I gawk at her. “Do you enjoy torturing me?”
She meows again, still purring.
That’s a yes.
Sighing, I check the clock and realize I’m going to be late to meet with Winter at the Fairbanks Food Bank.
Problem is, I don’t know what to do with my new family member. Can cats be alone? They can, right? As long as they have food, water, and their litter box. I set everything up the second I brought her home. I’d released her from the carrier they’d given me to transport her home in, and she tore ass through the living room and hid for hours. I spent forty minutes trying to figure out where the pain in the ass went, only to find her in the room Emaly claimed. She’d puked on the carpet and stained it orange.
At the last minute, I decide to bring Oreo with me. I’ll feel bad leaving her in her carrier, and I don’t know if I fully trust her to be home by herself. Which might be tricky, considering I doubt Hoffman would allow me to travel with a cat all season long.
I’d gotten to go to the Yokav Stadium and see the team twice this week. Once for a group workout in the stadium’s gym, and once for conditioning on the ice. I got the training camp schedule for September and the schedule for all our preseason games. I’d be lying if I said I was confident that the Fireflies stand a chance at getting anywhere near the championships, but I’d work my ass off to get us close.
When I pull up to the food bank, I turn to see the kitten staring at me through the crate bars with big eyes. She pawed at the door the entire drive, wanting out. But I learned the hard way what a bad idea that was when I brought her home. She’d not only gotten car sick on me, but she kept trying to get under the gas pedal.
At least she didn’t puke this time.
I don’t think twice about grabbing her carrier and bringing it with me, listening to her squeaky protests as we head tothe building’s entrance, where we’ll spend the day sorting and distributing groceries to the community.
“What is that?” Winter asks as soon as I step inside. She’s pointing a pen at the carrier dangling in my hand, gaping skeptically at the kitten’s array of noises. “Did someone dump a cat outside? Oh my God, that poor thing!”
She quickly comes over and squats down to see inside, her whole face brightening at the sight of the she-devil wrapped in cute black fur.
“Don’t let the cuteness fool you,” I tell her, setting it down in front of Winter. “She’s a devious little shit.”
Winter gasps. “Don’t say that! She was abandoned and probably scared. I would be t—”
“I adopted her.”
My statement stops her, and she slowly looks up at me with a confused expression painted over her features. “You…what?”
A small smile appears on my face. “I adopted her from the shelter. Went back a few days ago. I was planning to get a dog, but they said cats are easier to care for if you have a busy schedule because they’re more independent. Since I live alone and will be gone a lot, it’d be easier for me to have a cat.”
Winter continues to gape at me in utter disbelief. This shouldn’t be that shocking. I told her I wanted to get a dog at the diner. She just chose not to take me seriously.
Eventually, she closes her mouth and glances back down at the carrier. “Can I…?” She gestures toward Oreo, and I nod.
“Be careful, though. She’s a feisty one.”
The blond sinks onto her knees and opens the carrier door. She’s cautious, trying not to scare Oreo as the kitten slowly makes her way out and looks around her new environment.
Her little pink nose reaches toward Winter’s extended hand, sniffing her once. I expect her to lash out. Scratch her. Hiss. The same shit I’ve endured since bringing her home.
But then I hear it.
Not the sound of haughty distrust.
The sound of approval.
“Is she fuckingpurring?” I ask, frowning as Winter picks her up and cradles her against her chest without any fight from Oreo. The kitten nuzzles Winter’s chin, making the blonde giggle.
Unbelievable.“That thing hates me. She only purrs after causing me bodily harm.”
Winter carefully stands, still holding Oreo close to her chest. “Maybe it’s because you refer to her as a ‘thing.’ What’s her name?”
There is instant love in both of their eyes that makes me jealous of a fucking cat. That’s low even for me. “Oreo,” I tell her begrudgingly.
She repeats the names to herself, barely making a sound. Yet I watch her mouth form the word a little too closely.
