Page 30 of Royal Cocktail

He just grinned.

“I, um, switched over to a rock playlist.”

“Don’t tell me you got bored listening to my country’s history. I’m shocked.”

She laughed outright. “In my defense, before I switched over to AC/DC, I learned a lot. Your country … prided itself on equal rights for women early on. The constitution is … an anomaly, and I think the citizens will … support you. We just need to—”

“All that’s fascinating. But you need to tell me later.”

“Later?”

“Right now we’re going to the zoo. Then The Fix.”

“The zoo?”

She expected him to tell her that he was joking. But soon enough they were in his rented Porsche and heading toward the Austin Zoo, a non-profit rescue zoo for a variety of species. It was one of Skye’s favorite places, but it didn’t meet some people’s expectations. “You know that Austin’s zoo is … small, right? If you’re looking to … visit a traditional zoo, we need to go all the way to San … Antonio or up to Waco.”

“Trust me,” Leo said. “Smaller is better for our purposes.”

“Our purposes?”

But he didn’t answer. He just cranked up the radio to an ’80s rock station, then grinned at her. “I thought we’d keep with your theme for the day.”

She laughed, and they jammed the rest of the way there, singing along with Def Leppard, Van Halen, and Queen. She lost herself in the music and the laughter, and didn’t even worry about how she sounded or what he had in mind.

It wasn’t until they were on the premises that he explained his plan, which was how she ended up standing in front of the genet habitat while the adorable, cat-like creatures relaxed on the tree-branches and makeshift hammocks. Slowly and deliberately, she read the information plaque to a blond-haired six-year-old who listened intently before telling his mother he wanted to take one home.

After the genets, they moved on to bobcats—good swimmers with “bobbed” tails, and thus the name—which she introduced to a nine-year-old who kept asking questions that she couldn’t answer.

The three-year-old by the coatimundi habitat wasn’t at all interested in the animals, but she read him the information card nevertheless. And on and on they went through the zoo, with Skye reading the various information plaques to the children who gathered nearby.

By the time she’d spoken to the fifth or sixth kid, she’d stopped being self-conscious. It was clear that the kids didn’t notice her slurred and hesitant speech. As for the parents, if they noticed, they didn’t mention it, probably relieved to have some of the educational tasks taken off their shoulders.

“Thanks,” she said to Leo as they walked back to his car. “That was fun.”

“I’m glad you thought so. Best of all, you’ve earned a drink.”

They headed back downtown, followed by Jürgen who’d been discreetly tailing them all day. “Doesn’t he mind?” Skye asked, turning around to watch as Jürgen’s Range Rover crossed two lanes to slide in behind Leo’s Porsche.

“Mind? No. It’s his job. He’s a friend, yes, but he’s responsible for my safety. Normally, he’d be in the car with me. Today though....”

“I guess I … should be flattered. He obviously doesn’t … think that I’m out to kill you.”

Leo shot her a quick grin. “When we first came back to the States, that remained an open question.”

“Rightfully so,” she said with a teasing grin.

“But not anymore?”

“No,” she said, meeting his eyes. “Not anymore.” They shared a smile before the light changed, and he inched forward in the downtown traffic. “I’m very glad to hear it.”

She stayed silent as he left the car with the valet at the Driskill. They walked the short distance from the hotel to The Fix, with Jürgen pacing them from about half a block behind.

“You know,” she said, trying to sound casual, “that really was fun. You should take Talia to the zoo. Just don’t make her read the plaques, and it could be a fabulous date.”

He paused on the sidewalk in front of The Fix, turning to face her directly. “Have you ever gone there with Bart?”

She shook her head. He nodded, then held the door open for her. They walked in silence until they were settled at a two top near the stage where a local band was playing country music. Fortunately, they weren’t too loud, and it was easy to talk. “I owe you an apology,” Leo said as soon as he’d ordered Loaded Coronas for both of them.