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She wanted to take him right here. Right now. Who cared if someone got jabbed in the spine by the gear shift? But, alas, they had a mission.
Alanna disengaged her fingers from Sully’s hand and reached into her small bag. She immediately found her target. She pulled out the small tube of Scarlet Leather lipstick and applied a coat to her lips.
Nowshe was ready.
Sully was already at her door, opening it for her and offering his hand. She took it and squeezed tight. After Sully pulled an item from the trunk, they walked together to the front door. His lips brushed her neck.
“If you had to wear one hat every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?”
Alanna laughed as her nerves eased. “One of those huge, ostentatious hats they wear at the Kentucky Derby. It’d have flowers and feathers all over the place.”
“And bows?” he offered.
“So many bows. The hat would be red, of course.”
“Of course.”
“And no one sitting behind me in the movie theater would ever be able to see anything again.”
He chuckled and squeezed her hand as they approached the front door of the shelter. “You’d pull it off like a champ, too.”
“Damn right I would.”
Through the glass, a figure turned the “Closed” sign to “Open” and flipped the lock.
Right on time.
The woman behind the door looked up, saw them, and let out a small squeak of surprise. She pushed open the door and stuck out her head.
“Alanna! What are you doing here?” Layla’s eyes were red-rimmed, as if she’d recently been crying. Her impossibly long braid also looked a little crooked, like she’d been kneading it like she always did when upset or nervous. She wore a plain, gray jumper dress without a single sparkly hair clip or polka-dotted belt in sight.
“Oh, Sully, hi.” Layla usually delighted in seeing Sully and asking about Sheba’s progress, but today her smile was a shadow of its usual self.
“You going to let us in?” Alanna asked.
“Did you… come here to see me?” Layla stepped out of the way to let them into the reception room.
“Wow, the ego on this one,” Alanna said to Sully, then turned back to Layla. “I can see you any day of the week. I’m here to adopt Simon.”
Sully raised the cat carrier in his other hand in confirmation.
“REALLY!!!” Layla’s shriek possibly cracked windowpanes within a mile radius. “OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH!” Tears gushed from Layla’s eyes. For all her delicate, natural beauty, Layla was not a pretty crier. Her eyes swelled. Her nose turned the shade of a cranberry. Alanna politely ignored a snot bubble forming under her little sister’s left nostril.
Sully turned to Alanna and raised an eyebrow in silent question.
“Today is Simon’s last day,” Alanna explained. She held up her phone. Her calendar app was open, and the entry on today’s date read,Rescue Simon. “He was the cat Layla wanted me to adopt instead of Sheba. She told me he only had two months left, so as soon as I made the decision to stay in Yucca Hills, I put this in my calendar.”
“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!!!” Layla hollered. The snot bubble oozed lower. “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME? I’VE BEEN CRYING ABOUT HIM ALL MORNING!”
Whoops. Learning to let people in was still a work in progress. “You’re right, I’m sorry,” she apologized to her sister. “I’ve just been so busy building my business and getting settled here. I would have rather waited a little longer before adopting,” she admitted. “I was hoping Simon would find a forever home with someone else, but I’ve been checking the YHAR website every day, and since he was still listed, I knew today was the day.” She looked at Layla a little sheepishly. “Though, I guess I should’ve told you earlier.”
“OH, ALANNA!” Layla threw herself into Alanna’s arms, no doubt wiping tears and snot all over her tank top. “YOU’RE AN ANGEL. AN ABSOLUTE ANGEL!”
Alanna glanced at Sully, silently pleading for help. He only grinned at her.
“How about we go see Simon?” she finally said, gently prying herself from Layla’s grasp.
“Oh! Yes! Oh my gosh. I’m just so… so… happy.” Layla fanned herself as her chin quivered. “He’s such a wonderful cat, Alanna. Truly. So warm, gentle, and affectionate. He’ll be perfect for you.”
