Oh no.“Are you allergic to cats?” I ask.
His shoulders go stiff. “Wasn’t allowed to have allergies.”
“That doesn’t even—” I cut myself off before I can saymake sense.I’ve met Brad and Barb. That makes sense for them. “So you’re not allergic?”
He peers more closely at the carrier. “Don’t think so?”
“Here, let me take her out in the truck.” We pile into the rear cab of his pickup, shutting the doors. Carefully, I open the front gate of the carrier. Baby has huddled herself against one of the walls. She trembles faintly against my hand. “I think she just needs a moment to adjust.”Doesn’t everyone.After a minute, she calms down enough that I can scoop her up and draw her out, her tiny kitten claws against my hand—not like she’s angry but like she wants to make sure I don’t let go.
When I finally get her out and settled in my lap, Brayden’s eyebrows creep toward his hairline. He examines the cat’s ears—a little too big—and her eyes—a little too small—and the tufts of her grayish fur. “Really?” he says.
I cradle a hand around her defensively. “It’s not like anyone else was going to adopt her.” She seemed so forlorn inside her little pen. I didn't want to know what would happen if no onetook her home. “You said I could get whatever I want, and Baby is what I want.”
“Baby?” he asks.
“That’s what her name card said. We can call her something else.”
He extends a finger cautiously toward Baby as if he’s never patted a cat before. Before I can saygive her some time to smell you, Baby takes a swipe at him, her tiny needle of a claw drawing blood.
Brayden snatches his hand back, swears, sucks the cut, and dumps on a little bit of hand sanitizer I give him from the bottle in my purse. “Name her whatever you want. I don’t care. She’s your cat.”
He opens the door—faster than I can tell him not to in case Baby escapes—and shuts it just as fast, then puts the truck in gear. I slide Baby back into her carrier, then latch it, before buckling a seatbelt around it.
“Are you gonna sit up front?” Brayden asks.
“Are you gonna act like an asshole?” I fire back.
He mutters something that soundsI’m trying not tobefore we ride back to the house in silence.
When we arrive,I carry Baby upstairs, get her a litter box set up in the spare bathroom no one uses, set her food bowl in the kitchen, then unpack her toys in my room. When I open her carrier up, she comes out cautiously. In the half-light of my room, her eyes are luminous. She’s cautious as she explores my bedspread, paws making tiny biscuits as she kneads the blanket.She purrs—so faintly at first that I almost don’t hear it, then louder and louder.
I snap a picture and send it to Victoria. Snap another and send it to the Morningside group chat. Forrest and Katia send back little hearts. I should just leave it at that. I have papers to read. I feel like I’m never gonnanothave papers to read. Instead, I start a new text. Type and hit send before I can stop myself.
Me: look at my new cat [picture]
Asher: that’s an ugly cat
Me: she’s perfect, right???
Asher: So when do I get to meet your perfect, ugly cat?
That’s what a friend would ask…right? Asher and I are friends. Just friends. He gave me a ride. Brought me back my shoe. Nothing about this situation is inappropriate. Still, I changed his name in my phone toAA,just in case Brayden decides to snoop.
That would require him noticing anything about me.Though he seemed tonoticewhen he found me and Asher in that bridal room at the party. Noticed enough to get angry. Noticed enough that hedidn’tnotice me spying on them from the bathroom when I cracked the door after I finished changing. Surely that wasn’t jealousy, even if his jaw went stiff, his hands balled into fists. Asher pressed him into the wall—hard. Brayden shoved his finger into Asher’s chest. Told him to stay the hell away from me.
Like a real husband would if a teammate started showing interest where he shouldn’t.
Except Brayden isn’t really my husband, and he doesn’t get a say over what I do. Our agreement says I can’t sleep around. Itdoesn’t say I can’t have friends, even male friends. Even friends Brayden told specifically to stay away from me.Especially ones Brayden told specifically to stay away from me.
Brayden isn’t my husband any way but legally. He’s myboss,and your boss doesn’t say who you can and can’t be friends with.
I still haven’t answered Asher. So I grab my phone and type.
Me: the cat would love to meet you
Chapter Eighteen
Brayden
