She threw her arms around me as she stepped off the stairs. “What did he do to you?”
“I’m fine, I promise.” I hugged her back. “I’m a bit beat up but getting better every day.”
She pulled back to look at me. “Jesus, Maeve, no wonder you didn’t want me to come over.”
“It’s not that I didn’t want you to come over,” I said. “I just didn’t want to worry you.”
“I’ve been worried about you for the last year and a half. But definitely don’t go home for a bit. David and Charlotte will lose their shit.”
“Don’t I know it.” I wouldn’t in a million years do that to my parents.
She sniffled. “Also, there’s a cat outside. He seems friendly.”
“He’s a stray,” I said, bending to pick up the bag of cat food I’d had Poe grab at the store. “And he absolutely hates Bram.”
The cat had taken to visiting, rubbing against Poe, Remy, and me, but he hissed like a demon when he saw Bram.
“If you feed him he’ll never leave,” Bailey said.
“I know, but it’s cold, and he’s hungry.” I opened the door. “Give me a sec.”
The cat, a gray and white puffball with matted fur and a giant attitude, was waiting for me on the old loading dock.
“Good morning,” I said, dropping my hand.
He came over and rubbed against me, purring so loud I was surprised Bailey couldn’t hear him from inside.
I poured food into the bowl I’d copped from the kitchen. “Stay warm, mister man.”
He was busy chowing down when I went back inside.
“Come on,” I told Bailey. “I made those pastries you like.”
“The raspberry ones?”
“Those are the ones.”
She followed me up the stairs into the living room. On the other side of the loft’s big windows, Blackwell Falls was nestled into a bed of snow like a picturesque village in a snow globe.
Ray came over to greet Bailey, his tongue lolling out of his mouth, a big goofy smile on his face.
“Hi, Ray,” Bailey cooed, bending over to smoosh his face. “How are you, boy?”
“He’s happy to see you,” I said from the kitchen.
“You’re a good boy, aren’t you Ray?” She straightened and took in the living room. “You still have your tree up.”
“I figured we could use the cheer. Coffee?”
“Please.” She looked around. “Where are the guys?”
“Remy’s down the hall in the gym. Bram and Poe are working.”
“Working huh? What does ‘working’ entail?”
A couple months earlier I might have put her off. Back then, I didn’t think it mattered whether Bailey approved of the Butchers. Now I knew they were in my life to stay — at least I hoped so — and I wanted Bailey to know them at least a little.
I handed her a cup of coffee. “I don’t know the details, but I do know they keep the drug trade and other… unsavory things from being a problem in town.”
