Page 69 of Autumn at the Cat Cafe

“He’s dead.”

Via flinched at his callous response. So did Constance.

“I just found out—”

“You wasted your time.” He turned toward the front door.

“Leo, wait.”

But he was already gone.

“He’ll be back.” Via moved to stand next to her. Although from what she just witnessed, she wasn’t sure he would.

Constance’s hard expression mirrored her son’s. “Why is he here? How did he find out about Earl?”

Via didn’t know how to respond. There was something going on between Leo and his mother, and from his cold reaction and how quickly he left, it seemed more than just complicated. “You’ll have to ask him,” she said.

Constance lifted her chin. “You see how he is. He won’t talk tome. He’s always been stubborn. He obviously knows you—are you his girlfriend?”

“No. Just a... friend.”

“Thank you for telling me about Earl.” She went to the table and swung her expensive bag over her shoulder.

But there was no warmth in her words or her expression. Just frosty politeness. She exited Pawsitive Vibes with the same urgency as Leo.

Dumbstruck, Via wasn’t sure what to do. Go after her? Go after Leo? Should she have told Constance why he was here? How could this woman be related to Earl? He was never like this, even when they first met. Crochety, yes. Imperious and frigid, no.

“Meow?”

She glanced down. For once it wasn’t Sir Meow at her feet but Squeaks. She picked her up and cuddled her soft body. “I don’t know what just happened either.”

Leo stood outside Second Chapter, one hand inside the pocket of his jeans, pretending to check his fingernails on the other. To any passerby, they would see a calm, almost bored man waiting on something. Or someone. Leo was definitely waiting, but he was anything but calm on the inside.

Long ago he’d learned how to mask every negative feeling, including anger and weakness. He couldn’t show either or he would reap the repercussions—no visits or interaction with his mother. Sometimes for days, other times for weeks. The silent treatment was real, and he managed to figure out how to avoid it.

Internally he was raging.

Why was she here? Then it hit him the moment the question formed in his mind. Somehow she found out. His mother had ears everywhere. She was even more business savvy and ruthless than his father had been. There was no reason she would deign to step foot in Pecan Corner unless money was involved.

The Pawsitive Vibes door opened and Constance walked out. They both stilled, staring at each other. Of course she looked polished. She always did. She had the best plastic surgeon money could buy and had been getting injections, fillers, dermaplaning, and other procedures since he was a teenager.

She took a step forward, giving him a haughty once-over. “What on earth are you wearing?”

They hadn’t seen each other in eight years and she was focused on his outfit? “I’ll stop you,” he said, using every singular molecule of self-restraint he had to keep his tone unaffected.

“Stop me from what?”

To her credit, she seemed genuinely confused. Then again, she would never reveal her hand. “Getting your hands on Earl’s will.”

“He had a will?”

“Don’t be coy, Constance. We both know that’s why you’re here.”

Her cold expression returned. “Leo, I just found out my brother died. That girl in there told me.”

That girl. How derogatory. “Her name is Via.”

“Via, whatever. If you’ll just let me explain—”