The Hopping Hippos: Badass Lovers, #2

Dedication

To my dear friend Stephanie who has been such an inspiration, support and comfort. Our conversations inspired the title and first idea for this story. I am so grateful to have you in my life. Your friendship is appreciated more than you know. You are a blessing to all whose lives you touch.

And to my sister who is a hero in my eyes for her strength, willpower and discipline, as well as being a loving, supportive mother and aunt. May you let your light shine ever brighter because you have so much to give to the world. This is just the beginning of your story. I love you more than you’ll ever know.

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I’d like to say a special thank you to my amazing editor Dana (danasedits.com) who is absolutely fabulous as a professional, as well as on a personal level. She makes me feel taken care of, finds points to improve upon without ever compromising my personal style and the essence and spirit of my writing.

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Another big thank you goes out to Subtle Touch Creations by my amazing friend Catrin Russell (subtletouchcreations.com), for her great cover art. I am beyond grateful for her beautiful creations! She is the author of high-epic romantic fantasy novels (catrinrussell.com), a cover and graphic designer who not only creates stunning book covers but also incredibly beautiful digital art that is guaranteed AI-free.

Contents

Dedication

Contents

Books by Tirza Schaefer

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

​​​​​Books by Tirza Schaefer

Romantic Poetry

Love Expressed

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Badass Lovers (in Progress)

Her Badass Bikers

The Hopping Hippos

The Hopping Hippos Part 2 (free for newsletter subscribers)

Fromance (Short Edition) (free for newsletter subscribers)

Fromance (Full Edition)

Tank (Book 1 of the Seals in Spain trilogy)

Dom (Book 2 of the Seals in Spain trilogy)

Seb (Book 3 of the Seals in Spain trilogy)

​Izzy’s Law (Book 1 of The BFF Diaries)

Ria’s Healing (Book 2 of The BFF Diaries)

Reyna’s Dancers (Book 3 of The BFF Diaries)

Sassy’s Success (Book 4 of The BFF Diaries)

Holly’s Calendar Boys (Book 5 of The BFF Diaries)

The Korean Cartel

​Her Viking Warriors

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Romance Series

Tirza’s Christmas Tales

(Standalone Novellas with a Christmas Theme)

A New Family for Christmas

Christmas in Montana

A Beary Little Christmas

A Vampire for Christmas

(more to come)

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Band of Brothers Trilogy

(Read in Order, Series in Progress)

Drew

Zee

Rico & Chad

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Her Harem

(Standalone Romance with a Reverse Harem Theme)

Black Veil (FREE for newsletter subscribers)

A Little Slice of Heaven (Extended Version)

(more to come)

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Romantic Standalone Novels & Novellas

Balcony Above the Sea

Badass Heroes

Opposites Attract

Born to Be Wild

The Navy Seal’s Nanny

Kisses in Darkness

The Right Kind of Wrong

Love in the Sky

Marine Party

In the Event of Love

Cloud Nine

Sealed Brothers

Dating a Hero

Chopped Encounter

Birthday Present

The Dark Duke

Snake Goddess Rising

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Anthologies

Summer Heat (A Little Slice of Heaven, Concise Version), May – November 2020

It’s Always Been You (Fromance, Concise Version), Friends to Lovers themed Charity Publication for the Breast Cancer Foundation July – October 2022

Rock My World (The Hopping Hippos), Rockstar Romance themed April-August 2023

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Please note that my romantic literature contains explicit and graphic sexual content, hot kink and at times, some mild violence and is therefore aimed at a mature adult audience. All novels come with a guaranteed happy ending and no cheating and will melt your heart as well as your panties!

