“Hey, Aiden,” a guy wearing overalls greets him as we walk into the store, and Aiden waves in acknowledgement.
“Is that the owner?”I’m out of my depth.Sure, I visited Ivy and her sisters’ small town a couple times and people knew them, but they grew up there.
“Nope, that’s Colton.You know what?Let me introduce you two.”He’s walking towards the khaki overalls guy before I can tell him no.“Colton, this is Sylvie.She’s the new owner of that old bookstore downtown.”
I wave, swallowing down my introversion and forcing my hand out for a handshake.“Hi, so nice to meet you,” I say.
“Hey, I think one of your trust lawyers called me, actually.Told me to swing by your place for electrical and some other things.”Colton nods at me.He’s older than I thought at first, maybe early forties, with just a dusting of white in his hair.“I’m a general contractor.I’ll help you get your place all fixed up this week and next; I’ve already got you on the schedule.”
“You’re kidding,” I tell him, genuinely pleased.“That knocks off half my to-do list in one go.”
He adjusts the paper bag in his arms and grins at me.“Yeah, I’ll probably swing by after lunch tomorrow and just make my own to-do list of what needs to be done.I’ll be there bright and early to start work in two days.”
“I seriously can’t believe this.I’m so happy,” I gush, tears pricking at my eyes.
“Please don’t cry,” Colton tells me gruffly.“I can’t stand that.”
That makes me bark out a laugh in surprise and I finally drop his hand, which I was still awkwardly shaking.“Fair enough.”I dab my eyes dramatically.“I won’t cry.But I will be very excited, and I can’t guarantee I won’t be playing music you’ll like.”
He gives me a small smile, then nods at Aiden.“See you tomorrow, Sylvie.Welcome to New Hopewell.”
Buoyed by meeting the human solution to a pretty wide swath of my problems, I float around the feed store, springing for the more expensive canned cat food for the little black cat, along with a stainless-steel litter box and scoop set, litter that promises to be odor-free, a few toys, a scratching post, and some cute ceramic bowls for food and water.
“However did that cat live without me before?”I ask Aiden.He laughs, and spending the money comes easier this time.Probably because it doesn’t cost nearly as much as the cleaning supplies.
That, or I’m getting used to this whole spending money thing a lot faster than I thought I would.Not that I’m over it.
No, I’m pretty sure my butt’s just sweating now instead of my armpits.
Good thing Aiden is one hundred percent not interested in any bit of my sweaty ass.
“She needs a name, huh?”I ask as we head back to the car again, which is going to be ridiculously full of shit for me.And my new cat.
“Yeah, absolutely she needs a name.What about Rapunzel?”
“She’s not blonde.”
“Oh, okay, because you’re full of so many good name ideas,” he says, opening the door for me and helping me load all the cat things into his already full trunk.
“I have no name ideas,” I tell him, putting the cat litter in the last available spot.“I didn’t plan on being a parent so soon.”
He laughs at that.“Good thing it’s a cat and not a baby.”
“It’s like you don’t appreciate the problems of a new cat parent.”I sigh and shake my head.“Just wait for the day when you finally have a little one running around, needing things.”
“You sound like my mother.”
I put my hand to my chest and flutter my eyelashes.“Well, I’m honored.You know, they say men marry their mothers.”
I regret the idiotic phrase as soon as it leaves my mouth.
He closes the trunk and turns slowly to me.My cheeks flush, and I fervently wish I’d said literally anything else.
Well, if I weren’t already in it, I would definitely be moving to the friend zone now.
“We could name the cat Freud,” I suggest, wriggling my eyebrows.
That makes him laugh, and then he’s shaking his head.“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like you.You know who you would get along with, though?Jack’s Emma.”
