Love was bringing the right bamboo. It was waddling in a boot to prove a point. It was moving mountains—or at least, a very large, very grumpy lion—for the sake of a lonely heart.

Ridiculously, it worked. Bartholomew puffed his chest, waddled to Greta, and presented her with the smoothest pebble in the enclosure. Greta accepted it.

Marcus shook his head. “Logistics are a nightmare. The only male available is in a sanctuary three states away. The paperwork alone…”

“She’s grieving,” Zoe said softly, watching Sekhmet press her forehead to the cold glass. “We need to move her to a new pride. She needs a companion.”

Elara felt a traitorous thaw in her chest. “You drove four hours for bamboo?”

“He’s jealous of the new male, Kevin,” Liam said, still waddling. “He thinks Greta looked at Kevin too long. I’m showing him submission. Trust me.”

Elara and Finn won the trivia contest about nocturnal animal mating calls (Finn knew them all; Elara knew Finn’s laugh). Liam and Priya slow-danced by the penguin pool while Bartholomew and Greta watched with judgmental little eyes. And Marcus and Zoe stole the lion house key and had a picnic on the hay bales, listening to Sekhmet and Mosi purr in tandem.

“She likes him,” Marcus whispered, his voice cracking.

“Read it to me tonight?” she asked.