“You know I hate bars,” I said. Which was true. They were loud, too crowded, and the floors were always suspiciously sticky.
“I’m coming into town next weekend to visit Kiara. We’re going out for my birthday.”
I sucked in my lips to try to hide my surprise. She’d already made plans to visit? She hadn’t even mentioned it to me. In the few years since I’d moved, she hadn’t visited meonce. Granted, I used to live with Paul, and he wasn’t her favorite, but still. We’d met halfway between our places a couple of times, and I’d spent a few weekends at her house, but that was it.
“Sounds fun.” I forced my tone into one of indifference.
She laughed, clearly missing my shift in mood. “You don’t have to lie. You just have to come out with us. I insist.”
“Alright.” My voice sounded strange. Fake to my own ears.
We caught up for a while longer, mostly talking about her failed online date the night before. Then we ended the call.
My inferiority complex was flaring up, big-time. Zoe had been my only constant friend throughout the years, but to her, I was just one of many. She collected people like some people collected handbags. Her visit to Kiara just confirmed what I always knew, deep down. They were closer. I hated how much that stung. Especially since I’d tried so hard to get it right. Ishowed up. I was fun. I hung out when she needed company, played wing woman when she needed backup. But clearly, something about me didn’t stick. I never quite fit. I was always a little too much, or not quite enough. Easy to overlook, even when I was trying my hardest to be seen.
“Hazel, you home?” A voice echoed from the front entry. I sat up straight on the couch, pulling my feet off it. Which was ridiculous. Reid wouldn’t care if my socks were on his couch. Nevertheless, I wanted to appear to be the perfect house guest.
“In here,” I called.
Reid rounded the corner, cheeks red from the cold outside, talking a mile a minute. “The post we made on the Neighborhood app. Remember? About Vermont? Someone replied. They said they found an orange cat two blocks away from your house the other day and dropped it at the animal shelter.”
“Is there a picture?” I asked, springing up.
“No, and it might be nothing, but we have to at least check it out.”
The orange catstared up at us as it bared its fangs, giving me what could only be described as a crotchety hiss. He looked almost like an old man: long whiskers, slightly gray eyebrows, and lazy eyes that were simultaneously annoyed and tired.
Certainly not the familiar, friendly face I was hoping for.
“That’s not Vermont.” I frowned, looking at him longer, willing him to somehow transform into the cat I remembered so vividly.
“Damn.” Reid shot me an apologetic look.
The concrete hallway was lined with plastic windows, putting the cats that were there on display like some sad zoo. The smell of litter and disinfectant sat heavy in my nostrils. I hadn’t really expected it to be that easy, but during the driveover, a small, stupid part of me had let the fantasy play out. Maybe this would be it. Maybe Vermont would be here. I’d walk out with him, the money would land in my account in a couple of weeks, I’d pay off my debt, stash the rest in savings, maybe even buy myself something nice for once.
But life didn’t work like that. Not mine, anyway.
“It was worth a try,” Reid said. He put a hand on my shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. The comfort of his gesture was quickly swallowed by the flip my stomach did at his touch.
I slumped against the glass, taking in the other cats lounging about the room.
“Would you like to go in and meet them?” A worker in a blue apron asked as she walked past us.
“I’m okay,” I said at the same time Reid said, “Sure.”
I raised my eyebrows, looking at him.
“Oh, uh. I mean, not if it’s too painful or something like that.” Reid cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his dark blue hoodie.
“Are you trying to do a side quest and adopt a cat right now?” I asked.
“No, I, uh. I mean, we’re already here.” He shrugged. “I just like cats.”
I turned back to the worker who still had a smile plastered to her face.
“I guess we would like to go in.”
She reached past me and unlocked the door. “Just ring the bell when you’re done and someone will be in to help you.”
