“I don’t suppose youwantone?”
“Why are you trying to get rid of your new pet?”
“It’s not my pet! I don’t even want it.” I scrubbed a hand over my brow and tucked the kitten back inside my coat.
She shrugged, projecting that teenage air of indifference. “Doesn’t matter. You were chosen by the Kitten Distribution System.”
“By the fucking what?”
“You know, kittens just get delivered randomly.” She gestured toward where the tiny creature was curled up in my jacket. “Clearly.”
“Why the hell did the system pick me? I hate cats.”
She shrugged again. “I’ve heard that happens sometimes.”
“Well, we’re both fucked. I don’t know what the hell to do with this thing. Can you help me or not?”
“I can’t.” She shrugged, shot a glance over my shoulder, and said, “But maybe she can.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
SUTTON
Laureland I had been in Starlight Cove for less than a week, and we were still finding our footing. Thankfully, she’d started to thaw slightly, even filling me in on some small-town gossip she’d caught at school. And she hadn’t stormed straight to her room for a couple days, so I was calling that progress.
Still, when my girl had a craving for sushi, I didn’t care if I had to drive thirty minutes to get it. I was damn well going to.
The fact that it was raining and that I didn’t know this area well yet meant the whole ordeal took longer than I’d planned. It was dark by the time I got home. And I’d been right—this long, winding drivewaywascreepy as fuck when there was only enough light from my headlights to cast eerie shadows along my way.
I drove down the path, studiously ignoring the mansion and its asshole occupant as usual. Once I parked in my spot, I glanced toward the glowing lights of the cottage out of habit, my gaze jerking to a stop at the large man standing on my porch.
My heart leapt into my throat for half a second, a million scenarios flitting through my head, each worse than the last, until I realized Irecognizedthat hulking form. And I was very accustomed to the scowl Atlas shot me over his shoulder, madeall the harsher by the porch light casting deep shadows across his features.
I’d done so well avoiding him this week. At least until this afternoon at the school. I’d known running into him there had been inevitable. I’d just been grateful Quinn had given me a heads-up so I hadn’t been blindsided like Atlas clearly had been.
That, at least, had been fun.
With a sigh, I grabbed my purse and the bag of sushi, tugged up my hood, and ran toward the front porch, dodging puddles as I went. Once under the shelter of the overhang, I shucked my hood and cast a glance at my daughter, who stood by the open front door, completely occupied with her phone. And completely uninterested in the six-and-a-half-foot beast blocking the entire width of the doorway.
I eyed Atlas head to toe. “Are you stalking me now?”
His brows slammed down. “What? No, I?—”
“Don’t appreciate being accused of stalking people?” I tipped my head to the side. “Weird. I thought most people loved it.”
He scrubbed a hand over his mouth, releasing a sigh so weary, it sounded like it could fill an entire hot air balloon. Then he plucked something out of his jacket and stuck his huge palm out toward me, a tiny furball cradled in it. “I found this in the driveway. I fucking hate cats, and I don’t know what to do with them.” Then, softer, as if it pained him to say, he added, “I was hoping you did.”
My brows inched farther up my forehead as I split my gaze between the tiny, drenched kitten and Atlas’s glowering face. “Well, you might hate them, but you were the chosen one. So…” I trailed off with a shrug in awhat are you gonna dogesture.
“You both keep saying that.” He split a glare between Laurel and me. “What the hell does that even mean? Kitten distribution whatever the fuck…”
My daughter just rolled her eyes. “It’s not my problem. I’m going back to ignoring strange men who come to our home.”
“We already covered this,” Atlas said, his words terse. “Football coach? Landlord? Any of this ringing a bell? I’m not some creep lurking around.”
“I don’t know,” Laurel said as she dropped down on the couch. “A guy showing up at my house, peering into my windows, and trying to get me to help him with a kitten? Sounds like a creep to me.”
“You peered in our windows?” I asked, more confused than angry. Becausewhat?
