She wrinkled her nose. “Really?”
“Yes. What are you using? That red is incredible.”
“It’s a henna dye. I tried it on a whim. My hair just sucks it up.” Coco unwound the scarf, freeing her curls. She’d spritzed them with water earlier in an effort to get rid of the dust.
Lacey sighed. “The things I’d do for hair like yours.”
“You say that now. One day with this mop and you’d be singing a different tune.”
Coco pushed to her feet and crossed to the decorative mirror hanging next to the bedroom door. By some miracle, her hair wasn’t a total disaster. Her curls had a nice spring to them. One side wasn’t noticeably flatter than the other. She also didn’t see any noticeable dust.
“I’m calling today a hair win,” Coco announced.
“I’ll say. You look amazing.” Lacey hugged her from behind.
And Coco felt pretty darn good, too. It helped having her best friend there and Paxton’s attentions didn’t hurt either. Normally Coco did her best to fade into the background, but for today she was going to be front and center.
A knock at the door brought the moment to an end.
Lacey’s older sister, Jessica, and Omarosa filed in, giving the bride-to-be hugs before closing in on Coco. Though none of them had known each other before Lacey put the wedding together, they were fast becoming a friend.
“Okay.” Lacey turned to look them each in the eye. “Do we want to start getting ready or can I give you guys your presents?”
“Presents?” Coco asked.
“Yes.” Lacey clapped her hands together. “I got you each something.”
“I want to know what my present is,” Jessica said. “Well, what I really want is to give you this.” She thrust a package into Lacey’s hands.
“Jess, I told you not to do this.” She gave her sister a look filled with meaning.
Coco glanced away. It was too painful to see how well Lacey and Jessica were doing after years of not speaking. Coco wasn’t sure if she and Cane would ever get back to the way things used to be. There was too much stuff between them now and no remorse on his part.
“Okay, I’m too excited.” Lacey grabbed one of the many bags on the sofa and pulled out three small boxes and an envelope. “I really struggled with what to get you three. You’re so unique and different and nothing really fit you guys. So this girl I met through the zoo’s student program—just open them.”
She handed out the square boxes with their shiny silver paper and teal ribbons.
Coco slid the ribbons off, taking care to not rip the paper.
“Lacey, this is beautiful.” Jessica stared down into her already opened box, shreds of paper on the floor.
“Isn’t it?” Lacey clapped her hands together. “This one student makes these, and I thought it was perfect.”
Coco finally tugged the top of the box off. The inside was velvet, cradling a bracelet that glittered with silver beads, set between larger ones in shades of orange, yellow and green with charms dangling here and there. She held it up to get a better look at the charms, each one a lifelike animal, with the details painted on so fine she had to squint to see them. A little watch face hung off one side, ticking off the time. It was beautiful, and so her.
“So there’s one more thing,” Lacey said.
“What?” Coco glanced up and found the three women looking at her.
Lacey grinned, holding an envelope in her hands. “Check the time on your watch.”
Both Jessica and Omarosa had identical smiles.
What was up?
Coco turned the watch face up. “One in the morning? That’s...”
Seattle time.
Why was that important?
Lacey held out the envelope. “This isn’t from me, but I kind of bullied everyone into letting me give this to you.”
Coco had the strangest urge to run away, but she was hemmed in on both sides by women she’d grown to trust.
How bad could this be?
Coco took the envelope and broke the seal. Several sheets of paper were folded together. She smoothed them out and read the first few lines.
“Congratulations on a job well done. You have been selected through your hard work and determination to receive the...” Coco’s eyes snapped up and she looked at Lacey.
“What is it?” Jessica leaned over. “Lacey wouldn’t tell me the details.”
“It’s a full-ride scholarship to the exotic animal vet school at Washington State.” Lacey jumped up and down, her excitement bubbling over.
“What?” Jessica gasped.
“That’s amazing.” Omarosa slung an arm around Coco’s waist while Lacey kept talking.
“It all started when Dr. Pedersen’s wife was going through stuff. She found this letter of recommendation he wrote just before he died and never sent off. So she reached out to me and I said send it. She got everyone to write to them for you, because you so deserve this, Coco. There’s no one who works harder and wants it more than you do, and now...” Lacey wiped at her face. “Selfishly, I’m also excited that for a few years you’ll be right down the road and I can come see you.”
She kept talking, but Coco’s brain stopped listening.
A scholarship.
This was a good thing, and yet her insides were cold.
If the world was a fair place, she wouldn’t need this. Her brother wouldn’t have taken her college fund, and she’d be living life on her own terms. A part of her knew she should be grateful to everyone who’d made this happen, but a bigger part of her resented that it was necessary in the first place.
7.
Thursday. Mlilo Animal Reserve, South Africa.
Paxton kept his hands on his knees, tapping his fingers against his shins.
There was still time to leave. Lots more people than he’d anticipated had shown up for the wedding. No one would miss him.
Probably not even Coco.
He didn’t like admitting that, but it was the truth. Why did that truth bother him? He wasn’t in the habit of letting people get to him this much.
Fuck it.
He was going.
