Page 148 of Dark Surrender

A light bulb goes off. “Oh. Ohhh… She’s our cat.”

When he said family, he meant us.

Ummm. I’m not sure how that’s supposed to feel, but there’s a rollercoaster going wild in my gut.

Dark’s lopsided, half-working smile is downright sexy. “Yes.”

“I’ve never had a real pet before.” Sure, Dee had her opossums and other wild animals, but I’ve only ever had my plants and Spike, my squirrel. Never a cat. I wonder what Spike will think?

“Me neither,” Lily adds as she kisses the top of the kitten’s head.

“Do you want one?” Dark asks, jostling my side.

Not wanting to make this about me, I address the person who matters the most in this decision. “What do ya think, Lil?”

“I think yes.”

I clap my hands together. “The girl has spoken.”

A cat it is. A cat named Sal. Our family cat.

I have a family.

We stand in the driveway, watching Lily with Sal, when Dark squeezes my hip. “I need to go talk to Abby,” he says, notching his chin at her house. I don’t pry. Even if this nagging in my gut makes me wish he didn’t have to do that today, I still understand. Not that I know what it’s like to be a parent or deal with an ex. I don’t have any real exes, and beyond taking care of Dee, I’ve never had to consider anyone else’s feelings. Now I have lots.

Dark kisses me soundly on the lips before ambling over to his ex’s house with his cane.

Not knowing what to do with myself, I open the other van door and slip into the back with Lily.

“Here.” She sets Sal in my lap, and I expect the kitten to lose it on me, but she doesn’t. Her head is soft beneath my fingers, and her purr sounds like a car engine.

“Thanks,” I whisper to Lily, in awe of her openness, given we don’t know each other.

“I think she likes you,” she comments.

“I… Yeah.” I laugh quietly. “I think maybe she does.”

“She can be ours.”

“Ours?”

“Yeah. Yours and mine.”

Gah! This kid. She’s something. Kali said she was special. I mean, she’s Dark’s, so of course I’d think that. But this moment, I’m gonna remember forever.

Swallowing thickly, I smile at Lily. “I’d like that.”

“Me too. Do you think we could maybe go for ice cream? Mom’s boyfriend is coming over tonight, and I…” Lily scrunches up her nose.

“You what?”

“I don’t like him. But I’m not supposed to say that. Mom doesn’t like it when I say that.”

“How about we talk to Dad and see what he thinks about ice cream?” I suggest, not wanting to overstep.

“Do you like ice cream?”

“Yes.”