The Twin's Bodyguard by Veronica Forand

Author:Veronica Forand [Forand, Veronica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2024-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

The studio lights blazed down on Zoe, casting her in the spotlight. The red recording light telling her anything she did was being beamed to the whole city. She should have frozen, terrified of the attention, but she remained in her seat, poised and ready to go. With Noah’s words whispering in her mind, she found herself not channeling her sister, but rather herself. She was standing before her classroom of eager third graders rather than an entire television viewing audience.

“Good afternoon,” Zoe began, her voice steady and infused with a warmth she hoped was convincing. “In today’s segment, I’m so excited to announce that Dakari, the beautiful African lioness gave birth this morning to a female cub. Mom and her baby are doing great. Dakari’s pregnancy has captured the hearts of everyone as this will be the first birth of a lion at the zoo in twenty years. From what the zookeeper has told us, the cub is very healthy and will be introduced to the public in six weeks. But we have a treat for you. We’ll be sneaking back into the veterinary center for a peek at the newest member of the zoo family. When mother and baby are comfortable, a webcam will allow the public to watch mother and baby bond.

“A team of sixteen veterinarians and veterinary technicians helped to deliver the cub. Although they were hoping Dakari would carry three to five cubs, they discovered that she carried only one when they gave her an ultrasound, which is a very tricky thing to do with a full grown lion.” Zoe’s confidence grew as she described the birth, the details flowing easily since they were typed in front of her.

“Dakari, and now her daughter, will be able to educate people about the importance of wildlife conservation as lions are classified as vulnerable in the wild. With habitat loss, poaching, and conflicts with humans, they face many threats.

“So stay tuned tomorrow to meet our newest resident. Back to you, Natalie.”

Natalie asked Allison something quippy, and Zoe responded with a hand to her heart and the look of someone caught up in an adorable lovefest. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

As the segment wrapped up and the cameras turned away, Zoe let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She’d presented a report on live TV without faltering. And then she was literally pulled from her seat, the microphone unclipped and yanked from under her shirt and she was sent on her way while the next segment began.

As she walked off the set, Noah was there to meet her, a huge smile on his face. “You were fantastic,” he whispered, guiding her away.

Zoe felt a mix of relief and exhilaration at what she’d done. She’d stepped into Allison’s shoes and, for a brief moment, lived her sister’s life. It was an experience she would never forget, and in some ways, although she’d never admit it to Allison, she really enjoyed it. She had to thank Noah for that.

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