“You’re kidding. Seriously? Feed your cat and… wait a minute – are you putting me in the nosebleed seats?”
“Shut up – and a free ticket is a free ticket. Besides, we both know you can’t see anything but Justin, so maybe I should get you tickets behind the goalie net.”
“No – because then he’s on the other side of the ice part of the game.”
“I know,” he replied, chuckling.
“Thanks a lot, Tate.”
“You’re welcome,” he quipped, amused despite himself. “I’ll leave you directions on the counter and…”
“I’m feeding a cat,” Gina interrupted warily. “I don’t need directions… do I?”
“He’s a kitten and yeah. His little tummy gets gurgly, and sometimes you have to play…”
“Oh my gosh,” she interrupted, bursting out laughing. “You are totally whupped by that little furball.”
“I’ll text you,” he blurted, cutting her off and hanging up before she could twist the knife further.
Mulligan blinked at him, still licking his chops. Tate leaned down, scratching the kitten’s back just above his tail.
“Your evil auntie is going to feed you tomorrow night… and when she kicks off her shoes, feel free to poop in one. Okay, buddy?”
Mulligan hissed like a warrior, his tiny chest puffed out.
“That’s right, Killer. You teach her who’s the boss around here,” Tate crooned, his grin softening. He scratched that magic spot, watching Mulligan arch and twitch with unbridled joy. “That’s right – and we both know that boss isn’t me… is it?”
Mulligan meowed in agreement, sealing the truth.
CHAPTER 10
NETTIE
“All right, let’s gather around,”Nettie encouraged happily, gathering the children around her on the playground. It was cool and breezy out, but the sun was shining down on them, taking some of the nip out of the air. She loved days like this, where it was warm enough to be comfortable but just cool enough to require a light jacket or a sweater. Ruddy faces, pink little noses, and the excitement and wonder of the world that seemed to wear out the children, making them take a nap, which she loved.
That blessed forty-five-minute nap was everything. It gave her time to read, time to knit on a project, time to work a crossword puzzle, or find a recipe on Pinterest. And right now, she wanted to forget everything and lose herself in a book because reality sucked.
Reality involved a nightmare she thought she once left behind. A growling, bitter, dangerously sexy man who’d tossed her fragile heart aside like it was nothing, and now she was having to face the demons of her past with what felt like a much too often occurrence.
“Hey…”
Nettie jumped nearly three feet in the air, spun around, grabbed the fence to catch herself, and felt large warm hands steadyingher.
“Sheesh, are you always so freakin’ clumsy?” he muttered tightly.
“Only when an ogre sneaks up behind me,” she clapped back and looked around warily. “What are you doing here? Is Gina with you? I’m at work and…”
“Does Gina have to be with me for me to stop by?” he said caustically, glaring at her. “I’m an adult – and frankly – so are you.”
“But they are not,” she hissed, waving a hand at the children who were playing and ignoring the surprise visit from a stranger. Yeah, they would need to talk about ‘stranger-danger’ and getting a teacher if they saw someone standing at the fence. “This is a daycare, my work, and you don’t have a reason to be here, Tate.”
“No – I guess I don’t,” he grumbled, frowning hotly. “I guess this was a stupid idea then.”
“What?”
Here, little fishy-fishy - open your mouth for the barbed hook…
Nettie almost winced at the voice singing the taunt at her mentally. He crooked his finger, and she just came running along like a dog with an IQ of ten… you know, the kind that would sniff his own…
