeptical. “Fine. But your house is gonna have to wait a week or two now.”

“What?”

“I started another project a town over. Helping a buddy with their new community center.”

“But my house…”

“You got bumped down the list when you didn’t answer my emails, Kansas,” he told her with an unapologetic grin.

Well, dammit. She supposed she deserved that.

“Besides, you don’t care where you live right?”

“I guess I was just hoping to catch you shirtless and sweaty with a toolbelt around your hips.”

Now see, she should not have said that. Why had she said that? His eyes heated and he stepped in close.

“I’ll bring my toolbelt over to your place any time you want.”

Yeah, she wanted.

Crap.

“But you can use my fridge until we get you one.”

She blinked at the sudden shift in topic.

“Oh. Thanks, that’s really nice.”

“Back door will always be unlocked.”

“Okay.”

“But I want to pet your penguins in exchange.”

She gave a soft snort. “Is that innuendo?”

He grinned. “No. I actually want to pet the penguins. Is that possible?”

Damn, she kind of wanted him to flirt with her. But she nodded. “It is possible.”

“Awesome. How about for every day you have stuff in my fridge I get twenty minutes of penguin petting?”

“I think that can be arranged.”

Suddenly he stepped forward, reached up to cup the back of her head, and pulled her in and kissed her.

It was partly because she was surprised by the gesture that she didn’t respond right away, and by the time she was leaning in and opening her mouth, he was already lifting his head. But he smiled down at her. “I’m glad I got to see you again. And if you find one of my socks in your motel room later—”

“I’ll take it to your mom to throw in the laundry?”

He leaned in and kissed her quickly again, then let her go with a smile. “You’re sassy.”

Jill wasn’t sure she’d ever been called sassy. Before she could come up with a response, he pivoted on the heel of his work boot and headed out of the penguin enclosure.

She watched him go. She wasn’t quite sure what to think of Zeke Landry yet, but she was becoming more and more certain that she was going to be thinking about him.

And then, when she got home that night and found a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, and a jar of strawberry jelly on her kitchen counter with a note that said, “This counts for twenty minutes of petting too. But you can decide if it’s penguins I’m petting,” she realized she was definitely going to be thinking of him.

And not smiling when thinking of him was simply impossible.

So, she decided to just avoid him.