Chapter 21
When Reagan and Indio made their way up to the employee cafeteria on Sunday afternoon to meet with her besties, she couldn’t have been more surprised by the transformation in the room.
The whole place was decorated with twinkle lights and flowers, and a big sign congratulated Reagan and Indio on their engagement and pregnancy.
Rhomi and Darcy were hanging string lights across the counter where a buffet had been set up when she and Indio walked into the room, and turned around to greet them with cheers and clapping, along with their mates, Mercer and Ford.
“You guys! It looks amazing, thank you,” Reagan said, hugging her besties.
“It’s not every day our best friend is pregnant and engaged,” Rhomi said.
“That’s for dang sure,” Darcy said. “We’re so happy for you both.”
“Thank you,” Indio said.
Jeanie was behind the counter, arranging a platter of barbecue sandwiches on a tray, and she smiled at Reagan. “Congratulations on everything.”
“Thank you,” Reagan said.
The door opened and Sera walked in with Heidi right behind her.
Sera held a pitcher with something orange in it, and Heidi had a tray of glasses.
“Congratulations! I made you a batch of sparkling orange-flavored water. It’s got a little vanilla in it, and I added edible glitter to make it extra special. ”
They poured drinks for everyone and then left the group alone.
“Let’s toast,” Rhomi said. “To good friends, love, and babies.”
“To all of us,” Darcy said, “and a future full of love and laughter.”
“To the park that brought us all our happily ever afters,” Reagan said.
“Hear, hear!” they all said together, six glasses clinking like little bells.
Reagan took a sip of the sweet, fizzy water and sighed in contentment. She definitely had everything she ever wanted or needed right here in this room. Her soulmate, her baby on the way, and her best friends.
They filled their plates and settled at a large, round table.
“I’ve got some news,” Darcy said.
“Do tell,” Reagan said, then took a bite of her sandwich with the perfectly sweet and smokey barbecue sauce.
“Ford and I picked a date for the wedding. April seventh at the farm. And Cruz is going to give me away!”
“That’s very cool,” Reagan said. “A spring wedding sounds perfect.”
“I’m glad Cruz is giving you away,” Rhomi said.
“Yeah, I figure if Cruz is going to be all overprotective, he could be useful and walk me down the aisle.”
“We were thinking about May for a wedding,” Reagan said. “I want it to be warm outside. But I’m also worried I’m going to be way too big by then to fit into a pretty dress.”
“We’ll find you the perfect dress, don’t worry,” Darcy said. “Where would you have it? Do you want to come to the farm?”
She told them about their plans to have the circus family join them. “We’ll find a place for the big top tent, maybe in the employee lot,” Reagan said.
“That sounds so neat,” Darcy said.
They spent the next hour swapping stories about wedding plans, nursery decorations, and Darcy’s desire to have a baby too.
Rhomi admitted her nerves about having her baby and being a mom, and Reagan could relate.
Darcy shared pictures of the farm lit up with lights for the holidays, and a goat named Daisy wearing a Santa hat while she tried to headbutt their stallion alpha, Crew.
“I can’t believe that all of this,” Reagan said, gesturing to their group, “started with Rhomi asking for a job at the park when we all came here. If my cousins hadn’t gotten sick and I needed to use the tickets, we wouldn’t be where we are right now.”
“Fate is a funny thing,” Rhomi said.
“Definitely,” Darcy said. “Funny but with perfect timing.”
Reagan looked around the table at her best friends and their mates. They were her family, there when she needed them, always supportive and gracious. She was blessed to know them and be part of their lives.
A deep sense of gratitude filled her.
Six weeks ago, she’d fled from Indio’s arms and spent weeks fighting the desire to see him again.
But now, she knew that the sweetest days she’d ever had were in his arms. He was the best thing that ever happened to her, and no matter what life threw at them, she knew they’d be okay. Because they had each other.
Monday morning, Reagan waved goodbye to Indio and walked into the park’s gift shop for her first day of work.
She’d called the week before to turn in her notice at the gardens, but they’d told her she wasn’t needed any longer as they were planning to furlough her for the winter anyway.
She would miss the gardens, but she was looking forward to working at the gift shop.
