Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Frankie
There was a tempo to zoo life, a dance, and I was starting to finally get the rhythm of it. The café and restaurant were a well-choreographed production now, working in tandem to keep the hungry patrons happy. We'd had record numbers of visitors during the first few weeks of summer, thanks to the streak of good weather.
I didn’t want to admit it aloud, but I had a sneaking suspicion that the staff was hoping for a rain day soon. We had so much to catch up on, and we needed a stormy, quiet day to do everything that had been put on hold during the frantic days. Mateo, the front of house manager, had been a big support system to me, supplying me with staff to run the café and basically supervising it for me while I was up working at the Peckish Peacock.
I spent my early mornings before the zoo opened baking everything for both the café and restaurant, and then, once the zoo opened, I headed up to the restaurant for the rest of the day. They were long days, leaving me exhausted, but the exhaustion was kind of nice too. For one thing, it meant I didn't have to overanalyze that kiss on the yacht. The things that Finch had said to me . . . the way it had felt to dance with her, to be her singular focus, the buzzing spotlight of her attention solely on me. Everything I thought I knew was being turned upside down. My life, my sense of self, my sexuality were all at once going through great upheavals.
Hannah interrupted my swirling thoughts when she poked her head in the back door of the Peckish Peacock. Her pastel pink hair spilled over her shoulder as she surveyed the kitchen chaos. Her locks were dipped a rose blush in the same style that Dove's tresses were, and I wondered if the two of them did each other’s hair in matching pink and purple. Especially considering there were no hairdressers on the island in the off season. The two keepers almost looked like twins, but it was easy to remember Hannah—the pink-haired one—was not a Lachlan sibling because she didn't have a bird name.
"How's it going?" she asked as she surveyed the kitchen chaos. "Need a hand?"
This was one of the many things I loved about working at Prickle Island Zoo. There was an incredible generosity of spirit amongst the whole staff. No one was done until we all were done. People stayed late and woke up early to give each other a hand. It had the clear energy of a family, and not in that hollow, corporate speak sort of way. At the heart of the zoo really was an actual family that cared deeply for each other and for the work.
"Things are winding down now, thanks," I said, wiping the sweat off my forehead with my hair band. It was like a hot box in there today, the July temperatures soaring.
"Oh good," Hannah said but still lingered in the doorway.
"You done with your shift already?" I asked, eyeing the stack of empty buckets set beside her mud-splattered boots.
"Almost," she said.
"Okay . . ." I was certain I was missing something. "Do you want something to eat? We have?—”
"Oh no, that's okay," she said too quickly. "I mean, your food is amazing. I just—" She flailed a little too quickly and almost fell backward, which was truly an incredible feat considering she hadn't moved her legs at all. She recovered with a laugh. "And that's why they call me Hazard Report Hannah," she said with a chuckle. "I would like to say I'm not always this awkward, but we both know that's a lie."
"You don't need to be nervous around me," I said. "I'm nobody."
"Well, that's not true." Still, she didn't get to the point, and I had a feeling there was one.
"What can I do you for, Hannah?" I finally asked.
"Okay, fine." She threw her hands up and accidentally knocked her knuckles on the windowsill. I winced in unison with her. "Everyone wants to know how the yacht party went, and I drew the short straw and I was going to subtly weave it into conversation, but as you can see, there is nothing subtle about me."
"Everyone wants to know how the yacht party went?"
"Well, mostly Evelyn, and Hawk, and Dove, and the twins, and Mateo, and Aya . . . . Oh, and Wren."
"That's literally everyone."
"It's just, Finch has been walking around with this hazy lovesick smile all day and we all need to know. Did you guys say the "L" word yesterday? That’s the working theory at least.”
My face fell. I liked the idea that Finch was walking around in as much of a daydream as I was. The party had been wonderful, and even if it was all pretend, the companionship of it had been real at least. The connection between us might be strictly platonic, but I could say for certain we were at least friends by now and that felt really good.
Although, friends didn't pretend to spot their ex watching to get the girl they were fake dating to kiss them again. I'd never be able to admit that to Finch. I'd had too many glasses of Champagne and just really wanted to make out with a woman . . . something I realized had always been a desire of mine whenever I got drunk, but that was something I'd need to unpack at another time.
I realized Hannah was still waiting to hear my answer.
"I don't know if I should really be sharing all the details of our relationship," I hedged. "I feel like that's more Finch's place since you all are her family."
Hannah pouted. “Fair enough, and I respect your boundaries, but please give me one tiny detail to tell Evelyn. I really want her to like me."
"She definitely already likes you," I said with surprised huff.
"I know, but like, she might be my mother-in-law some day and I need her to really, really like me and think I’m worthy of her son.”
I chuckled. “Honestly, I think you've won the mother-in-law jackpot with someone like Evelyn Lachlan. She's like, a cool eco-warrior Mary Poppins."
Hannah had an infectious laugh. She was like a golden retriever personified. "Maybe one day you'll hit that jackpot too." She immediately held out her hands. "I shouldn't have said that. It's too soon to be suggesting you and Finch are going to get married. Strike that from the record, sorry. I just get really excited about the idea of another person dating one of the Lachlan siblings. We need to form an alliance."
"Is this an episode of Survivor now?" I gave her a sideways look. "Do we need an alliance?"
"I mean, not really, but just in case."
I shook my head. "I don't think Finch and I are in the same place as you and Hawk. I've seen that bumper sticker of you two on the Jeep. Finch and I aren't bumper sticker official yet."
Hannah nodded like a caffeinated Muppet. "Well, if ever you need anything, I'm here for you."
"Thanks, that really means a lot to me," I said as she stooped and picked up the buckets. "And Hannah?" She looked at me over her shoulder. "You can tell Evie that we slow-danced half the night and it was very romantic."
"Eee! Thank you! You’re the best!” Hannah cheered and went tearing off through the zoo to wash her buckets.
I wondered how many minutes it would be before the Lachlan family group chat was being flooded with the latest sibling gossip. As I turned back to the towering pile of dishes, my stomach soured. It was going to be awful when this agreement between Finch and I ended. I hadn’t realized how invested everyone would be. What we were doing might end up breaking a few hearts even if it wasn’t either of ours, and the guilt started to gnaw at me. But it was too late. We’d already jumped off that relationship cliff and now all we could do was brace for our collision back to earth.