Wanted: Zookeeper (Silverpines Book 19) Read online

  Ellen tilted her head back with understanding. “Oh. I didn’t know all this. I see why he’s upset.”

  “Yes.” Niles sighed. “It seems I am always disappointing my family.”

  “So.” Ellen caught sight of the waiter in her peripheral. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She grabbed up the menu and swiftly scanned it. “I’ll have the seasoned chicken, glazed carrots and collard greens with salt pork.”

  Niles dropped his head, then turned to the waiter.

  “That sounds good. I’ll have the same.” There was no mistaking his dismissive tone.

  Ellen caught the waiter’s eyes and smiled apologetically. “Thank you.”

  “So…” she drew his attention to her. “Your brother has invested in a place for your exotics but you are keeping them here in Silverpines. Do you still have contacts back in Africa? Those who could send animals to fill the pens your brother has prepared?”

  Niles stared at the dancing flames in the hearth, deep in thought. “That’s… possible— but with everything we went through just to get here, I don’t know…”

  “Well, we can think about it.” Ellen squeezed his hand again. “If your brother really wants an exotic zoo. It could be he just wants you.”

  Niles’s face relaxed as if her words had had a profound effect on him. “You could be right. That never occurred to me. Do you suppose—?”

  Ellen smiled. “I know how I feel. I love you for who you are. The animals are—“

  The waiter sat a plate of food in front of her and one in front of Niles. “Is there anything else you need?”

  “No.” Ellen and Niles said abruptly. The waited frowned and retreated offended.

  Ellen looked down at her plate. “I was saying, I love you, Niles. The animals are like this gravy. Extra.”

  Niles stared at her. His eyes moistened. “Speaking of—”

  He slid out of his chair, and dropped to one knee while reaching into his coat pocket. “I have something for you. My proposal was rather impetuous, but sincere. This, however, was my mother’s and I’d like you to have it. Ellen Mae Myers, will you do me the honor of being my wife, and accept this ring as my pledge to love and protect you for the rest of our lives.”

  Ellen gawked at the beautiful rose-cut diamond ring. The rose-colored gold shank set off the silver repoussé metal work of the band. It was exquisite. “It-it’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  She laughed. “Yes. I already said yes before, but yes, I will marry you. This ring is—“

  “Gravy?”

  She laughed again. “Yes. Extra and special.”

  He slipped the ring on her finger and returned to his chair. “Let’s eat.”

  “Yes. Let’s.” She held up her hand, admiring the ring that fit perfectly on her third finger, as if it were made just for her. “Be sure to invite your brother to our wedding.”

  Niles glanced at her. “Of course.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  March 1900

  Another balloon escaped Mayor Garrison’s hand and floated into the sky. The Mayor walked among the people, handing the floating wonders out to the children. Residents of Silverpines and several nearby towns waited anxiously at the gates of the Timber Town Memorial Zoo. It was opening day.

  To add to the celebration, Niles and Ellen would wed inside the Welcome Center Building before the gates were opened to the people. Ellen and the wedding party gathered, while Niles walked among the people outside of the gates. He smiled with each handshake, men patted his back, and women cooed their well wishes. Those closest to Ellen and her Grandpa were seated in the welcome center, where Niles needed to be. “Good people, thank you for coming. But I need to get inside.”

  The crowd laughed and waved as he rushed through the gate which had been opened just enough for him to slip through.

  “Wait!” A familiar voice hollered from the other side of the gate.

  Niles spun around. “Charles?”

  It couldn’t be his twin brother. He pulled the gate open. There stood an older version of the brother he had left behind over a decade ago. “Charles!” He pulled him into a tight hug. “Get in here. What – I didn’t know you were coming.”

  “You sent me an invitation, Niles. Did you honestly think I wouldn’t come see my baby brother marry?”

  “Baby brother? We’re five minutes apart.”

  “Yeah, but I was born first.”

  Niles laughed and slapped his brother on the back, pulling him into another snug embrace. “I’m so glad you came.”

  Charles looked around. “This looks great. Much more authentic to the African jungles, I suppose.”

  “That was the idea.” Niles wrapped his arm around Charles’s shoulder and led him to the Welcome Center. “Just wait until you meet Ellen.”

  “Yeah. I look forward to it.” Charles let Niles open the door and followed him into the quaint room. Benches sat in even rows like church pews with a center aisle. Niles glanced at the room to the right, knowing his Ellen Mae waited there. “Come stand with me.” He brought Charles down the aisle toward Pastor James. “This is my twin brother, Pastor. He has surprised me, coming from Seattle, to-to be here for our wedding.”

  Pastor James shook Charles’s hand and motioned for him to stand next to Niles. “We are ready to begin.”

