Page 90 of The One You Want

“Save it, Bradford. I don’t care what my grandparents have told you about me. I don’t care what they’ve hinted at for your career if we start dating. What I do know is that I’m not interested. I’m not having dinner with you, tomorrow or any other time. So stop showing up where you know I’ll be. Stop accidentally running into me. Because this—” I gestured between the two of us, “—is not everhappening.”

He stared at me, shock and dislike clear on his face. I was just about to push past when cheering broke out across the street. I glanced over to see Sherry and Sadie Taylor standing there, clapping. Sherry put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. “Good for you,Jenny!”

“You tell him,sweetheart.”

Bradford’s face was bright red now, his breath coming out heavily. “You better leave that girl alone, you stuffy trust fund weasel,” Sherry shouted. “Or you’ll have me to answerto.”

He shot me one last withering glare, then stomped away. I breathed a sigh of relief. “You okay, Jenny?” Sherrycalled.

I raised a hand, feeling overwhelmed by everything that had happened that morning. “I’mfine.”

“You just let me know if he bothers you again,” she said. “I always carry my hair cutting shears, and I’m not afraid to usethem.”

“And she doesn’t mean on his hair,” Sadie cackled. “She’ll stick those things where the sun don’tshine.”

Sherry rolled her eyes. “She gets the picture,Sadie.”

“Thank you,” I call tothem.

Sherry waved her hand dismissively. “That’s what friends arefor.”

I walked the rest of the way to my condo, thinking about her words. First Jerry, then Sadie and Sherry. Maybe I actually had more friends on Lilac Bay than I hadrealized.

Safely inside, I pulled the cats from their carriers. To my surprise, they didn’t dart immediately off to their bedroom or start demanding food. Instead, they jumped up onto the couch right next to me, Mittens spreading out over my lap while Ernie curled into my side. Lady sat a foot away, eyeingme.

“I’m really sorry,” I whispered, to all of them, but I kept my eyes on her. “I was…that was stupid, thinking I could leave you there. I’msorry. I’ll never do anything like that again. This is your home, and this is where you’re going to stay.” I swallowed, feeling like I might cry all over again. “Ipromise.”

Lady stared at me for a moment longer with those sharp yellow-green eyes. And yes, I knew she was just a cat—but I swear some kind of understanding passed between us in those silent moments while she held mygaze.

Then she gave a little flick of her tail and joined her brothers on my lap, even letting me scratch behind her ears. When Mittens started to purr, that low rumbling vibration strong enough for me to feel through his body, my tears came back, hot and fast. I cried for what I had nearly lost that morning, for how dumb I had been to think that I wasn’t capable of loving these animals. And I cried for Grant, because I knew Iwascapable of loving him. I cried because he didn’t love meback.

The cats stayed there with me, letting me pet them, keeping my legs and my side warm while the tears streamed down myface.