“Good luck,” Smitty whispered before pushing her gently inside and closing the door behind them.
She heard movement outside as Axel finished his phone call, with more harsh words, these not yelled so loudly, for the person to whom he spoke.
The outer doors banged closed. And then…
Mreow.
Rena blinked. She looked around and spotted a small doghouse. Or was that a cat house? It had the wordCATpainted on a nameplate above the structure. Inside, a calico cat licked her paw and cleaned her face, sitting half in and half out of the house.
Rena squatted down to see the furry beast, astonished to see the cat was pregnant. “Oh my gosh. You are too cute.”
She stood and found Axel right behind her, his phone on the desk. “Hello.”
“Hi.” She looked up at him. “Can we talk?”
He nodded and sat in one of the chairs across from his desk. He looked at the other one right next to it, so she sat and turned it to face him. “You have a cat?”
“Just until she has babies. Then I’ll find them all homes.”
She glanced again at the tiny house the cat had disappeared into. “Did you build that?”
His cheeks looked pink. “It’s cold out.”
“That’s sweet.” And just like him. She felt terrible. “I’m sorry.”
His expression remained impassive.
“I got bad information and thought you were just using me for sex and money.” Best just to lay it all out on the line.
His eyes widened. “Was?”
“Yeah, I know. Sounds silly now that I think about it. You’re not like that.” She explained about the betting board and her anonymous caller and could see his rage building.
“This betting makes you unhappy? I’ll rip the board apart and make sure they all know to stay out of our business,” he promised.
Visions of him tearing up Webster’s Garage scared her. “No, no. Please don’t.”
He frowned. “You want them telling lies?”
“I like them caring enough to include us in their games. They do it to the rest of them too. About whether Liam will flip out over his wedding, when Johnny and Lara will tie the knot. They even bet when Del’s baby will be born.”
He relaxed a little. “Then why did you get so mad at the thought I might be betting?”
“Because the other night was magical,” she admitted, relieved when his gaze softened on her. “And thinking it might not be so magical to you…hurt.”
“Oh,Häschen.Come here.”
She moved to him and let him tug her into his lap.
“I cannot wait to be with you again. You make me smile, Rena. We will have more dates, and you will trust me.” He glanced at the clock on the wall and swore. “And tomorrow you will make sure no one ate the present I sent you for today to your shop. It is only for you.”
“You sent me another present?” She wanted to clap but refrained. She wasn’t three, after all.
“Ja.I plan to be your valentine,Liebling. But you see, you need trust. Proof I will not hurt you.”
She cupped his cheeks and kissed him, loving his soft sigh. “Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