She pushed open a door and a soft tinkling bell sounded. Music played softly in the background, and it smelled like pine and cinnamon. The park would open in an hour, but she’d heard things slowed down significantly in the colder months, except for those who came for the VIP safari tours.
She saw Heidi behind the register unboxing stuffed wolves. “Well, good morning! How are you?”
“Good morning to you too. I’m great. Excited.”
“It’s so much fun to work here. Plus, it’s inside and I’ll do just about any job if I don’t have to be out in the cold.”
“Agreed.” Although the sun was shining, it was chilly outside, and Reagan was a big fan of staying warm.
A woman walked over with a box, a male following close behind with two more. “You must be Reagan. I’m Sarah and this is my mate, Requiem. Welcome to the gift shop.”
“Thank you, I’m excited to be here.”
“Let’s take a little tour of the stock room and then you can help us put some more stuffed animals on the shelves before the park opens. Although it’s not as busy in the winter as it is during the warmer months, and Mondays tend to be very slow, it’ll pick up over the weekend.”
“I’m happy to help out,” Reagan said.
After Sarah and Requiem showed her the shop and stockroom, she got to work putting stuffed animals on the shelves and helping Heidi create a display of books and stuffed animals perfect for gift giving.
They didn’t have many patrons throughout that day, but a family with young kids came in and both children picked out stuffed elephants to take home.
“They’re my favorite,” Reagan said. “Elephants are great cuddlers.”
“I’m going to name her Ellie,” the little girl said, giving it a squeeze.
“I think that’s a perfect name,” Reagan said. “Enjoy!”
The morning passed quickly, and before she knew it, she and Heidi were done with their shift and heading down to the underground market for lunch. They ordered food from Jeanie and flavored waters from Sera, and sat at a table to wait.
“So how is engaged life treating you?” Heidi asked.
“Wonderfully,” Reagan said. “Better than I ever imagined. It’s even more amazing because I get to be part of this community, with the memory and my friends, and all the shifters in the park. It’s incredible.”
“You definitely deserve all the happiness.”
“I didn’t always think so,” Reagan said. “I used to gravitate toward bad relationships, and I think that I just always thought no guys ever stuck around so I didn’t need to be careful who I spent time with.”
“What changed?”
“I went to Rhomi’s baby shower here at the park and met Indio, and I couldn’t stop thinking about him. The rest is history.”
“I’m happy for you,” Heidi said.
“You’ll find your soulmate,” Reagan said. “Timing is everything with love.”
“You think so?” Heidi asked.
“Yep. I spent years thinking love wasn’t real, and then—boom—elephant shifter in my lap.”
“Don’t you mean you were in his lap?”
Reagan blushed with a snort. “Yeah. I do mean that.”
“Maybe fate has something wild in store for me too,” Heidi said.
Jeanie brought over their food and set the trays down.
Resting her hand on Heidi’s shoulder, she said, “Fate’s definitely wild, you know?
You go your whole life feeling one way about something—like men being awful—and then you meet the right guy and everything you thought you knew just evaporates in the face of real, honest love. ”
“That’s exactly how I feel,” Reagan said. “I didn’t know what it was like to be in a loving relationship until I met Indio.” Now she knew he’d tear the world apart to get to her.
After lunch, she and Heidi parted ways until tomorrow, and Reagan texted her mate to find out where he was.
“Waiting for you at home,” he said. “Do you want me to come to you?”
She hurried toward the elephants’ private living space after texting Heck no, I’ll come to you . They’d been apart for half the day while they both worked, but it had felt like an eternity.
When he met her at the door, she fell into his arms with a happy sigh.
“How was your first day?”
“Awesome. I love it there. But I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
He walked backward, drawing her with him into the house that had quickly become a home for her. The safest place in the world with the best guy she’d ever known.
Love stories sometimes begin with flowers and first dates, with chance meet-cutes somewhere unique, but hers and Indio’s began in a shed, with hurried kisses and rushed pleasure.
It hadn’t stopped there, though. There had been more to write in their love story, because he’d been waiting for her to come back to him.
And she was so thankful she had.
Thank you for reading Indio !
I hope you enjoyed returning to the Were Zoo - because another soulmate story is waiting just around the corner!