“They’re good for him,” Jacy said quietly from behind me.
“I guess so. I admit, I never thought a cat could be so loyal.”
“Oh, they’re very loyal,” Jacy murmured. “I had a cat once. Named her Dancer. She loved me to the moon and back.”
Something, a note of grief maybe, in her tone had me taking a second look at her face in the darkness. “What happened to her?”
“She died.” Jacy turned away to cross the hall to her own room.
I caught her arm. “Of old age?”
“No. My brother. He killed her.”
***
“You’re lucky, bro.”
Fletcher clapped me on the back before lifting his beer bottle to his lips. “You’ve got a great gal in your nanny. Don’t let her go.”
“I’ll try not to.” I drank from my own, half watching the ball game on the TV above the bar. I’d accepted Fletcher’s invitation for a few beers in our local bar, and let Jacy know I’d be late home. “I almost lost her, though. She’s got someone after her.”
“‘After her’? Like whom?”
I shrugged. “She won’t say. I’m guessing an ex-hubby or boyfriend. She’s terrified of this dude.”
Fletch nodded sagely. “Us of the male persuasion tend to be possessive, stupid, violent, thinking with our peckers and stupid.”
“You said that twice.”
“Because we’re double stupid. Man, I hope you’re planning to run this dude through with the tip of your sword.”
“I was planning to burn him to death.”
Fletch shrugged. “That works.” He drank another long gulp of his beer. “Me, I’m staying single. Females scare me.”
“They scare me, too.” I glumly swallowed half my bottle. “But I could fall in love, I’m telling you.”
He flung his arm companionably over my shoulder, his beer breath wafting into my face. “Don’t. She’ll emasculate you faster than a dull blade. Love her, worship her, don’teverlet her near your family jewels.”
“You’re drunk,” I complained.
“Yep. And proud of it.” Fletch upended his bottle and drank his beer to the end.
“How will we ever procreate of we don’t have sex?” I demanded.
Fletch waved his arm in the air. “Aren’t there enough of us? Making babies merely adds to the population. It never guarantees love requited.”
“Don’t I know it.” I signaled the bartender for another round. “I’m finally divorced, you know.”
“Are you?” Fletch grinned broadly. “Now you’re back on the market, bro. Find a nice lady and make Declan an older brother.”
“Didn’t you just tell me tonotprocreate?” I demanded, glaring.
“Sure did. That’s advice I’ll offer and never take for myself.” Fletch grinned. “I’ll never sire the next in line.”
“I think that’s a good thing,” I grumbled, accepting my fresh bottle and tossing bills across the bar. “You’d be a rotten dad.”
“Here’s to living life as a bachelor.” Fletch tossed his head back and downed half his bottle. “For me and not for thee.”
