Page 31 of Autumn at the Cat Cafe

“I thought you said I had to do all the activities, except decorate your bathroom.” He still wasn’t keen on doing the Second Chapter one. It would probably need a complete overhaul.

“Camping together could be”—she glanced down at her desk —“awkward.”

He frowned. “Why? Would we sleep in the same tent?”

“Of course not.” She was looking at the calendar again.

“Then I don’t see a problem.” He crossed his ankle over his knee. “And if you think I’m letting you camp alone, think again.”

Her head whipped toward him, her cheeks a rosy blush. “I can take care of myself.”

“I’m sure you can. But now that I know you camp alone, I can’t in good conscience allow it.”

She spun in her chair and faced him. “Allow it? Did you really just say that to me?”

Her golden eyes gleamed with playfulness, stirring something inside him. He angled toward her, leaning in and giving her a slow, slow smile that had her eyes changing from gold to deep amber. Oh yeah, he was stirred all right. “Yes, Smitten Kitten,” he said, his voice low, “I did.”

Chapter 7

A shiver ran down Via’s spine, tingling and charged. Leo had leaned forward to make his point until he was inches from her, his eyes holding hers, his husky voice and slow smile making her forget where she was. What had they been talking about anyway? And suddenly she didn’t want to think about talking at all.

He sat back, his smile disappearing. “Do we have an understanding?” he said, his tone impassive.

The shift wrenched her out of her daze, making her wonder if she had imagined what had just happened. “Understanding?”

“You said I had to do everything on the list with you.”

“Yes, but—”

“Camping it is.” He started tapping his foot, as if he were growing impatient. “What else do we need to discuss?”

“Just a few more things.” She quickly added the midnight corn maze, wreath making, and sunset over Lake Erie to the calendar. She’d let him think he was going camping with her. “The Harvest Fest is at the end of the month.”

“I’ve seen the flyers everywhere.”

“We need to put one up in the Second Chapter window,” Via said. “Earl always advertised it.”

“The shop is permanently closed. There’s no need to draw attention to it.”

Via disagreed, but she wouldn’t fight that point either. She could bring it up later. She was as eager to end this meeting as he seemed to be. “I can work in the bookstore three evenings a week after I close the café. We close at five every night except Saturday, when we shut down at three. We’re closed all day on Sundays.”

“As long as you have the time.”

“I don’t do that much outside of the café. I’m on the Harvest Fest planning committee, and there’s the Pecan Corner Business Association that meets the third Monday of every month. I also work with local animal shelters to coordinate adoptions. We take in some of their harder-to-adopt cats when we have openings at the café.”

“Impressive.” He sounded like he really meant it.

“Not really—”

“Just take the compliment, Via. It’s a sincere one.”

She didn’t know what to make of Leo Brewster. One minute they were at odds, the next he did something caring, like insisting she couldn’t camp alone. In almost the same breath he could look at her like she was the only woman in the world and then switch it all off and be completely business focused, only to genuinely compliment her. “I think that’s it,” she said, getting up and pinning the calendar back in place.

Leo put the chair against the opposite wall. “We can start on Monday. I need to focus on the apartment over the weekend.”

She nodded. This was his project. “I can be there by five thirty.” She paused. “Make it six. I have to settle Sir Meow in for the evening.”

“Just bring him along.” He grabbed the allergy medicine she’dgiven to him off the desk. Before she could respond, he left the office.