"I didn't care for the way she was undressing you with her eyes," Cat remarks, and I do my best to hide my amusement. Instead, I kiss her forehead, then the tip of her nose, then her lips.
"You can claim me anytime you want."
Cat smiles. "Good."
We don't stay long. I grab some extra clothes and some of Gizmo's cat toys before we are again on the road, heading to Miles' place. Just like I told him this morning, we arrive at his doorstep before noon. "Come on in. You guys are welcome to stay for lunch."
"Thanks, but we need to get back home," I tell him.
"Home, huh?" He pours himself a small drink. "You plan on a change of address?"
I look at Cat, who has Gizmo in her arms. "I hope so."
"I'm happy for you, Easton," Miles says. "So, anything I should know about before you leave? Does Wilkerson have any news to pass along?"
"They have nothing that points them in any direction."
Miles sips his whiskey. "I kick myself in the ass for not reporting this shit sooner." He sits in his favorite chair in front of the TV, where he watches hours of ESPN. "If you don't plan on visiting for a bit, then I'm going to relax and watch some sports talk."
"Thanks for keeping my cat the past couple of weeks." I take Gizmo from Cat and place him in his pet carrier.
"Hell, it isn't any bother. It gets a bit lonely around here when we aren't on the road. The fat furball keeps me company." Miles kicks his feet up, and I feel a little horrible for taking Gizmo back with me. "If I can give you two love-struck fools one pieceof advice: Always have a full house. Make plenty of babies, and if you can't have kids, adopt. The quietness makes the loneliness hard to handle at times." Miles lost his wife, Claire, two years ago to cancer, and they never had children.
"Let me know how the meeting in L.A. goes."
"You bet," Miles replies before we walk out the front door.
Quinn is sitting on the back of his bike smoking a cigarette out in the driveway, talking on the phone as we approach him. "Are we good to hit the road?"
"Yeah," I tell him, and Cat climbs in the truck while I'm loading the carrier into the back seat. "I know someone who raises dachshunds. One of her females just had a litter not long ago. Do you think Miles would be interested?"
I get in and start the truck. "Maybe."
"He's lonely."
"His wife died a couple of years ago," I tell her as we pull away from the house.
"All the more reason he should have a companion." Cat's concern for someone she hardly knows shows the kindness she has in her heart.
"I think we need to go look at some puppies tomorrow." I turn my head and glance her way to see her lips turn up in a smile.
"I'll call my friend first thing in the morning." She looks in the back seat where Gizmo is hanging out, then reaches for my hand to hold.
We arrived back at the ranch nearly three hours ago, and the time has come for my family to say goodbye to Ronan. "You're more than welcome to stay another night," Cat offers one last time. "It will be dark soon."
"Riding at night isn't always ideal, but when the sun goes down during the middle of summer, so do the temps. It's less taxing on the body," Jake tells her. "We appreciate the hospitality. If you ever find yourselves in Polson, don't be a stranger.."
I hug my sister one last time before she climbs on the back of Quinn's bike. "Love ya, Em."
"Love you, too, East. Promise me you'll call if this stalker shit gets out of control."
"You have my word," I assure her, then hold my hand out to Quinn. "Thanks for having my back today."
"We're family, brother. Anytime."
Cat stands at my side while the Kings take off down the long road. Even when the Harleys are no longer visible, you can still hear the rumble of the motors in the distance. There's always an empty feeling left behind when Emerson is gone. I suppose it's the whole twin thing. I wipe the sweat from my brow.
"Want to cool off in the lake?" Cat fans herself.