  Niles nodded. Abby James nodded in reply and sang without the accompaniment of a piano in an angelic voice that filled the stonewalled room. The acoustics were amazing.

  Several couples who Niles recognized as friends of Ellen and Walter’s sat on the benches. Zhang and his family along with the men he had brought from Montana were there. Brawny Winter and a woman, Mallet Thorne and his woman, filled the benches.

  Niles sniffed and turned to face the office door. Walter stepped from the small room and put his hand out. Ellen’s hand reached out to him and Walter smiled. Niles’s chest tightened. He couldn’t wait to see his bride.

  Walter stepped back, easing Ellen into the room. Walter turned to stand at her side and she took his elbow. She was so beautiful, Niles’s breath caught in his lungs. His eyes clouded. This was his wife. He swallowed hard and pursed his lips.

  Charles touched his shoulder. Niles jumped, turned to look at his twin, and smiled. Charles winked and nodded his approval. Niles turned back. Walter and Ellen were a mere three feet from him. Pastor James spoke and Walter spoke, kissed Ellen on the cheek, and placed her hand in Niles’s.

  He drew in a needed breath and pulled her near to him. Taking both her hands, he became lost in her crystal blue eyes. She smiled and the world faded away. There was nothing but her and him and this incredible, overwhelming feeling of pure love. Pastor James spoke at a distance far away. Niles mumbled a response when prompted, Ellen did the same. He placed a gold and silver band on her finger that went with his mother’s ring. She placed a gold band on his finger.

  Niles took her hands into his again and lifted them to his lips. A fire burned inside him. All he wanted was to take her into his arms and make her all his, body and soul, the way the Good Lord intended. But it occurred to him it would be hours before he could express this blazoned desire for her. He had reserved the honeymoon suite at the Silverpines Inn, but had told them it would be later this evening before they would arrive. The zoo opening would be their reception party immediately after the wedding ceremony. It had been a great idea at the time. Now he had more pressing needs to attend.

  He chuckled and placed a kiss on her knuckles. Her eyes filled with tears. Why did she cry? He frowned, his brow peaked. “Are you happy?”

  She smiled and touched the tear that tried to roll down her cheek. “So happy.”

  He smiled too. She squeezed his hands, he squeezed back. Finally, pastor said the words they had waited to hear. “I pronounce you man and wife. Niles, you may kiss your bride.”

  Niles turned to the pastor to confirm it was alright to kiss her. Pastor James nodded with a grin. Niles stepped close to Ellen, releasing her
hands and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, drawing her to him. She tilted her head and he brushed his lips against hers. Their passion erupted and he deepened the kiss. She lifted her arms, running her hand up the taut ribbon of his back and pulled him into her.

  The friends who stood as witnesses whistled and hooped. Niles and Ellen stumbled back, laughing, while the people ran toward them hugging Ellen and shaking Niles’s hand.

  Walter wiped his eyes and stepped back. Niles intentionally approached his grandfather-in-law and shook his hand.

  “Welcome to the family.” Walter choked.

  “Thank you, Walter.”

  Charles stepped up next to Niles. “Are you going to introduce me to my sister-in-law?”

  “Oh.” Niles took Ellen’s hand and gently pulled her to his side. “Ellen, my love. This is my twin brother, Charles.”

  “Oh, Charles.” Ellen pulled him into an embrace. “I recognize my husband in your face.”

  They laughed. “Yes, we are identical twins.”

  “I see that. It’s so good to meet you. Thank you for coming.”

  “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Charles beamed.

  Niles held her hand and wrapped his other arm around his brother. “Let’s go open the zoo.”

  Everyone followed the newlyweds to the front gate. Niles took one door. Ellen took the other. With a nod, they stepped back, pulling the gates with them and opening the entrance to the Memorial Zoo for the first time to the public. Walter and Charles and the wedding guests stood clumped together at the entrance. Niles and Ellen stepped over to stand in front of them, they took each other’s hand. “Welcome, every one.” Niles smiled to his bride. “Welcome to Timber Town Memorial Zoo.”

  The crowd cheered and poured through the gates. Drawn directly to the sheeted statue, they all gathered around it and waited.

  Niles smiled at his brother and stood next to the covered monolith. Ellen stood at Niles’s side. “Ladies and Gentlemen of Silverpines. As you know, a lot of good people were lost on this very ground when the earth shook and the mountain slid into the river. Today, we honor those people with this statue designed and built by our very own stonemason, Mr. Mallet Thorne. Mallet, come up here.”

  Mr. Thorne threaded through the people and stood next to Niles. The crowd applauded and cheered. Ellen and Niles clapped too.

  Mayor Garrison worked his way to the front of the people also. Niles held out his hand to him. “Mr. Mayor, please do the honors.”

