Atticus by R.E. Butler
Chapter Eighteen
The following Tuesday, Atticus unlocked the door that led from the underground space into the employee cafeteria and held it open for his mate. It was her first day of work at the candy shop, where Lexy had hired her to run the cash register and help customers pick out gift items. He’d been fine with her keeping her job at the dollar store, but she and Lexy had talked a few days earlier and Lexy had said she needed a dedicated cashier. She and Lori were becoming fast friends, and it pleased him to no end that she was enjoying the situation, even though much of it was still new to her.
“So,” he said as they walked through the cafeteria, “I’d like to take you on a special date on Friday.”
“Oh? What kind of special date?”
He stopped at the door and smiled down at her. A week ago, she looked like she’d gone ten rounds with a prize fighter, but today she looked a thousand times better. One of her eyes was still a little bruised looking, but some makeup from Dani, Neo’s mate, had covered it so it wasn’t noticeable.
“I thought we could have dinner on the roof.”
“That sounds awesome,” she said.
“And then on Saturday, I want to shift in the paddock so you can see it without being freaked out.”
“I’d love to see you shift.”
“You can wear a zookeeper uniform and hang out with me. My gorilla really wants to spend time with you.”
“That’s so sweet. I’d love to do that.”
They walked through the park to the candy shop. It was run by Lexy, her best friend Trina, who was mated to a lion, and Jenni, a lioness mated to a human male. Lexy, Trina, and Jenni made the candy for the shop, which meant they weren’t always at the register when customers came in. It was a perfect job for Lori, and she’d been excited for days when she was offered it.
Lori gave his hand a squeeze. “This is the best gift.”
“What is?” he asked.
“Working here. I was jealous that Novi got to stay in the park and had found a place she fit in. I never thought that would happen for me.”
He smiled at her. “I’m glad you’re happy. It means the world to me that you’re working here too and we can see each other whenever we like.”
“Too bad you don’t need a cashier at the maintenance shed,” she said with a chuckle.
“Trust me, I tried to float that idea to Joss, but he said I was dreaming.”
“Did you really?”
“Sure! I told him that we really could use someone to keep track of the maintenance schedule and order supplies. He said that’s our job, and he wasn’t allowed to create a job for Jeannie when they got together.”
Jeannie, Joss’s mate, worked as a cook for the shifters in the underground marketplace. The bears handled the food for the park and employees, and they’d been happy to have an extra hand.
“This is a really good option, though,” she said. “Even if it’s not with you in the maintenance shed.”
When they reached the candy shop, he could hear the trio of females milling around in the back of the shop, which didn’t open to the public until later that morning.
He let out a grumbling sigh.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“I’m just gonna miss you. It was nice having you in the shed while I worked this last week.”
She’d quit her job at the dollar store immediately after she was healed up from her ordeal. She said going back there was the last thing she wanted to do, and even though they were certain it was safe with Keir and his people ashed and buried, she wanted to be in the park, and he was happy to help her find something to do. Before, when she hadn’t known the truth, there hadn’t been any jobs for her because there was always a chance she might see or overhear something she shouldn’t. Now that she knew about shifters, she could work anywhere. His gorilla, while disgruntled at her not being with him, was thrilled she was in the park where it was safe.
She went onto her toes and kissed him. “I’m going to miss you too. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?”
He made a face and she giggled. “We can meet for lunch in the cafeteria.”
“I’d love that. And then you can tell me more about being a zookeeper,” she said.
“It’s a date. I’ll pick you up on your lunch break.”
“Perfect. Have fun.”
She kissed him and moved away, but he snagged her around the waist and brought her back to him for another good, long kiss.
The door opened and a bell jangled. “Hey, you two smoochie-smoochersons,” Lexy said with a cheerful tone. “It’s getting a little PG-13 out here.”
“Sorry, Lexy,” Lori said, her cheeks pinking with blush.
“Hey, I know how exciting the new stuff is,” she said with a knowing smile. “We’re ready when you are.”
“On my way,” Lori said.
The door shut and Atticus said, “I could pull rank on her, you know. She’s part of our group and I’m the boss, and so are you.”
“Not on my first day,” she said. “Let’s just promise to miss each other terribly until lunchtime.”
“Promise.”
One more kiss, followed by two more “last kisses,” and he forced himself to let her go. It was monstrously unfair that he had to go to work after only being with her for a week. He wasn’t done kissing and holding her, listening to her cries of pleasure, feeling her body respond to his.
Hell, he thought he’d never be done with that. She was too addictive and he was one hundred percent hooked.
We’ll see her soon enough.
His gorilla let out an annoyed grunt.
There was much to plan, anyway. It wasn’t just a date night for them, it was a night that they’d never forget.
He grabbed Zane in the maintenance shed and the two headed out of the park in one of the unmarked vans to go to a strip mall. Atticus didn’t have much in the way of dress clothes, but he wanted to look nice for their date and that started with a suit.
“I think it’s pretty cool that you two found each other,” Zane said as he parked in front of the men’s store. “What are the odds that a polar bear would chase them back and forth across the country for twenty years, and both of them would be soulmates for shifters in the park?”
“It seems fantastical,” Atticus said. “But it also seems to be the way things happen for our people. The VIP tours do work, but our people are also finding their mates in unexpected ways.”
“I heard you’re going to let her see you in the paddock Saturday.”
“Yeah, I want her to see me without being scared.”
“It must be so weird for humans to find out about us, but not be able to talk about it with anyone except other shifters or the few humans in the park.”
“I’m glad for Adriana, Lexy, and Dani, honestly. They’ve been so sweet to Lori.” And certainly it helped that Novi was mated to a shifter as well, so there weren’t any secrets between mother and daughter.
“Do you guys think you’ll have any kids?”
“Hell no, man,” Atticus said with a laugh. “She and I both agreed that starting a new family from scratch is a terrible idea. It’s certainly been done—I mean, we’re not that old—but we’re content to wait for grandkids.”
“It won’t be too long until our little one is born, and you’ll be a grandpa.”
“I’m thinking something fun like PopPop instead of Grandpa.”
“I like it. Maybe Lori would like to be Gigi. That’s pretty popular.”
“I’ll ask her.”
“I hope I’m as great a dad as you are.”
“You’ll be even better than I was, that’s how it’s supposed to be. I’m a better father than my dad was, and you’ll be better than me. Your kid will be so loved! And I’m planning to be the world’s best grandpa too.”
“PopPop.”
“You know it.”
Atticus pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine. “I feel like everything changed for us with the VIP tours. You were the first one to find his soulmate, and then Win and then Neo. Now that I have Lori, that leaves August. Once he finds his soulmate, our whole band will be mated and that will be something to celebrate.”
“We can join you on the rooftop after your date to celebrate all the good news.”
“I’d love that, and I know Lori would too.”
“Let’s go find you something amazing to wear for your date.”
“I’ll never look as amazing as her, but I’ll try to be a close second.”
He was one lucky male to have stumbled into the path of his soulmate. It was a crazy story, but he was happier than he’d ever been. He had a beautiful soulmate by his side and he loved her with a fierce intensity. He hadn’t told her that yet, though, but he would...tonight. He’d make her his in truth, and when they were officially mated, she’d be the alpha female of the gorilla band. The first human one, as far as he knew. And she’d be the best damned one too. She was a warrior and a survivor, and he couldn’t think of anyone better equipped to help lead them into whatever the next chapter for their people would be.
The future was wide open and very bright.
