Donovan had moved from that show to a series that was specifically produced for the internet, but she’d followed him there as well and found him charming and engaging and knowledgeable.
Griffin had mentioned on one of their recent phone calls that Donovan had been to Autre a few times and was actually hanging out now for an extended period and rehabilitating some wildlife right there in Autre. Jill couldn’t deny that she’d been excited to potentially meet him and talk about their shared passion.
She’d had no idea she might be sitting at brunch with him though.
“I can’t believe—” Zeke started.
“Shh,” she said quickly. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.” She frowned at him. “No mouthing anything.”
“He’s done something with penguins?”
“Yeah. A couple of times.”
Zeke grinned.
“I can’t believe I did rock-paper-scissors even once. This is not going to be a regular thing,” the man at the end of the table said.
He was even bigger than Zeke. He was wide and clearly taller. He also had longer hair, but it was loose and brushed the collar of his button-down shirt. His beard was longer and thicker and though his shirtsleeves were rolled up to his elbows, there was no evidence of any ink, at least on his forearms. He was in dress pants and wore glasses. He had a bad-boy-turned-hot-nerd thing going on.
“And that’s Knox, our city manager,” Zeke said in Jill’s ear.
He did not look like a city manager.
“It’s only fair,” Zander insisted.
“I don’t think it has to be fair. We just need to decide whose job this is going to be and that person needs to go do it. And I know it’s not mine,” Knox said.
“People can’t be calling 9-1-1 for goats,” Michael said. He was sitting much the way Zeke was, with his ankle crossed over his opposite knee. His left hand cradled the cup of coffee and he seemed mildly amused by the whole conversation.
“They’re not my job either,” the woman at the table said. “They’re not exactly wildlife.” She had long light brown hair that was pulled into a ponytail, though the ponytail holder was slipping down partway and her hair was hanging loose. She wore a green polo shirt that read Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on the left side and khaki pants.
“Bailey,” Zeke said to Jill.
“What about you?” Knox said to Donovan.
Donovan looked up from his plate. “What about me?”
Jill worked on looking totally casual about listening to Donovan Foster talk in person over breakfast.
“You could take care of the goats,” Knox said.
“Definitely,” Michael agreed. “You look a little like Griffin and are way more charming. The goats might like you even better than him if they get to know you.”
Jill wasn’t really following this conversation, but goats seemed to be a common thing around this town.
“Yeah, and you’re an animal lover,” Zander said, sitting forward. “We can get you a special cell phone and number. People can call straight to you. It’ll be the Goat Hotline.”
“It’ll be like the Bat Signal,” Michael said. “We’ll even let you wear a cape.”
“With a big goat head on the back,” Zander added.
Donovan swallowed the bite he’d taken, wiped his mouth, pushed his empty plate away, and sat back in his chair. “I’ll do it.”
The people around the table looked surprised. Knox was the first to respond. “Awesome. I’ll look into the—”
“On one condition,” Donovan added.
Knox sighed. “Why is there always a condition?”
“Because grown men don’t go around chasing goats down Main Street USA, unless there’s a very good reason,” Donovan said.
“But they do go around chasing giant salamanders?” Zander asked.
“Of course. Giant salamanders are cool. And there was a very good reason…I was getting paid by a television network for that,” Donovan said with a grin.
“Still starstruck?” Zeke whispered to Jill. “The guy plays with salamanders.”
“Shh,” she hissed.
Of course she was still starstruck. Donovan Foster had rescued a baby elephant from poachers and a tiger from big game hunters. And those were just two episodes of his show. She could overlook giant slimy amphibians. Probably.
But Zeke Landry’s index finger stroking up and down the outside of her arm was very distracting and she was now envisioning Donovan in a cape. And it wasn’t doing anything for her.
“So what’s this ‘very good reason’ you need?” Knox asked.
“There’s one thing I’ve never done with my brand,” Donovan said.
Zander and Knox rolled their eyes simultaneously.
Donovan just waited until he had their full attention again.
“Main Street USA,” Donovan went on. “I’ve been talking to Charlie and Jordan—”
Now Zander and Knox both sighed.
Again Donovan waited.
“Okay, let’s hear it,” Knox said, rotating his hand in a ‘come on’ motion.
“As you know,” Donovan said, “the ladies are big on helping the visitors to the petting zoo understand that there are interesting animals living all around them in their own backyards. That while visiting petting zoos and interesting places like the bayou is great, it’s also important to understand the wildlife where they live and what they can do to protect the ecosystems right around them. Getting involved locally is a fantastic way to make advocates and activists on a larger scale down the road.”
Zander was staring at him. “That wasn’t even a prepared speech, was it? You talk like that all the time?”
“Well…” Donovan looked from Zander to Michael to Knox. “Yeah.”
“So what do you want in exchange for being our local goat herder?” Knox asked.
“A show.”
“You have a show.”
“Another show.”
“So do a show. The internet is free.” Then Knox looked around the table. “It is free to put stuff like his show up on the internet right?”
“Jesus,” Zander muttered. “What do you want, Donovan?”
“Money to advertise the show with online ads.”
“From the city?” Knox asked. “That would take a whole budget amendment. The Council would have to get involved. I’d have to—”
“I don’t care where you get it,” Donovan interrupted. “Have a car wash. Pass the hat at the next crawfish boil. Whatever.”
Knox blew out a breath. “Maybe I’ll just keep going to get the goats.”
Finally, Zeke asked, “What the hell is going on?”
Jill tried not to be grateful he’d asked. But she kind of wanted to know now too. Dammit.
Michael looked over. “Just discussing what to do about our friendly neighborhood goat gang and Benny.”
“Again? Already?” Zeke asked.
“This morning.”
“Where did Benny take them this time?”
“The Methodist Church,” Michael said. “Right into the sanctuary too. The door was propped open because the cleaning ladies were there.”