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As soon as we enter my apartment, I scan for any sinful messes and for the wrinkly ball of flesh that is Mr. Whiskers. I probably should do Theo the courtesy of warning him about the cat, so he doesn’t freak out upon first unholy sight. But by the time I think about it, it is too late.
“What isthat?” Theo sets the food and drinks on the kitchen counter and closes the door behind him.
I cringe, still not seeing Mr. Whiskers anywhere. “What was what?”
Theo takes his coat off and places it on the stool. “I thought I saw -” Theo jumps back with a barely audible gasp. “Is that…is that a cat?”
I turn around, grimacing as I scratch the back of my head after stripping off my hat, scarf, and coat. “I probably should have warned you about Mr. Whiskers.” I squint, this is such a painful first impression of my home.
Mr. Whiskers sits on the counter next to our takeout, shamelessly licking his pale-skinned belly. Judgment and greed in his enormous bug eyes.
“Don’t even think about it,” I point an accusatory finger at the cat. “You get off the counter, Mr. Whiskers. Go on, get!”
Mr. Whiskers isn’t threatened. He stretches across the countertop with a lazy meow. He looks more like Jabba the Hutt than the mighty feline the Ancient Egyptians used to worship.
I can’t bring myself to look Theo in the eye. The horror that must be streaked across his face at the sight of this creature is more than I can stomach. I shoo Mr. Whiskers off the counter and steer him into Eve’s bedroom, shutting him inside.
“Well,” I tuck loose strands of hair behind my ears and plaster a smile on my frost-bitten face. “That was Mr. Whiskers.”
“Is he yours?” Theo stifles a chuckle as he digs our tacos out of the bags.
“No, he’s Eve’s. Well, Tommy gave him to Eve on her birthday a few years ago as a joke because of the cat fromFriends. But instead of Eve being repulsed like every normal human, she fell in love. Now, what was supposed to be a joke, turned into a fourth roommate of sorts.” I realize I have been rambling once I notice he is half-way done with one of his tacos, smiling through his bites.
“I take it you all are fans ofFriends, then.” He pushes my tacos toward me.
I unwrap one and take a humongous bite. I nod to answer his question. “We loveFriends,” I mumble through chews.
“Your apartment looks like it could be part of the show.” He pops the top off his beer and takes a sip while glancing over the small common area.
“You know the show?”
“My mother and sister love the show.” He nods. “I especially like the picture frame around the peephole.” He tilts his head toward the door. “Nice touch.”
I click the metal top off my bottle and take a swig of the once cold, now lukewarm, beer. I nearly inhale the second taco; I am so hungry. Then I remember I am not alone and my eyes dart to his. He is leaning against the counter, watching me. Not grossed out. But I wouldn’t say he’s got the look of a man ready to whisk me off to Hawaii to meet his family.
“Sorry,” I push the empty wrappers away from me. “I forgot you were here for a second.”
The corners of his eyes crinkle before I see a small smile. “Why are you apologizing?”
“Because I just inhaled those tacos like I was the Big Bad Wolf and just ate Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother.” I rub my forehead. If Eve were here, she would have tossed me out the window for that unladylike display. And I wouldn’t blame her one bit.
Theo laughs and my belly feels warm. Almost nauseous. I dare a glance up at him. He shifts his weight and crumbles his trash and throws it back into the takeout bag.
“There’s nothing wrong with a woman eating, Cate.”
“I know that.” I snort. “But what you saw me do just now was not how a woman eats. That’s how Big Foot eats.”
For a split second I swear I see desire in his eyes but as quick as it flashes before me, it is gone. Maybe I imagined that too. There is no way he is turned on by Big Foot.
“You’re funny.” Theo turns to nurse his room temperature drink.
“But?”
“No, but.” Theo shakes his head. “You’re funny and I like hanging out with you.”
Oh, that queasy feeling is back. I think it is the way he is looking at me now. Like maybe, just maybe, he might not be repulsed by the thought of kissing me. But …. My stomach starts churning and growls so loudly that my panic-stricken eyes meet Theo’s.
“Cate?” He squares his chest to me, resting a hand on my shoulder. “Are you alright?”
