Priya’s heart jumped—then dropped.
It wasn’t Ethan.
It was Harry Knight.
There was no setup after all. Disappointment struck Priya deeper than she’d expected.
Rolling down the window, she forced a polite smile. “Hello, Mr. Knight.”
“Hello, Priya,” Harry replied. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“Of course,” Priya said, unsure of what exactly had happened. “I’m sorry it didn’t go as expected.” She unlocked the door, expecting him to get in, but he spun around and headed back into the building.
“Mr. Knight?” Priya cut the engine, flipped on the hazards, and scrambled out after him.
“I’ll just be a minute,” he said. “Brooke asked me to give her a heads-up when you got here.”
“Of course.” Priya’s heart kicked up once again. A rendezvous with Ethan was still possible!
But when Brooke emerged, it was only with her father in tow.
“I’m so sorry to drag you out, but he’s been driving me up the wall all night,” she said.
“Brooke,” Priya muttered, her eyes darting to Harry, who stood listening to her every word.
“He’s good to go.” Brooke handed Priya a tote. “All his stuff is in here, but he’s so worked up, he’ll probably crash as soon as you get home. I’ll swing by to pick him up in the morning.”
“You want me…to take him to my place?” Priya’s voice faltered as she mechanically slung Brooke’s bag over her shoulder.
“Of course! He’s too tiny to be left alone, right, my little angel?” Brooke cooed, reaching inside to pull out Sir Puffington.
Priya blinked. All this time, she’d thought Brooke had been talking to her father, but she actually meant her kitten. A flush crept up her neck as she sneaked an apologetic glance at Harry Knight, inwardly cringing at her own assumption.
“I’m…uh…” Priya fumbled over her words. “I didn’t know you were bringing Sir Puffington.”
“Technically, he’s not supposed to be here,” Brooke confessed, as she placed the kitten back inside the tote. “I just didn’t have the heart to leave him with a sitter.” She kissed the top of his fluffy head. “But he’s been a menace all evening. You’re a lifesaver.” Handing over her precious bundle, she gave Priya a quick peck on the cheek.
“Let’s go, Dad.” She turned to him, ready to head indoors.
“I’ll be there in a moment,” Harry replied, lingering as Brooke vanished from view. “Thank you for what you said the last time we spoke,” he told Priya. “I managed to have a word with Ethan today. We have a long way to go, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
Priya breathed a sigh of relief, struggling to keep Sir Puffington from jumping out of the tote. “I’m so happy to hear that. I hope you’re able to patch things up.”
“Me too,” Harry replied, eyeing the wriggling kitten. “All the best with that tiny terror.” With a final nod, he made his way back inside.
Priya scooped Sir Puffington out of the tote and placed him against her shoulder, using one hand to hold him in place. He settled comfortably into the crook of her neck.
“Okay, fluffball,” she murmured, rubbing his back. “Let’s get you home before you cause more trouble.”
As Priya reached for the car door, the Ganesh key chain slipped from her hand, her keys falling into the narrow gap between the tire and the curb. She knelt, stretching to grab it, and suddenly Sir Puffington leaped from her shoulder and darted away.
“Oh, come on!” Priya groaned, snatching her keys and bolting after him.
The kitten disappeared around the corner, zigzagging through the crowd, slipping between feet, and barely avoiding getting stepped on. Priya chased after him, her heart pounding. The last thing she needed was to explain to Brooke that her prized kitten had disappeared into the chaos of TIFF. She veered into the bicycle lane, crouching to keep track of him through the gaps between people’s legs.
“Sir Puffington!” she called, her voice rising, but the kitten didn’t even glance her way.
She crashed into a signpost, her foot catching on its base, and nearly nose-dived into the pavement.
