It was good the alpacas and goats and the rest didn’t wear watches. And that Griffin liked to see them all—no matter what he said—and checked on them all first thing in the morning.
She nodded. “Working on the grant. But it’s coming along.”
“Do you want some help?”
She smiled. “You’ve been helping, Fletcher. So much. You’re spending your lunch breaks and every evening on this.”
“You know I love it.”
She did. “You know that you’re making this even better for me, right?”
He looked surprised. “I am?”
“Of course. I love doing this together.”
His eyes were soft but hot when he met her gaze. “I’m glad.”
She got up from the table and went to the fridge. She grabbed some lettuce and carrots out of the drawer and tossed them on the floor for Lenny. “Come on,” she told Fletcher. “I have to show you something.”
He followed her into the living room. She moved one of the kitchen chairs, putting it on its side to keep Lenny on the tile floor, then crossed to the coffee table, picking her way around the stacks of papers and folders that still covered the floor. There was too much paperwork to use Fletcher’s desk or the kitchen table for all of it. She didn’t really have a desk or office space at the petting zoo, so this was her office for now. At least until they got the education center built at the animal park. Her heart kicked at the thought. That made it seem even more official. And it was part of what they needed the grant money for.
She picked up the page she wanted him to see and sank onto the floor to sit crisscross.
Her own clothes had finally arrived from Nashville, so the sundress she wore tonight was hers. She tucked the skirt between her legs as Fletcher dropped to the floor beside her. He braced his hands behind him, stretching his long legs out in front.
“Look what I got today.” She handed the page over. It was a drawing of a smiling alpaca standing in a pasture, looking over the top of a fence. The alpaca was covered in glued-on cotton balls that had been painted brown and the sunshine and the flowers in the field were decorated with glitter. It had obviously taken more time and effort than a simple drawing.
He took it and studied it. “That’s cute.”
She nodded. “It’s from Sophia.”
He looked at her quickly. “Really?”
“Yeah. She told me that Chewie wanted me to know that he’s feeling happier.”
Fletcher studied the artwork again.
“I think it means that she’s feeling happier,” Jordan said softly.
He nodded. “Maybe.”
“I heard her telling her mom that she wanted Ana to come read a story to Chewie. When Ana asked her why, she said that she wanted to share her mom since Chewie doesn’t have one.”
Fletcher sucked in a quick breath. “Jesus,” he muttered. “This kid is breaking my heart.”
“No,” Jordan said quickly. “I think it’s good. I’ve been doing all this reading and one thing that animals can do for people who are grieving is give them an outlet for the pain. A reason to keep going. A way to feel like things still matter. Sophia wants to help take care of Chewie because he’s sad and that’s giving her a purpose.”
Fletcher met her eyes. “You really think that or are you just trying to make me feel better?”
She smiled and put her hand on his. “I’ll admit that I would just say it to make you feel better if I knew it would. But I also really think that. Her convincing me that he’s happier means that she understands that the people who care about her need to know when she’s feeling better too.”
Fletcher shook his head. “She hasn’t done anything to make me think that.”
“Well, have you…” Jordan stopped.
“Have I what?”
She should have thought this through before she spoke. She did not want to make him feel bad.
“Jordan, have I what?” Fletcher pressed.
“Have you told her that her being happy matters to you?” Jordan asked.
“I’ve…” He frowned. “You don’t think she knows?”
“The school year just started. She didn’t really know you before you became her teacher, right? Maybe she doesn’t know that you specifically care.” Jordan bit her bottom lip, watching Fletcher process that.
Finally he shoved a hand through his hair. “Fuck. No, I haven’t. I’ve been trying to give her space. Not pressure her to talk or anything. She’s doing well with her assignments, so I’ve left her alone. I guess I thought maybe kids just know that their teachers care.”
Jordan squeezed his hand. “You should tell her.”
“Yeah. I guess I should.” He looked over at her. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to know the exact words. You’ll get it right.”
“Am I a bad teacher, or person, if I’m relieved to think there will be another program that can help her? So I can just be the fun teacher instead?”
He looked so sheepish that Jordan’s heart flipped in her chest. Fletcher Landry had always been confident and charming and funny and willing to do anything to make things right for her. He’d gotten on a plane without a second thought to fly to Vegas to rescue her. He’d walked into that wedding chapel without blinking. He was always sure of himself.
Seeing him doubtful like this did funny things to her.
Mostly, it made her…hot.
That was weird.
But Fletcher had always been so in-charge. He was the one she could always depend on to know what to do in any situation. This more vulnerable side, because he couldn’t heal a little girl’s broken heart, got to Jordan.
She wasn’t sure she had ever been more attracted to someone than she was to Fletcher Landry at this moment.
Jordan reached out and plucked Sophia’s picture from Fletcher’s hand and tossed it onto the coffee table.
“Wha —”
“Saying ‘I do’ to you in Vegas was the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”
His gaze heated. “Ditto.”
Then she climbed into his lap and gave him a pop-quiz about how to make her come with his mouth in under five minutes.
He passed with flying colors.
And then he really moved to the head of the class by helping her write their first grant proposal while they fed a giant tortoise vegetables.
The next night, Fletcher, Mitch, and Zeke got to Ellie’s after nearly everyone else had already showed up.
They’d been over at the site of the future zebra pen again. Since it was essentially a pasture with a barn structure, it didn’t take as much sketching and planning or special materials as the otter enclosure had when Mitch had built it a few months ago.
Now they headed for the back table where everyone typically gathered. Fletcher noted that even Naomi was there tonight with her brother Michael and his little boy, Andre. But he didn’t see his wife.
He pulled out a chair next to Charlie and dropped into it. “Where’s Jordan?”
“She headed home early with a headache.”
He frowned. “When I texted her at lunch she didn’t say anything.”