Page 42 of Alfie

Through the vows, to the rings, to the kiss that made everyone cheer, Alfie kept his gaze on Myla. By the time he made it through the reception line and to the head table where he and Myla were seated with the family, he was anxious to see her again.

She walked into the room with the male who’d escorted her, the two smiling and waving to the crowd, before taking their seats. She hugged Alfie and whispered, “I am so glad the ceremony is over, these shoes are killing my feet.” She toed them off under the table and wiggled her toes.

The reception got underway with the dances and toasts while the food was brought around, and then he and Myla danced with the guests as the DJ spun the couple’s favorite songs. Myla danced with her dad, and Alfie danced with her mom, and then they were back together again, circling the dance floor.

“I love your family,” Alfie said. “They make me feel like they’re my family too. I haven’t had that in a really long time.”

“They definitely think you’re family,” she said. “They love you too. But not as much as I do.”

“Not even close,” he said.

When she was pulled away for a group dance with the female side of her family, he stepped out into the foyer and texted his friends.

I need your help, can you meet me at eleven?

Sure thing, text us the details, Nathan said.

Alfie sent them his plan, and they were ecstatic. He turned back and found Myla breathing hard and laughing from the crazy group dance.

“I’m so happy,” she said, falling into his arms. “And I’m really glad you’re my plus-one.”

“Me too.” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “Would you like to stop on the way home for a nightcap?”

“Sure! I’m not ready for the night to end, even though Milo and Alice are getting ready to go.”

“I’m not ready for it to end either.”

They were pulled back onto the dance floor by the newly married couple, the music pumping loudly through the speakers. Soon enough they’d be heading back toward the park, but not before one more stop. One more drink before the night ended, and one more important thing to take care of.

Chapter Eighteen

Nathan walked into Crossroads with Hyde and Amadeus and scoped out the place. It was Valentine’s Day, so it was fairly packed, but it was also after eleven p.m. and the crowd was starting to thin.

“Over there?” Amadeus gestured to a table near the dance floor.

“That looks good,” Nathan said.

Hyde offered to grab beers for them while they snagged the table.

Nathan sat so he could see the door and opened his phone to check the pin Alfie had sent him so they’d know when he and Myla arrived.

“This is cool,” Nathan said. “I’m happy for Alfie.”

“Me too,” Amadeus said. “But man, I wish it was me who’d found my soulmate. I can’t believe I’m the last guy in my family to find her.”

Nathan didn’t have any family anymore, but he did have the gorilla band in the park, led by Alpha Atticus. A lot had changed since he’d come to the park. Now only he and Patton remained unmated among the gorillas.

He was glad Alfie had found Myla. But just like Amadeus, he wished he’d found his other half.

Hyde joined them, setting beers on the table. “What’s the topic?”

“Being single,” Nathan said.

“Ugh. Any day now fate can smile on all of us,” Hyde said. He lifted his beer and they clinked their glasses in the silent hopes of finding their forever girls someday soon.

They’d all become friends years earlier when they’d been assigned to the safari park tours when they’d first introduced the VIP coupons and the park had been flooded with visitors. Nathan handled electrical maintenance around the park, and had been pulled in as a security officer for the surge in park guests and long wait times. He, Hyde, and Alfie had been put with Amadeus to patrol the area around the safari park and keep everyone safe. They’d been thick as thieves ever since, each hoping to find their soulmate on a tour someday. Or like Alfie, to just be in the right place at the right time.

The phone pinged when Alfie and Myla arrived at the bar.