Paxton stood as a man wearing clerical robes accompanied Shane to stand under the spread of flowers and leaves that had been hung from the trees overhead. Lights twinkled behind him as the sun cast a riot of color across the late afternoon sky.
“Sit, man.” Silas chopped the back of Paxton’s knee, causing his leg to buckle.
He sat down hard as the first strands of music hushed the crowd.
He’d waited too long.
His throat tightened, and he clenched his fists. He really didn’t want to be here.
The stragglers rushed to their seats and most people turned to watch back up the aisle. Paxton wasn’t sure he wanted to do that. The less time he spent watching Coco on the arm of another man, the better.
What the hell had gone wrong that morning?
A blonde woman who could have been Lacey’s twin progressed past Paxton on the arm of one of Shane’s Alpha Team buddies. They reached the end of the aisle and parted ways to stand at opposite ends of the dais. A few moments later a tall, graceful black woman walked by again on the arm of another Alpha Team guy.
Paxton felt an itch between his shoulder blades.
She was there.
He didn’t have to see her to know.
Against his better judgment, he glanced over his shoulder and froze as Coco chuckled at something her escort said. A camera flashed, and she seemed to sparkle.
Damn if she wasn’t the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.
Her hair was held back from her face with little crystal clips that matched the necklace. Her teal gown showed off a figure he’d gotten intimately familiar with last night. He fisted his hands as she walked forward, her eyes set on a spot in the distance. She didn’t look right or left and she sure as hell didn’t see Paxton. But he saw her.
Like the others, she proceeded to the end of the aisle then
parted ways to stand with the other women, clutching a bouquet of white flowers in front of her. She kept her smile in place, but it wasn’t quite authentic. He wouldn’t like to be the center of attention either.
The music changed and those in front of him rose, blocking his view. Paxton stood, but instead of turning to see the bride, he kept watching Coco for another few moments.
Her head turned and the next moment their eyes locked. He could feel her tension, the nerves that no doubt had her primed to run screaming from the ceremony to hide. He got it.
Paxton smiled. It was the only thing he could do. The corners of her mouth twitched and maybe it was his imagination, but he thought he saw real light flicker in her eyes. Something that wasn’t just abject terror at being on display.
Lacey swept up the aisle on the arm of her father and in moments Paxton was seated along with everyone else. Coco didn’t look back at him, but she seemed more at ease. Or was that his imagination? Again, what the hell had gotten into him?
As the ceremony began, Paxton knew he should be watching the bride and groom. They were, after all, why the guests had hauled themselves here. But try as he might, the only thing Paxton wanted to see was Coco.
Talk about out-shining the bride.
She wore the same, flowing teal dress as the other two bridesmaids, only better. He couldn’t say what it was, only that of the four women up there, she was the one who drew his eye. She seemed to glow.
Beautiful wasn’t the right word.
God, he wished he’d known the right thing to do that morning. He’d replayed those moments in the bathroom a dozen times in his head. Where had he gone wrong? Would she let him make it up to her later? Or did he need to keep his distance?
The crowd cheered, interrupting his thoughts and drowning out the minister’s words as Shane and Lacey turned to face everyone. Silas elbowed Paxton then stood, rising to his feet with the crowd. Paxton followed his friend’s lead and swallowed down the punch of jealousy as Shane’s best man took Coco’s hand and led her down the aisle.
It was over.
Paxton had sat through his first wedding, not that he had any idea what happened. He’d been too focused on that slight wrinkle at the corner of Coco’s mouth. Her smile had softened her eyes, but he could still see the stress and he didn’t like not being about to do anything about it. In time they’d find the poachers, but that didn’t make today better for her.
“Come on let’s get to the bar before there’s a line.” Silas slapped Paxton on the shoulder.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” Paxton had no intention of drinking. He wasn’t even sure he was going to the party.
He caught Daluxolo’s eye from across the room. The other man nodded, and they both began meandering toward one side of the grassy area that had served as the site for the picture-perfect wedding. The crowd filed out toward the reception and party that would no doubt go late into the night leaving Paxton and Daluxolo in relative privacy.
“Find anything?” Paxton asked.
“Not much. Couple rifle slugs and knife wounds. There’s a clear trail leading away from the body. My men followed it for as far as they could. One of the darts still had the drug in it. We’re hoping to know more once it’s analyzed.”
“Is there a reason we can’t start tracking these guys now?”
“No, but I only have so many people at my disposal.”
“Okay. I’ll see what we can do on our end, if that’s okay with you?”
“Please.”
“It’ll probably be late tomorrow before anything can happen.” He glanced off toward the party where the sounds of music were already cranking up.
Daluxolo slapped Paxton on the shoulder. “Tonight we celebrate life and love.”
Paxton nodded. He knew a lot about life and less about love, but he wasn’t going to begrudge Lacey and Shane this new chapter. It was clear they made each other happy.
Daluxolo headed toward a group of other park employees leaving Paxton to walk alone. This morning had driven home all the reasons why he was here. Poaching was this thing talked about on the internet and touted in gruesome pictures until it was in front of him.
