Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89658 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89658 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
And my brother rarely tells me no. In fact, it’s usually the opposite. But when it comes to us being in large public places together, he’s always shied away from the chance of being thrust into the spotlight because he knew I hated it.
“That’s why I brought my super-secret disguise with me,” Brock replies, pulling his hat down a little lower and offering me a big smile.
“Well, you’re going to have to tone down the grin then, Bond, because it gives you away immediately.”
“Figures,” he states, reaching for his door handle. “Ready?”
I nod with enthusiasm, making him chuckle. When we meet at the trunk of his fancy sports car, he takes my hand and leads me toward the gate. “Are you worried?” I ask, unable to keep from saying the question.
“About?”
“Being recognized.”
He stops, well before the short line gaining entrance into the zoo. “No. And if I am, I’ll deal with it. Right now, I just want to spend some time with you, getting to know you better. All the rest we can deal with later.”
I want to argue. The chances of being recognized are pretty great, even with his ballcap. He’s Brock Williams, for heaven’s sake. Everyone who knows anything about football knows who he is. He’s one of the top Google searches, as fans—well, mostly women—search for those Tommy underwear ads he did a couple of years back. They leave little to the imagination. I would know. I may have searched them out recently too.
“Come on, Sunshine. Let’s go enjoy the day.”
When we reach the front of the line, Brock hands over cash and takes our two entrance tickets. He doesn’t talk but nods his appreciation as we move to the brief security line, which will check my bag. Once that’s complete, we step inside and take in the chaotic scene.
Families are everywhere, taking photos of their kids in front of the signs, the fountain, and the exhibit entrances. I can’t help but smile. Even though it’s a little noisy, it feels completely natural and normal to be surrounded by such madness.
“What do you want to see first?” he asks, drawing my attention toward a large zoo map behind plexiglass.
“I’m not picky,” I tell him, reaching down and taking his hand in my own.
Brock nods, a slight smile playing on his lips, as he brings our hands to his lips and kisses my knuckles. “Then let’s just wander.”
Together, we head for the first path we come to, which happens to lead us to a few of the larger animal exhibits. We stop and take in the zebras, elephants, and rhinos before moving toward the monkey house. He holds open the door, letting me slip inside to the noisy exhibit. Just as the door starts to close, Brock pulls me back against his chest, barely avoiding being run into by two rowdy boys.
“Sorry!” the first one yells as they dart by, exiting the monkey house with a flurry.
“I’m so sorry!” the frazzled mom hollers as she practically runs by, trying to catch up to her kids.
“That was a close one,” Brock mutters against my ear, the warmth of his breath fanning across my skin.
I slowly turn in his arms and wrap them around his neck, going up on my tiptoes and kissing his lips. “My hero.”
He snorts. “Well, if that’s all it takes, I’ll save you from screaming, running kids anytime, sweetness.” He returns my kiss but keeps it from progressing any farther. Considering we’re in public, it’s probably for the best.
We continue to hold hands as we walk through the monkey house, identifying as many varieties as we can, with the help of the signs and photos. A few times, I glance at someone and find them staring at us with question in their eyes. As if they’re trying to place either him or me, and every time, we just walk away and find something else to see.
Eventually, we make our way toward the area where they keep lions, tigers, and bears. “Did you know bears are one of the most intelligent land animals in North America?” Brock says, as we stroll past the enclosure with two brown bears.
“Really?”
He nods. “They have the largest and most complex brains, in comparison to other land mammals their size.”
I stop and offer him a grin. “How do you know that?”
He shrugs, bringing my hand back up to his mouth. “I had to do an oral report on the bear in junior high. It stuck with me.”
Stepping forward, I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my face against his chest. “What else do you know about bears?”
“Grizzly bears have a biting force of like 1200 PSI, which is strong enough to crush a bowling ball,” he says, resting his arms on my lower back and holding me close.
“Yeah?”
“True story.”
We stand here for several long seconds, just wrapped in each other’s arms, before separating and continuing through the enclosure. Before we reach the end, a young boy walks up to us. “Excuse me,” he says quietly. “Are you Brock Williams?”