Page 50 of No Need to Run
Drew blows out a breath. “She really is. It’s taken me a bit to get used to her. She’s… quirky.”
“Quirky? How?”
He tenses again, like he said something he didn’t mean to say. “For one thing, she has a psycho cat.”
Ah, yes. The black cat I saw through the window.
The disadvantage to being so far away when I watch him is I can’t hear what he’s saying. But I have to figure out the camera situation first.
“His name is Mr. Pickles. He hates everyone. Well, he used to. The straggly stray likes her and my brother. Me… well, he waged war.” He shakes his head, lips curving slightly. “Still does.”
Mr. Pickles. An odd name for a cat… but I like it.
“That’s an unusual name.”
“Fits that damn demon cat. Ivy caught him licking pickle juice from a jar. It fell out of her dad’s trash can. She told me that when she left saucers of milk outside for him, he went feral.”
“Aw. Poor thing.” I take a drink of my coffee. “Sweet of her to rescue him, though.”
“I don’t know about that. I’m glad she fed him, but when they brought him into Sebastian’s house, I wasn’t happy. I’m more of a dog person. Although…” he finishes his coffee and begins opening the bag with the coffee cake. “I’ve gotten used to the damn cat.”
I nearly sayI know. I saw you arguing with him.But I stop myself.
Growth.Callie would be proud.
“Cute. Does he sleep with you?”
“Actually… he has a few times.” He grabs a fork and cuts into his coffee cake.
Most people eat it with their fingers.
But not Drew.
“This one time, he was lying on my back, doing that kneading thing cats do. Ivy calls it making biscuits. It scared the hell out of me at first. His purr sounds like a rusty lawnmower. But then I realized he was happy and let him continue.” He grins. “Best massage I ever had.”
I take a slow sip of my coffee, watching him over the rim of the cup.
His hands are steadier now. His shoulders are more relaxed. The tension fades as he settles into this shared moment.
“Sounds like the two of you bonded.”
His smile is genuine, but then it fades. “We have.”
“Why do you look sad?”
He shifts again, then takes a bite of coffee cake, stalling.
After he swallows, he speaks. “My brother is married. He said he doesn’t mind me staying there… but I need to get out. To get my own life… and let him lead his.”
I can help with that.
We can build a life together.
“Don’t ever tell Sebastian or Ivy but… I’ll miss Mr. Pickles when I leave.”
“You’ll see him when you visit. And you could probably pet-sit for them.”
He nods. “Yeah, I’ve already thought of that. I’d just… miss the daily chaos. Sometimes, that cat seems to sense when I’m feeling lonely and—” He falters, then shakes his head, an embarrassed flush on his cheeks. “It’s stupid.”
