Fourteen
Trish, the owner of the pet shop, Paws for Life, probably wasn’t much older than Lara, and, like everyone else, it seemed, had heard about Tom, along with Lara’s involvement.
‘I think I would’ve panicked,’ she said.
‘I did,’ Lara confessed.
‘But it didn’t stop you from doing everything you could to help.’
Lara felt awful for feeling the way she did about this, but it was getting a little tiresome.
‘I only did what anyone else would have done. Have you heard of anyone missing a black cat?’
‘A black cat?’ Trish looked confused.
‘Nothing to do with our previous conversation,’ Lara said. ‘But a black cat seems to think my cottage is his home. I was told the place has been empty for years, so the cat – I’ve named him Nicodemus – can’t have lived there with anyone before I bought it.’
Trish shook her head still looking confused. ‘No one has mentioned a black cat to me.’
Lara was oddly relieved. ‘In that case, I need cat litter, a cat tray, a cat bed, or maybe two or three, some toys, some food, and anything else you think a cat might want.’
‘I’d want a lap to sit on.’
Lara spun around and gasped as her gaze landed on Jasper. How had he managed to look even more handsome than he had earlier? Dressed in tan and black leather walking boots, black jeans, a round-neck black T-shirt and a collared, quarter zip forest green jumper, his dark brown wavy hair still damp from the shower, he looked good enough to die for. Or possibly just to kiss. Or maybe both. Lara was dying to kiss him, that much she was becoming increasingly sure of, and that thought continued to throw her off-balance.
‘I’m not sure this shop sells those,’ she said. ‘But if you’re offering, I think Nicodemus would be happy to give you a trial run for the position. Wear something white. That seems to be his favourite colour.’
‘Hello, Jasper,’ Trish intervened, as Jasper grinned at Lara. ‘We were just talking about Tom. We’re all so relieved he’s okay. How is he today? Will he be in hospital for long? Should we go and visit him? Is he allowed visitors?’
It seemed to Lara that Jasper unwillingly dragged his gaze away, but his smile appeared genuine as he replied to the barrage of Trish’s questions.
‘No one is as relieved as me,’ he said. ‘He’s feeling better than yesterday but as to the rest, I don’t have any answers. I’ll know more once I’ve seen him this afternoon. I believe it’s only family visits at the moment though. I’ll give him your good wishes.’
‘Thank you, Jasper. Will you be staying for a while?’
‘Possibly. But please don’t let me get in the way of you serving Lara. I’ll be outside,’ he said to Lara. ‘Give me a shout if you need a hand with any of the heavy stuff.’
‘Will do,’ said Lara, turning back to Trisha. ‘So … cat litter etc?’
Trisha’s gaze seemed fixed on Jasper’s back, but who could blame her?
‘What? Of course. This is our most popular brand.’
A few minutes later, Lara poked her head out of the shop doorway. Jasper was standing outside, leaning back against his car, legs crossed at his ankles, hands stuffed into his jeans’ pockets, his head tilted back and his eyes closed as he basked in the gentle warmth of the morning sunshine.
‘Woman needs help with heavy stuff,’ she said, but not before she had let her gaze travel the length and breadth of his gorgeous body, once or twice. Or maybe more.
He righted his head with a dazzling smile on his lips. ‘It’s like a summer day,’ he said, slowly pushing himself away from his car with just his body. ‘Are you doing anything today?’
‘I believe someone is taking me for breakfast.’
He grinned at her as he followed her back into the shop where Trisha was eagerly waiting, a bit like a puppy expecting a treat.
‘After that,’ he said, still grinning.
‘Well, I have a list as long as your arm of things I need to do at the cottage, so I suppose the answer is yes.’
‘Anything I can do?’