He hung a left and took the meandering path around the garden area of the resort. If he went along with the others, he’d no doubt see Coco. He didn’t know what to do or say around her, and tonight wasn’t the time for that. Besides, she’d made it clear she didn’t want his attention earlier.
Maybe he’d get a plate and head up to his room, draft out a plan for when the boss was up tomorrow. If there were any guys who hadn’t gotten shitfaced, maybe Paxton could take them out and try to pick up the trail.
A bit of teal floated between the manicured bushes ahead.
Paxton stopped under the shade of a tree and watched Coco pace away from the party. She’d dropped the smiling act. Worry lines marred her brow, and she stared at the ground without seeing it.
His first instinct was to go to her. Do what he could to ease the strain. But that wasn’t right. No, he should back off. Give her space. That was what she’d wanted from him.
No sooner had that thought entered his head then Coco turned toward him and their gazes locked.
Shit.
He was the last thing she wanted to see right now, and he didn’t want to make tonight any more difficult for her than it already was.
Paxton thumbed over his shoulder. “Hey, sorry, I’ll—”
“Don’t go.” She took a step toward him, holding her skirt up off the ground in one hand and her phone in the other. Her gaze slid to the ground again. “I, um, keep trying to think of something to text you and I’m coming up blank.”
“It’s all good—”
“I’m sorry. About earlier and everything...” Her mouth moved, but nothing came out. Her brow furrowed deeper. The lines were back, worse now than at the beginning of the ceremony.
“Hey? Hey, it’s okay.” He closed the distance between them and saw the tears clinging to her lashes.
Coco wrapped her arms around him, but leaned her head back. “It’s a lot of make-up.”
“I don’t care. Come here.” He pulled her in closer and she squeezed him tight.
They stood like that for several moments. He didn’t like seeing her upset, but it did sooth a part of him to know that she’d hugged him first. She took deep, shuddering breaths as she regained her composure. When she’d caught her breath, she placed her hands on his chest and tipped her chin up.
“Apparently I suck at the morning after stuff.”
“It’s okay—”
“No, it’s not. Just shut up for one second.” She took a breath, her gaze never leaving his. “I’m better with animals than I am with people. When we woke up, all I wanted was an hour or two by myself to...mentally prepare for today. And instead of telling you that like a reasonable, rational person, I freaked out. I’m sorry. It was me, not you.”
Everything fell into place. He could see the answer now that she’d laid it out there for him.
“To be fair, you had a lot more going on,” he said.
“Yeah.” She blew out a breath and glanced down.
“How you doing?”
“Honestly?” She looked into his eyes.
“No, lie to me.” He tugged on a curl. “Of course I want you to tell me.”
She looked up at the sky, her lashes once more damp with unshed tears. “This is just about the worst day and all I’m trying to do is smile through it for my best friend when what I really want to do is run away and hide.”
“Why?”
“Utata, for starters. He was right here. I checked his tracking data from the microchip we put in him, and he was so close to us early this morning. Which means they were outside our fence, and we couldn’t stop them. How are we supposed to make a difference if we can’t help the animals on our own land?” She pulled away from him and began to pace the width of the path.
Paxton kept his mouth shut, doubting she wanted answers.
“And then everything else.” She threw her hands up and turned to face him. “My twin’s engaged. We haven’t spoken much in years, but all of a sudden, he’s calling me, showing up here, telling me it’s time to put the past behind us and be a family. All so he can feel good about his wedding day. Fuck that.”
“What happened between you two?” It wasn’t the first time she’d mentioned him.
She stopped and stared at him.
Was that the wrong thing to ask?
Coco heaved a sigh and took his hand. She led him a dozen or so yards down the path to a shaded bench and sat down.
“It’s a long story,” she said softly.
“That’s what you said last night. You don’t have to tell me. It might not help, but I’m here.” And deep down he wanted her to trust him with her story.
She twisted to face him. “It’s a lot to explain to someone who didn’t grow up here.”
Paxton took her hand in his, ready to sit through whatever she decided to tell him.
“You might have noticed I’m bi-racial,” she said in a dry tone.
“You are?”
“Stop.” She chuckled and a bit of the light snuck back into her eyes, but it didn’t last. “There were a lot of rules back then made to keep everyone in their place. My mom and dad fell in love despite the danger of being together. It didn’t last. The world was too toxic back then, and it was stacked against them, but they’ve both always loved Cane and I. Our father looked out for us, making sure we could go to good schools even after he remarried. He even had a college fund, something he started the day he got his first job. Both Mom and Dad agreed that the key to a better future was education. They always stressed school.”
Paxton lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Whatever was coming, it was painful for her.
“After high school Cane knew exactly what he wanted to do. To him, the only answer to making our lives better was to change it. He had plans to study, go into politics. I...wasn’t sure if veterinary medicine was a good idea. My school would be a lot more expensive, so I dragged my feet. Cane... He went to our dad and told him I wasn’t going to school. Dad gave him our combined scholarship fund, so a few weeks later when I made up my mind it was all gone. And Cane to this day believes it was the right thing to do because his plans are about improving the country and not just helping a couple sick animals.”
Dangerous Heat (Aegis Group, #8) Page 7