  Luther Garret stepped up and took ahold of the edge of the cloth. His eyes searched the crowd, landing on Victoria, his wife. “Friends and family of the Timber Town folks. This statue was built to honor and remember the lumberjacks and their families who lived here on these grounds. May we never forget them.”

  He yanked the cloth. A breeze caught it like a sail and it floated down to the ground, revealing the statue.

  A lumberjack stood tall and strong, with a large axe over his shoulder, his arm encircled his wife, in a simple day dress and apron, at her side she held the hand of a boy with a huge open-mouthed smile. In his other hand, he held a balloon that floated in the air above his head. In the base that the family stood upon were carved names listing every man, woman, and child lost to the landslide and the date of the devastating storm, April 14, 1899.

  The crowd gasped and then murmurs wafted through them. Sniffles could be heard and sighs. Then one person clapped. Then another. And another. Soon the entire crowd applauded and cried, “It’s beautiful.” “It’s perfect.” “It’s wonderful.”

  Niles drew his bride to his side and clapped his brother on the shoulder. He was home at last. Not in Seattle, Washington, as he had imagined, but near enough to visit often. Here in Silverpines, Oregon, he found his perfect mate as God had intended, and the perfect place to exhibit the exotic animals that he had rescued in Africa. Building this zoo here on what had been a tent town of hard working men and woman. Preserving their memory forever, never to be forgotten, with a place for education, exercise, and enjoyment. His heart was so full and his life so complete, as he stood next to Ellen Mae in the center of the zoo she helped him build. She was his bride and he her Wanted Zookeeper.

  THE END

  About the Author:

  Lynn Donovan is an author, playwright, and director who spends her days chasing after her muses trying to get them to behave long enough to write their stories. The results are numerous novels, multi-author series, anthologies, dramatizations, and short stories.

  Lynn will be a co-host on a local AM radio show, KRLN 1400, called Write Time Radio beginning Spring 2019, where she and her co-host will be airing old-time-radio dramas, narrations, and excerpts written by local writers, including herself.

  Lynn enjoys reading and writing all kinds of fiction, paranormal, speculative, contemporary romance, and time travel. But you never know what her muses will come up with for a story, so you could see a novel under any given genre. All that can be said is keep your eyes open, because these muses are not sitting still for long!

  Oops, there they go again…

  You can learn more about Lynn on her blog, follow her on Twitter @MLynnDonovan, Facebook at LynnDonovan, her Facebook Author page at LynnDonovanFGG and her website LynnDonovanAuthor.com.

  OTHER Publications by Lynn Donovan:

  The Wishing Well Curse (Spirit of Destiny, Book 1)

  Thorns of Betrayal (Spirit of Destiny, Book 2)

  Secret Voices (Spirit of Destiny, Book 3)

  Rocking Horse Shadows

  Christmas Grace, Signing Seeds

  Merry’s Christmas Eve

  Fertility Pirates (The Abraham Project, Book 1)

  Cloned Chaos (The Abraham Project, Book 2)

  Java Cupid Series:

  Java Break

  Java Footprint

  Java Dreams

  Java Masterpiece

  Phantom Horse Series:

  Phantom Origins (FREE)

  Phantom Mystery

  Phantom Lessons

  Phantom Rescue

  Phantom Chances

  Gunther City Mail Order Brides Series

  The Blacksmith's Daughter

  Dixie's Dachshund

  Lou Lou’s Christmas Wish

  Alice's Trebled Heart

  Martha's Grace

  Jane Anne’s Ghostly Gift

  Silverpines Series

  Join the Silverpines Readers Group on Facebook to get up-to-date information about this series, interact with the authors, and more information that is just fun.

  Wanted: Gunsmith

  Wanted: Barkeep

  Wanted: Zookeeper

  Lantern in the Window

  Lantern of Patience by Lynn Donovan

  Lantern of Faith by Parker J. Cole

  Lantern of Grace by Lynn Donovan

  Lantern of Charity by Parker J. Cole

  Lantern of Hope by Lynn Donovan

  Lantern of Honor by Parker J. Cole

  Hey! Thank you for purchasing and reading my book, Wanted: Barkeep. I’d like to give you a parting gift to show my appreciation. If you will e-mail me at [email protected]. Put in the Subject Line: “Silverpines Series Free Book.” I will send you an e-copy of a collection of short stories I wrote purely for your entertainment. I will happily send you this e-copy for FREE, if you ask. I will also add you to my NEWSLETTER list and you will receive up-to-date information on new releases before anyone else.

  This book will not be sold anywhere, at any time. I am keeping it exclusively for you, my readers, and only if you ask for it.

  Thank you again, and God Bless.

  ~Lynn Donovan

  Hey reader, when you flip the page, Amazon is going to give you the opportunity to rate and review this book. How cool is that? If you take just a few minutes you could help someone else find their next favorite book.

 
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