Page 57 of Arctic Panda's Secret Mate
They were lounging on chairs that they had dragged to the water’s edge, and Breck had brought them drinks in coconuts. (No glass was allowed on the beach!) Tiny, swift crabs dug into the fine, golden sand at their feet, and birds wheeled overhead. Far out in the water, beyond the breaker, there was a pod of dolphins frolicking with a dragon.
“It’s a nice place to visit,” Haisley said, tipping down her sunglasses to smile at him, “but it’s not home.”
Tristan was inclined to agree.
He missed puttering around in the chalet with Haisley, drawing the plans for the new greenhouse and the improved generator shed that he would be building that summer. It was mid-March, and the snow was already starting to slowly melt in the strength of the midday sun.Haisley showed him where to look for pussy willows, all along the road and at the edges of the forest. Their trails were soft and spongy, unsuitable for travel, and Haisley warned that they would only get worse. Every day was brighter and longer, the sun reaching further up into the sky.
“Don’t get comfortable,” Halsey had warned. “We could still get more snow until the middle of May.”
Tristan even missed snow, in all its various forms.
I like snow, his panda agreed.
“Anyway,” Haisley added, “I’ve already signed all the papers.”
Scarlet had invited Haisley to the resort to sign the final round of paperwork rather than visiting the chalet, which still seemed a little weird to Tristan, but it meant his mate could attend his going-away party, which had been the night before.
He might not miss the resort that much, but he was definitely going to miss the staff. Travis had gotten drunk with him and given sage, slurred advice about living in Alaska. (Avoid the yellow snow. Frostbite hurts more later. Find a hobby you can do in the winter.) Breck had given him way too many words of wisdom regarding marriage and mates. Graham had promised to send him produce, clearly unimpressed with what Alaska had to offer. Chef had catered all his favorites, and he ate and drank so much that he and Haisley had to stagger back to the cottage that Scarlet put them up in.
He hadn’t eaten too much to make love, though, with all the doors and windows open to the warm night air.
That was something he might miss.
But he’d have Haisley’s sweet curves and common sense in Alaska, and snuggling for warmth was its own kind of joy.
Here, every day was exactly the same, and every day for the entire year would be, at every season. It was comfortably hot, and the resort was slow-paced and peaceful, but Tristan knew he’d find it unstimulating.
He’d gone all the way to Alaska to find his heart and his home.
Now he was unfit for anything else.