“Vera. I thought you went back to the station to fink on me.”
She snorted. “No. I was curious about what you were up to now. Moving a stone from the path maybe or trimming a tree so it doesn’t bump anyone on the head?”
“Why do you care what I do?” The squirrel watched from his hiding place, tensed and ready to run, but likely also curious. “All of our guests matter, Vera. Big, small, shifter, or otherwise. If not for the visitors to the park, we wouldn’t have jobs. Maybe keep that in mind?”
She pressed her lips together and spun around, stomping away—hopefully for the rest of the day. If she wasn’t going to do anything for the park, why didn’t she just sit in the station and do her nails. Most rangers did not have jewel-encrusted daggers. At least, not the ones whose job involved trail maintenance.
“What a bitch.” He stood in the bushes, no longer a squirrel and no longer alone. Two men, naked I assumed, although I couldn’t see them below the waist.
“I have no words.” Actually I had so many, but loyalty to the station and others of my job prevented sharing them.
“I’m Trev and this is my mate Artie.” He cast a glance at the other man under his lashes. “We are on our mating trip in your beautiful park.”
“Thank you for saying that. We’re very proud to be here to serve you.” I started to reach out a hand to shake, but evenshifters didn’t usually shake someone else’s mate’s hand when they were naked, so I let it drop to my side. “I’m Bowen, remember?”
Trev nodded, very similar to his squirrel’s head bob.
Artie, the omega, offered a shy smile. “Nice to meet you, Bowen.”
“Seriously, you two come by the station in a couple of hours or in the morning, and I’ll give you a map marked with safer areas for you in your squirrel forms.”
“Artie is a chipmunk,” Trevor said. “We’re a mixed mating. But same concept. That’s very nice of you, and we will.”
I spoke with them for another few minutes and then waved goodbye and waited long enough for the pair to disappear into the park. They were so in love, it showed in every glance in both forms.
I didn’t want to feel jealous, but I’d just about given up on looking for my mate, tired of bad boy alphas and wanting someone kind, gentle, nice…for a change.
Chapter Three
Remi
“That’s it,” Fred, one of the teen workers said, reaching for the huge bell by the time clock. Somewhere over the years, we’d started ringing it at the end of every shift.
“What went right?” I asked the employees waiting to punch out.
“Everything,” Noel answered quickly. “It was a great day.”
“What went wrong? Should I even ask since it was a great one?”
Fred laughed. “I busted my ass after sliding in a puddle of water, but that was my own fault. I forgot to wear my nonslip shoes.”
I nailed him with my best owner stare. “Safety first. But you already admitted it was your fault, so no suing me for the ass-busting.” Not that shifters were litigious, usually.
“Got it, boss,” he said. We parted ways as they all spilled out into the parking area. I’d learned to wait until they were in their cars to lock up since, most days, someone forgot something and didn’t realize it until they were behind the steering wheel. Especially with the teenage workers. They were always leaving their phones, backpacks, food. Their car keys/fobs even. Although they generally noticed that when they tried to unlock their vehicles.
I had been the same when I was younger.
On the way home, I stopped at the only market in town, and picked up a rotisserie chicken and some steam bags of vegetables and a big bowl of prepped fruit. Could I buy it cheaper by cutting it all up myself? Yes. Did I care today? No. Sometimes convenience was king, and tonight was one of those nights.
I drove home with a song on my lips and the windows down. Today really was a great day. I may or may not have downed a chicken leg on the way as well.
At home, I greeted my cat Jeepers. “I’m sorry I’m a bit late, baby,” I said. “I had to stop and get something to eat.”
Davis used to make fun of me talking to my cat. Now, he was the only one left to talk to. The cat, not Davis.
Some days, I came home almost expecting Davis to still be here. It had been almost a year but I still did. I missed having someone to come home to—someone to share a life with.
Jeepers shared my chicken with me while the radio played in the background. Another thing Davis used to get on me about. Now that I thought about it, I should’ve gotten the hint earlier in our relationship. He liked the news on all the time. I thought it brought chaos into our home. I preferred the local radio station.
