AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The vet sent another high caloric one for you to try. He said you can mix in a little each time you refill the bowl.”
Al meets us at the back door and holds it open.
“It was nice to see you again, Lenore, especially under less stressful circumstances.” His goofy grin makes me smile.
“That’s very true, dear,” Annie echoes before leaning forward and brushing a kiss on my cheek.
“Let us know if you need any more help or a cat sitter.” She squeezes my arm and steps back.
“Thank you both.” I’m choked up from their kindness and generosity, so I don’t get many more words out than that. Matt steps up next to Al and looks between the three of us.
“All set?”
“Yep.”
Norman sleeps the rest of the way back to the cabin and only wakes when we try to settle him on the couch by himself.
Facing the prospect of being alone with my new cat and the unfamiliar feelings cracking my chest wide open, I blurt, “Do you want to stay for dinner?”
Matt looks up from watching Norm turn circles on a pillow and studies me before replying. “I’d like that. What can I do to help?”
“Can you finish setting up the cat things? I’ll take care of the food.” I smile too brightly to cover my growing attraction. Matt nods and steps away, giving me space to sort myself back out.
He riffles through the bags to find the cat food and water bowls, litter box, and to my surprise, a soft, squishy bed and some toys. There’s an assortment of toys with feathers, strings, sparkles, bells, squeakers, and a disturbingly realistic pheasant. I’ll have to thank Annie and Al since I know Matt didn’t get this much stuff this morning.
Taking a few deep breaths to settle down, I get to work throwing some veggies into a stir fry. While the pan heats, I pull out some spices and the package of pre-cooked chicken. Sensing an opportunity, Norman ambles over and sits beside me, staring pointedly at the package.
I pull open the tab and toss him a few smaller pieces before dumping the rest into the pan with the seasonings.
“You didn’t buy all of that this morning, did you?” I ask Matt as he piles toys next to the bed.
“No, the ladies at the vet’s office apparently fell in love with him and donated some of them and the bed.” He pauses from filling the water bowl and smiles at me. “Take a guess at which one Al picked out?”
“The pheasant?” It’s too large to be a cat toy, and I wonder if it wasn’t meant for their old dog.
“Got it in one. Al said if you think of anything else Norman will need while we’re at work tomorrow, just let him know.”
I watch Matt settle the water bowl on a non-slip mat and get distracted by my sudden awareness of how well his jeans fit.
“Lenore?” He straightens, and I hear the question in his tone. He’s caught me gawking.
Thinking quickly, I say, “I hate to ask them to watch him again, but Annie seemed to take to him.”
Matt leans a hip against the counter and crosses his arms. “It’s not a hardship for them, and you know they’ll take good care of him.”
I nod and turn back to my pan, stirring the vegetables with no particular intent other than to avoid Matt’s assessing gaze. He sees me too well most of the time.
I feel Matt’s body heat behind me and give the food a forceful stir before setting the spatula down. The cool breeze blowing in from outside carries the scent of the woods surrounding the property, contrasting with the citrusy orange scent of his soap.
The bright scent wraps around me just before he places his hands over mine on the counter, squeezing gently. “Try not to think about it too much, okay? We’ll figure something out.”
Hit with sudden tears, I nod, keeping my face averted. I swear I’ve had more mood swings and come closer to having more mental breakdowns in the last few days than in the last year.
It’s a miracle Matt hasn’t run screaming, let alone offered me a job and a repaired car. My mind jumps around to the possibilities of what that might mean. I know I have that mythical warm, glowy feeling that people use to describe new relationships whenever he’s around. Does he get warm and glowy around me too?
I mean, he probably wouldn’t describe it that way, but the way he acts makes me think he does. The problem is, I have no experience in the relationship department. I’ve got nothing to go on here, making me feel like I’m stumbling through the forest in the dark, hoping not to get nailed by a tree branch in the face.
The jittery feeling is back in my guts, but it's countered by the sense of comfort his presence brings.
