Page 84 of Fall For Me
“Can I draw on your arm again?”
“Any time you want.” I wink.
“Okay.” She shrugs.
A smile tugs at my lips as I turn to Aiden and reach out to shake his hand. “You have no idea how much this means to me. I’ll always be here for Jade. Fucking always, man.”
“Thank you,” he says, releasing my hand, then snatches the envelope off the dash, and shoves the papers back inside. “Will you please not mention anything to Hannah yet? I’d like to be the one to talk to her about it.”
“I got you,” I say as Coach pulls into the parking lot. “Come on. We better head inside.”
“Kitty!” Jade squeals.
What the hell?
I turn around in place and look down. The ugliest cat I think I’ve ever set eyes on meows at my feet, rubbing its head on my leg.
“Look, Daddy, it’s a kitty!”
Aiden takes her hand in his and steers her toward the glass building. “I see that, sweet girl. Don’t touch it, okay? You’ll end up with ringworms.”
I try to ignore the dumpster kitty, but as we make our way toward the entrance, it meows and circles my ankles.
“Would you stop? You’re going to trip me,” I say, trying to step around it.
Aiden laughs as the kitten tries to follow me inside.
“You can’t come in here,” I say, picking it up and setting it several feet away from the door. Doesn’t make a bit of difference because the little fucker tries to dart back inside.
Dammit!
“Looks like you have a new friend.”
“I donothave a new friend.”
“If that’s what you wanna keep telling yourself,” he tosses over his shoulder, leaving me to deal with the cat as he takes Jade to the game room.
“Is Seany gonna get ringworms . . .” Jade’s voice fades as they disappear out of sight.
I stare down at the cat as it looks up at me with pleading eyes. “Why are you doing this to me? Huh?”
I may be a dickhead, but there are two things that get me every fucking time . . . I take that back. Three: Hannah, children, and animals. ¡Ay, ay, ay! What the hell am I supposed to do? I can’t just leave the kitten out here to starve or get run over by a car.
Shit.
I pick it up and head to the conference room, trailing in behind Cal.
He looks over his shoulder and does a double take. “What the hell? Should I have brought Puck? Is today bring your pet to work day?”
“You didn’t get the memo?” I ask, plopping down in the chair next to him.
“Mackenzie! What the hell is that ugly ass cat doing in my meeting?” Coach barks from the front of the room.
I cuddle the little guy and pet his head. He’s so ugly that he’s fucking cute.
“It’s okay,” I coo near his ear. “Grandpa doesn’t mean it.”
Laughter fills the room as I hold the kitten up in the air like Simba, his four little legs dangling straight down in front of him. “Coach, meet your new grandson, Chávez.”
