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“What the hell?” she questioned as she stared at the angry-looking wound.
Her nightmare flashed again. Visions of the hulking beast wrapping its clawed paws around her shoulders flitted through her mind.
She shook her head, furrowing her brow.
“But it was only a dream,” she whispered.
A thump startled her from her reflection. Dickens waddled his way into the steamy bathroom and offered a meow.
“I’ll feed you before I leave, Dicky. Don’t fret.”
Paige finished her morning routine, opting for a crimson A-line tunic with a plaid pocket and plaid elbow patches matched with plaid leggings and black riding boots. After fastening her bracelet around her wrist, she grabbed her tote bag and scurried from the room.
Dickens waited for her on the kitchen counter. A demanding meow met her arrival in the room.
“Yes, Dicky, I’m coming,” she said, dumping the tote on the barstool and skirting around the counter.
She peeled a banana and stuffed it into her blender bottle, poured a bit of milk over it, scooped a spoonful of yogurt into it, and tossed a few ice cubes on top before she screwed on the blender blades, snapped it into the base, and spun the dial. As the blender whirred, she popped the top of a Fancy Beast can of cat food and shook the contents onto a plate emblazoned with the name Dickens.
“Here you are, my sweet,” she said as she served the fishy-smelling food to her furry friend.
With a twist of her wrist, she shut the blender down and snapped a lid on her concoction, then she took a sip.
She bustled around the kitchen, packing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, baby carrots, and a bag of chips in her red plaid lunch bag as she drank her breakfast smoothie.
Dickens finished his meal and proceeded to clean his face, his belly full. Paige rinsed his dish, cleaned her bottle, and set them on the drying rack.
“Well, Dickens, wish me luck! It’s my first day, and I plan to make it count.”
The cat flicked his gaze to her for a brief moment before he sprawled on the counter and licked at his belly. Paige made a face at him and shoved the lunch bag into her tote.
“See you later!” she called as she flitted through the door.
Her foot trampled on something soft, and she leapt back a step, a yelp escaping from her lips. A curse sounded in front of her, and she glanced up.
Her upstairs neighbor hopped on one foot, his other clutched in his hands.
“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry,” Paige exclaimed, her hands covering her gaping mouth. “Are you okay?”
“Eh,” he grunted, “yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”
He set his foot on the floor gingerly and hobbled around on it.
“Oh, gosh, you don’t look fine. Is it broken? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?”
His steps evened out, and he huffed out a breath. “No, no, it’s fine. Just needed to walk it off.”
He stuck his hands on his hips after tossing a lock of dark hair away from his forehead. His white teeth gleamed as he shot her a seductive grin.
“Oh, good. That’s good,” Paige said, adjusting her glasses. “Sorry, again. I’m such a klutz.”
Devon’s eyes traveled up and down the length of her body. Paige swallowed hard, feeling color rising in her cheeks.
“First day?”
“Huh?” she questioned, feeling stupid.
“First day on the job?”