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Spirituality, Parenting & Children

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Spiritual Poetry

My Spirit Song

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Travelogue, Parenting and Magic

A Magical Family Holiday

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FREE Children’s Literature

How Picasso Makes You A Genius

Follow Tirza on Social Media

Romance Author Tirza Schaefer

Website & Newsletter

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Books2Read Author Page

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Linktree

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for spiritual, Esoteric & Occult Studies & Content,

Follow Tirza The Smiling Goddess

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Website & Newsletter

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Services

Goddess Facilitation, Tarot Readings & Teaching, Goddess Reiki Healing, Guided Past Life Regression, Tarot Teaching, Usui Reiki Master/Teacher and Founder of Goddess Reiki

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Divine Library

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Linktree

Chapter 1

Janis

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Inever thought it could happen in real life. Like ever. At least not to me. I spent so many years out of a job being a stay-at-home mum, and then, when the children were older, no one wanted to employ me. Even though I returned to college to bring my computer skills up to date and did all manner of things to make myself compatible with the modern work environment, no one even thought about giving me a chance. They saw my age, the long gap in my employment record, and that was it.

I don’t stand a chance. I tried my hand at online coaching, though I didn’t find it very fulfilling. I don’t make much money with it, but at least it is enough to live on and it gets me that little extra to give to my daughters. My twin girls are both studying at university and are grateful for the occasional cash injection I’m now able to provide.

Although I have resigned myself to such a life for the foreseeable future, I’m not satisfied, and I keep applying for any jobs I find advertised online. When I’m finally called in for an interview at the IT department of a record label, I can’t believe my good luck. I research the company in the minutest detail, learn all facts and figures by heart, listen to all the artists they had under contract and make sure I’m up to date with the latest trends in the IT area relevant for my position. And then some.

When I’m called in, I stride confidently, but not cocky. I wear my chestnut hair coiffed in a professional bun but have otherwise opted for a more casual look of jeans and t-shirt. After all, no one in IT wears business clothes nowadays. I’d practised my walk, my talk, and my answers. A young Asian man picks me up at reception and leads me to a conference room on the fifth floor of the building, where he offers me a seat and leaves me alone. So I wait, trying to look interested and alert while doing nothing.

It takes over ten minutes until the door opens, and a tall but rather lean man with full, black hair, in his late thirties I presume, walks in. He’s wearing expensive clothing that looks modern and in place in a nightclub or at a rock concert. With a smile larger than life, his presence stifling in this poorly ventilated room, he greets me and invites me to sit down again because I’ve risen from my chair to shake his hand. He slides into his chair behind the desk and opens my file, skimming through my CV before he looks up again with a friendly expression.

Okay, Janis, Ratliff, you’re totally not what I expected, but let’s keep an open mind, he starts the conversation. Let me just order us some coffee. I’m dying for one. Late night, you know how it is.

I remember it well, I smile, not wanting to say outright that I haven’t had a late night in two decades, except the ones I had spent nursing my girls when they were sick.

Excellent, the man says.

In my mind, I’m racing through all the company’s website pages I’ve looked at to put a name to his face. But I come up with a blank.

Instead, I suddenly think of Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in their movie Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. The girls and I have a thing about this movie, and we play air guitar, do some headbanging and call out Excellent! each time one of us achieves something great. It’s always been our way of celebrating our little victories, and good news. From divorcing my philandering husband when the girls were only seven, never to be seen again, to a good grade at school, the first boyfriend, a good comeback to a bully, or a deliciously cooked meal. Anything, really.

So now, I play air guitar, nod my head and lean back, in the same way the characters of Bill and Ted did. The man opposite me stares and I realise what I’ve done.

Oh, I’m so sorry, Mister...I’m so sorry, really. You see, my daughters and I have this thing. It’s our family joke. I didn’t think... it’s an automatic response.

You don’t know who I am, do you? he asks.

You’re not William Reveller, head of IT with whom I was supposed to have an interview. I looked him up online. He looks different.

The man opposite me groans and runs his hand over his face.

Jim! he bellows into an intercom that sits in front of him on the desk.

The door opens only a minute later, and the young man who has brought me here appears.

"She was supposed to have an interview