Page 51 of Hustle

As we get closer, I see that it’s a pet carrier. For one horrible second, I wonder if Seamus had someone bring Hank to enjoy the moment together.

And how that person survived trying to get Hank into a carrier.

But then a very tiny, very un-Hanklike mewl comes from inside.

“I thought maybe Hank would enjoy a sister,” he says, lifting a tiny orange puffball with huge green eyes from the carrier. Despite its small size, its huge paws and floof tell me this Maine Coon kitten is going to be a huge cat.

Oh my heart.

“You know I love Hank,” he says quickly, “But I wanted us to adopt her together.”

My eyes go back and forth between the tiny cat and the big man. She sinks all ten of her front claws into his suit-covered arm and I can see from here that she’s managed to shed half her fur onto his suit in just seconds.

“A family of four,” he says softly.

And when I reach for the little cat that I’m definitely naming Empress, she goes positively beatific. Seamus looks relieved, both to have her claws out of his arm and that I’m holding her.

“I love her,” I say, keeping my voice light. But I can’t resist adding, “You know this cat is going to grow to be like 50 lbs. right?”

His eyes are widening with a sudden dawning horror.

Hank is going to hate her. But then? He’s definitely going to love her.

And me?

I’m going to love every minute in this wonderful little family of ours.

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