I talked him through the mechanics of finding the best water temperature and letting the kitten get used to the sensation of it on her feet before filling the tub and getting her fully wet. Noah listened intently, so I focused on him and not the grump perched on the edge of the vanity behind us.
Cats and water aren’t a great combination, but we lucked out because the kitten seemed to actually enjoy splashing around in the inch of test water.
“She likes it!” Noah cheered. “See Dad? She’s an old salt, just like me! Born to be on the water.”
Logan and I exchanged a glance and chuckle. I assumed it was a family joke.
I kept up my explanations as I started the bathing process. Noah tucked in beside me, hip to hip as we gently massaged shampoo into the kitten’s fur.
“How do you know so much about cats?” Logan asked.
“Miss Nina knows abouteverything,” Noah answered before I could.
I knew a little about a lot of things, mostly because I’d needed all the skills I could get when I was growing up…but I didn’t want to get into questions about my background over the years. It would give Logan another reason to judge me.
I bumped Noah with my shoulder. “Not quite.” I looked back at Logan. “I’ve lived with cats over the years, here and there. I wasn’t lucky enough to have my own cat, but I was a devoted auntie to the ones I lived with. I even helped deliver kittens once!”
“Wow,” Noah breathed. “Like a doctor!”
“Oh, Iwish,” I laughed. “I was terrified, but it all worked out. Three healthy babies. Now let’s get her lathered up.”
Little by little, our soapy massage revealed that the gray stowaway was actually a gorgeous white kitten.
I felt Logan lean in closer. “Look at that, she’s a stunner.”
“She’s perfect!” Noah said as I did a tight burrito wrap on the kitten. “I love hersomuch.”
I handed the bundle to him, and Noah immediately kissed her head and hugged her. I shot a look at his father as if to say, “I dare you to deny your son this magic.”
“You know, she needs a name,” I said. I leaned back on my heels and looked up at Noah. “It should probably be something related to the ocean, or boats?—”
“Ariel,” Noah said. “Because she’s a mermaid. She swam out to the boat and climbed aboard to find me.”
I smiled. “Ariel it is!”
“Let’s get her some food and water,” Logan suggested. “The kitchen is closed, but I bet we can scrounge something up. No kitties allowed, so why don’t you stay here with her while we run down, Noah? I’ll have Winnie from security come hang out with you while we’re gone. She’s nice, right?”
He nodded solemnly and hugged Ariel a little tighter.
Logan left the bathroom to radio for Winnie, then turned back to me. “Are you coming?”
I froze. “Oh,me? You want me to go?”
“Well, I have no clue what we have that kittens would eat,” he grumbled, probably because he hated admitting he didn’t know everything. “And the litterbox thing? No clue. So yes, come.” He paused. “Please.”
Well damn, now he was trying to sweet-talk me with the bare minimum of politeness. I nodded, then stood to follow him.
Winnie arrived to hang out with Noah and Ariel, and Logan and I set off for the kitchen in a daze.
We passed several corridors in silence. “That was a shock,” I said when I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Yeah,” Logan agreed. “And I’m not sure about how this is going to play out. What if the thing is sick? Or diseased? Can kittens get rabies?”
“OhLogan,” I laughed. “Way to jump to the worst-case scenario. It’s akitten, not a baby werewolf. She’s fine. And if you ask me, I think encouraging Noah to take care of that little one might help open him up. Shift his focus from himself to another being. I can tell he’s going through some stuff.”
I held my breath and let it dangle. If Logan wasn’t going to clue me in about the storm clouds around his son, I wasn’t about to push for more information.
It wasn’t my business.
