Page 76 of Autumn at the Cat Cafe

“I should clean up the campsite,” she said, standing up, “before everyone gets here.”

He set the coffee mug on the side table by the chair. “I’ll help. And I’ll take you up on lunch. I do love a good egg roll.”

“Hector’s has the best.” She started down the patio steps.

He followed her. “A Chinese place called Hector’s?”

“Run by a guy named Patrick O’Reilly.” She chuckled. “Long story.”

He grinned. Only in Pecan Corner.

Chapter 19

The fire was out, but the wonderful scent of woodsmoke still lingered, and Via had packed up everything and put the trash in a bag to take to the house when she looked over at Leo still struggling with Fergus’s huge sleeping bag.

“Need some help?” she asked.

He grunted, trying to stuff the roll in its bag. “I’ve got it,” he proclaimed, just as the roll popped open. He sat back and pushed up his glasses. “Or not.”

She crouched next to him. “It has to be super tight when you roll it.” They spread it out again, and she folded it in half longways, then in half again because it was so big. “You take that side, I’ll do this side,” she said, pointing to his right. “Remember, roll it tight.”

“Got it.”

They started moving forward, rolling the bag in united rhythm. It was kind of amazing how coordinated they were when they did a task together, like working in Second Chapter or hosting Meow and Mingle. When they got to the end, she instructed him to hold on to it while she opened the bag. He picked up the roll and tried to stuff it in.

“I don’t think it’s tight enough,” he said, pushing on the roll as she pulled on the bag. He was kneeling over her and she was still leaning on her heels.

“Give it a big push,” she said.

He stilled, a little frown forming. “You sure?”

“Positive. It’s almost there.”

“I don’t think it will work—”

“Just push, Leo.”

With one big shove he knocked her off her feet, literally, onto her back. The sleeping bag sprang open again as he lost his balance and collapsed on top of her. Both of them burst into laughter as he propped himself on his elbows, his arms on either side of her body.

“Guess that wasn’t the best idea,” she said, giggling.

“Just for the record, I did try to warn you.”

The mid-October air was seasonally cool, but a pleasant heat was building inside Via, made even more intense after last night. Camping under the stars had now moved up to her favorite thing to do on her bucket list... but only if Leo was involved. “You know we’re experiencing a cliché,” she pointed out.

“Are we?”

His deep, husky tone made her spine tingle. “The girl falls down—”

“The boy falls on her.” His glasses slipped down his nose. “I’ve seen the movie.”

She slowly pushed them up for him. “I’ve read the book.”

His eyes darkened to almost forest green. “What happens next?”

She didn’t bother talking herself out of touching him this time. Her hands slipped into the back of his thick, irresistible hair. Ah, it felt as good as she remembered. “Depends,” she whispered.

“On what?” he murmured, moving his head closer to hers, looking at her like she was a midnight snack he couldn’t resist.