Page 11 of An Omega Fox for Walker (Beartastic Summer of Love #4)
Walker
Fennec left after our kiss. He didn’t even finish his lunch, just made some vague excuse and ran.
We had planned to go to the relay race together, but I was pretty sure that was no longer going to happen.
At least, judging from the direction he went in.
Not toward the main cabin. I cleaned up from our lunch and went to find my cousin.
He was just getting ready to do the race, his small staff washing up after the main lunch.
Everyone had such a good time here with the silly games and the general atmosphere Eddie managed to put together.
Truly not a fancy resort, the cabins were clean and comfortable, the main one rustic but nice.
When he first told me what the activities would be, I wasn’t at all surprised he’d needed someone to show up and seem to have fun.
But we made a great team, and his guests were so into the things he planned.
But it seemed as if I was losing some of that energy, and when Eddie laid eyes on me, he set down the small wrapped box containing the prize for the relay race.
I wasn’t sure what this one was. Most cost him just a few dollars but made people laugh and smile and added to the old-fashioned fun around the place.
One guest even showed up clutching a newspaper with us listed among other reasonably priced, great-value-for-your-money vacation destinations.
We were booked for the whole rest of the summer, meaning, he could probably do just fine without me if I wanted to go home.
I did not.
Fennec would only be here for the week, but I still had months left of my vacation, and I wanted to see where this went before deciding what to do. Right at this moment, I didn’t feel particularly good about my chances of seeing our mating happen. Not if a single kiss sent him away like this.
“So, who kicked you in the shins?” Eddie asked. “Last I saw, you were trotting down the path with Fennec. I figured you’d be smiling a lot bigger next time I saw you.”
“Yeah, and we kissed.”
“Cousin!” He slapped me on the back. “Congratulations. He knows you’re his mate now. Perfect.”
“Not perfect,” I grunted. “After that he left, and I don’t know where he went.”
“Okay.” He dragged me into his private quarters. “We have a few minutes before the race starts. Tell me what’s going on now. With no mate in my life, I need to live vicariously through others, and you’re the most interesting one now.”
“Nice.” I dropped onto the faded sofa, springs creaking under me. “I’m glad you can find enjoyment in my misery.”
“Misery?” he scoffed. “I think your patience is paying off. He’s been grouchy, right?”
“Well, he kind of was at the beginning, but not so much now.”
“Progress.” He paced back and forth in front of me. “Now, he’s only here for a week, so you have to be patient but aware of the timing.”
“Maybe if I wasn’t playing games all day, it would be easier for me to find time to woo him.”
“What are you? A hundred? Woo him?”
“Court? Romance? Seduce? I thought the animals might be able to help me, but he didn’t show up for the run.
” I tapped my foot, trying to think of what I could do to show him we were meant to be together without being pushy enough to send him away.
If one kiss did this, what would anything more result in?
“I’ve grown to accept that mating isn’t always easy, but what if it doesn’t happen and he leaves? ”
“I don’t think Fate works that way. At least not from all the stories.” He offered me a sympathetic smile. “My dads said they met twice before realizing they were mates.”
“Your dads told you their romance story?” Sounded like my uncles were more forthcoming than my fathers.
“Every year on their anniversary.” He grimaced. “In far more detail than we needed to know as kids. Nothing gross but just TMI. Why? Didn’t your fathers share?”
“No. They say it’s private.” I stood up. “But I’d better get out there and help run the race.”
“Don’t you want to follow Fennec?”
More than life itself. “I don’t think he wants me to.
” I headed out into the lobby and then to the area in front where the participants were supposed to gather.
A group of a dozen or so waited for the activity.
Far better than the first week when twice I’d run a race against myself. “Who’s ready to race?”
Everyone here was a shifter, which had helped with the theme of this particular game.
“Line up. The object of the race is to run the same circuit twice. Once as a human and once as your animal. I know it may seem a challenge since you’re all different animals, but I can tell you that we’ve had some surprising winners in the past, and the winners not only win a nice prize but will be honored at the fire tonight. So, ready? Set? Go!”
The circuit was a dirt track that looped around the outside of the resort.
There were several challenges along its length that made use of different skills an animal might use, in an attempt to even the playing field.
They would be gone for at least an hour, so I plopped down on the porch to stuff a pinata for a party later in the week while I waited.
Maybe Fennec would walk by while I sat here. A bear could hope. But all I saw were the various other guests racing past, shedding their clothing and taking their feathers, fur, or scales before beginning the second round. My money was on the monkey shifter, but we’d see!