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“I’d like to get to know you better. Would you be open to me taking you out when we both have a day off?”
Usually when guys wanted to get to know her better, it was because they’d found out about her father. Somehow, she didn’t think that was the case this time. “I can make my own schedule, so why don’t you let me know when you’re available, and I’ll take the day off.”
“How’s Thursday?”
He wasn’t wasting any time, was he? Probably a good thing. It wouldn’t give her time to freak out and change her mind. “Perfect.” She rattled off her address. “I’m in the apartment over the garage.”
“I’ll text you the details tomorrow. Once I figure out what we should do with our day.”
“Sounds good. We’re going to place Bitsy in a den in the Poconos on Wednesday, so I’ll be able to let you know how things go.”
“Bitsy?” He chuckled. “I didn’t know you named them. It’s cute.”
“That’s what I call her in my head, but I didn’t mean to say it out loud.”
“It’s okay to give them names. Don’t believe that nonsense about imprinting on them by giving them names. If anyone caused them harm, it was the wildlife traffickers who were trying to sell them to the highest bidder. I’m glad you found her a home. If you don’t want to rush back in time for Thursday, we could go out next week.”
“I’d be coming home either way. I only stayed in town when I was working at Worlds End because it was an excuse to visit my brother.” She’d might’ve stayed longer than initially planned because of Malachi, but he didn’t need to know that. “I’m looking forward to Thursday.”
“Me too.”
“Okay.” Malachi wanted to see her again. She had the strangest urge to do a happy dance. And she might’ve done just that if she hadn’t been afraid she’d disturb Penny.
Chapter Sixteen
Cate and her team had spent all day Wednesday at Big Pocono State Park. The park wouldn’t reopen for the season until April, which made it easier to do their job, but now that they were done, she dreaded the nearly three-hour drive home. Malachi had been right when he suggested postponing. She’d told a little white lie when she said she would’ve gone home anyway. If she hadn’t wanted to get home to see him, she would’ve stayed in a hotel overnight. Truth was she wanted to see him and had let that desire win out over her own common sense. Nevertheless, when his text message came through, she couldn’t keep the skip out of her step when she saw his name come across the screen. She got in the car and tapped the text to read it.
Malachi: Can you be ready by 7:30?
Cate: Sure thing. Are we getting dinner, or should I eat first?
Malachi: 7:30 a.m.
Cate: Oh. Okay. I’ll be ready.
Malachi: I’ll bring coffee and scones.
She could get used to a man who brought her coffee and scones.
Cate: Sounds good. See you tomorrow.
As she tucked her phone back into the console and started her truck, it rang. Seeing his name there she answered. “Hi there.”
“Texting is okay, but I’d rather hear your voice.”
“I’m glad you called.” For some reason, talking to him on the phone didn’t raise her anxiety levels the same way they did when she spoke to most people. In fact, she found herself grinning like a fool. “Out of curiosity, where on earth are we going at 7:30 in the morning?”
“The only thing I could find to do that early. A bird walk at the arboretum.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“I thought you’d like it. Figured the earlier we started our day, the more time we could spend together before I had to have you home.”
“That sounds nice. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
“Me too. How did today go? Did Bitsy take well to her new home?”
Cate pictured the cub as she’d left her suckling from her adoptive mother. “It went well.”
