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I was more than ready for them to leave. They were giving me anxiety just by being here.
I was over it, over them, and ready for my shift to be over.
“Kitty!” Rosie shrieked, and she took off running, her shoes pounding against the floor.
“Oh shit,” I muttered as I spotted Binx glaring at her, his tail swishing back and forth angrily. If she got ahold of him, he was going to bite her, I just knew it.
“Binx!” Trenton yelled in a commanding voice. The cat switched his glare from the little girl to my bodyguard before hissing and sprinting away.
Phew, that was a close call. The stupid but lovable cat didn’t much care for women who weren’t me, bless him. Many a female customer had run out of the shop in tears and bleeding thanks to him. The boys found it hilarious, but it always made me feel bad. I felt like maybe I should offer every woman who walked through the door a band-aid to hold onto just in case he sunk his claws into them or decided he was in a biting mood.
I loved that little beast with all my heart.
Rosie’s shoulders started to shake. She turned around and tears streamed down her cheeks. “It’s mean!” she whispered in a broken voice.
“Yeah,” I readily agreed with her. “He really can be mean sometimes. You shouldn’t take it personally, he does that to most people.”
I didn’t want to apologize to her because I hadn’t hurt her feelings, but I felt bad for the kid. Trenton had really done her a favor though, and she really, honestly, didn’t have any reason to be crying. She should be thanking him.
Her bottom lip wobbled. “But cats love me.”
“Not this one.”
She burst into loud, messy tears and turned to run deeper into the store. She disappeared from sight, and I really hoped she didn’t run into Binx in her hurry to get away from me. That would be bad for her.
This kid was really solidifying my need to never have children of my own, even if I did kind of like her.
Every single one of the shifter men chased after her. Clover watched them go with a sweet, soft smile on her face.
Who smiled when their kid cried and then their boyfriends… husbands… whatever they were ran off after said crying child?
Maybe shifters were the real cray-cray here.
“Sorry about the drama,” Clover murmured as she placed her hands on her flat stomach. “For most of Rosie’s life it was just the two of us and she didn’t have to share my attention with anyone else because she had me all to herself. When the guys came along, she had to share me, but it was okay because they all immediately fell in love with her too, so she didn’t lose out on any love. She actually gained so much more.”
She paused as she ran her hands lovingly up and down her stomach.
Oh boy.
I figured I knew where this was going. Better her than me.
“Now that we just found out I’m pregnant... Well, she’s a bit emotional and has been having odd outbursts. The guys have asked me to let them take care of it in hopes of them bonding deeper with her, but it’s really hard for me to just stand back and watch. I feel like it’s my responsibility to chase after her and soothe her worries.”
Well, damn.
Now I felt bad for even thinking anything bad about her in the first place. Clearly whatever reason she had for being here to see the twins had nothing to do with her wanting to get freaky with them.
It was time for me to stop acting like a crazy, jealous girlfriend that I really was.
Maybe it was time for me to stop looking at every single person as if they were personally out to get me and it was only a matter of time before the real ball dropped. Then again, with the Council lurking around every dark corner, maybe now actually wasn’t the right time to start trusting people.
I didn’t know what to say to her. Did she expect me to give her some advice? I didn’t think that was wise. Maybe I should call Rain. He had a kid, he might know what to say to her.
Romero was out. He might have a kid, but the dude was completely nuts and entirely unpredictable.
Marcus was out for me because I didn’t think he could be trusted, and I’d never call him unless there was absolutely no one else left to call. The thought made me sad. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly when things had changed, but they had. I no longer looked at him like a father figure whom I loved so very much and who loved me the same right back. Those days were long since dead and gone. I didn’t think he knew that though, because he just kept right on trying with me. The whole thing was terribly sad for me.
I was saved by the bell above the door jingling, signaling the arrival of someone else.
