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“Nothing,” Oliver murmured in that quiet, steady tone. “Going to release it back outside. It just needs a little help in the right direction.”

Addison should have stayed put, but she followed him to the foyer, cutting in front of him to get the door. “Let me.”

“Thanks.” The rain outside had picked up, hammering the porch roof in steady sheets. Kneeling on the foyer floor, Oliver set the creature just on the other side of the doorstep.

The mouse’s little legs spun through the air before it found purchase and took off, darting away from the house and disappearing into the wet, overgrown grass.

Addison released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Somehow, she’d thought he’d kill the little rodent. But apparently Oliver treated pests like the dearest of pets.

Rising, he shut the door and faced her, looking very pleased with himself.

How the hell did he expect to kill her brother if he couldn’t bring himself to hurt a mouse?

He gave her a sheepish look. “What?”

Confounded by the man in front of her, she shook her head. “Nothing.”

Addy followed Oliver back into the kitchen, reluctant to stop the conversation. “Did you grow up with pets?”

He cast her a glance over his shoulder as he reached into the cupboard for his box of muesli. “A few. I like animals, but I haven’t owned a pet as an adult.”

Resuming her seat at the table, she studied her by-now-cold cup of coffee. Setting it aside, she pulled over her potatoes and sausage. “What’s stopped you?”

“I thought about getting a dog, but I used to work a lot. And then… after the accident, I wasn’t really in the mood to take care of anything.” Although he remained at the counter clear across the room, hugging the box of cereal to his chest like a comfort blanket, he watched her with reluctant interest. “What about you?”

Alone with him in the dark, speaking casually of pets, should have felt bizarre. And yet it felt oddly ordinary. “I take care of enough creatures. But I do love animals. I’d never had pets as a kid, and I’ve always wanted one. One day, I’d like one.”

“What kind of pet would you get?” He pulled out a fistful of muesli.

“I don’t know. A cat or a dog, or both. Though I’m starting to fall in love with that cow over there. Think her owner would let me fly her to Seattle?”

Oliver chuckled. “Not sure she’d make a good city pet.”

Addy sighed. “You’re right. I’ll have to aim for something smaller. And potty-trained. But it would be nice to have an animal… someone to greet me when I come home at night so it’s not so lonely.”

Crap. How had she veered into the personal? Reaching for her coffee, she took a swig. Even cold, it tasted way better than instant.

The fist paused halfway to his mouth as he regarded her from across the room. “What’s stopping you?”

“Once I get the Kyle situation sorted, and make sure my parents don’t balk at being Netta’s permanent guardians, I’ll give it some serious consideration.”

“She’s better off without him.” He replaced the box into the cupboard.

They’d never agree on that. “Oliver… last night—”

Classical music filled the space.

It took her a second to realize that was his ringtone.

Reaching into his pocket, he looked at the screen. The brackets around his mouth deepened, and he extended his phone to her. “It’s your mom calling.”

Addison snatched the cell from his hands and brought it to her ear. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

“Addison, the court date has moved up. It’s now in three weeks.”

Chapter 23

Three weeks.