Her eyes narrowed.
“I just can’t imagine why Ellie isn’t talking to you when you’re such a charmer,” she drawled, making a show of tapping her chin. “How puzzling.”
I gave a thin-lipped smile. “I’ll buy all your pastries if it’ll make you go away.”
Kitty beamed back at me. “Deal.”
I texted Nate to arrange a delivery to the office while she packed the boxes.
Harrison popped in a few hours later. Kitty wasted no time fawning over my brother and making him a fancy, sugar-packed iced coffee piled high with whipped cream and sprinkles. He was all grins by the time he dropped into the seat beside me with his sugary concoction. “What a nice lady. I see why you come to this place.”
My family needed to learn boundaries. “What are you doing here?”
“Just checking in on my favorite brother.” He flashed a smirk. “Everything good?”
“Great.”
His smirk only widened. “Let me guess. Ellie’s still not talking to you?”
I turned back to my laptop, cursing whoever had filled him in. “Get lost, Harry.”
He laughed way too loudly for the deserted room, and a grey cat came over to sniff his foot. Harrison happily patted the thing’s head. “I’m just surprised you’re sitting here like a chump. Already run out of ideas?”
I scowled, but honestly some brotherly advice was tempting. Hopefully he’d be more helpful than Kitty.
“She won’t listen to me,” I admitted, sending an unimpressed glance Kitty’s way. “Her landlord won’t even let me get close.”
“So?” He shrugged and scooped up a dollop of whipped cream, holding it out to the cat. “You fix problems for billion-dollar companies for a living. You’re telling me you can’t find a single other way to get Ellie’s attention? You haven’t even tried throwing rocks at her window yet.”
I actuallyhadtried throwing rocks, but I didn’t tell him that. All it had achieved was Whiskey’s grumpy face glaring at me from the window and Kitty chasing me away with her broom.
But Harrison had a point. I had other ways to get through to Ellie.
Just like that, a plan sparked to life. Ellie didn’t need me stalking her apartment or throwing rocks at her window. She deserved so much more than that.
I knew exactly how to get her attention.
“You’re a genius,” I told my brother, failing to stifle a grin.
His brows flew up. “I am?”
I rose to my feet, pulling out my phone. “I need to make a call, but stick around. Lunch is on me.”
He stared at the pink lace tablecloth. “You know, offering to cover the bill at a frumpy cat café doesn’t quite hit the same as at the places I usually go. Should they even be serving food here?”
Ignoring him, I called Nate to work out the logistics of my budding plan.
Then I called my IT guy to see how quickly he could hack into the Sunshine Cuddle Services app.
man-child
. . .
Ellie
Ellie’s Guide toProfessional CuddlingBeing a Fake FiancéeNOT Falling for Your Fake FiancéHiding Any Trace that You’ve Fallen for Your Fake FiancéKeeping It TogetherSurviving as a Fake FiancéeReaping the Benefits of a Fake EngagementLife After Having a Fake Fiancé,Tip #35: Even the most prestigious of cuddling apps are susceptible to security breaches.
Channeling the strong, independent woman my mom had raised me to be, I didnotcall Cade back.
