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Am I being an ass? Yup. Faking an injury to get sympathy and a hot meal? I’ve done it a hundred times over the years and it never fails.
It doesn’t this time, either.
“Oh, no. You poor thing…” She glances at the closed door, then slips her phone into the pocket of her apron. Lowering herself to the asphalt, she stretches her hand out to me. “Are you okay, sweetie? Come here. Let me see… oh,” she coos. “Are you hurt? What a pretty boy you are.”
My dear mate, I am a male. A mature male. She looks to be near my age—or, at least, the age I was when I was cursed—so I know she is a mature female. Still, if she wants me to be her pretty boy…
I limp toward her, then plop down on my rump. I show her my paw. “Mew.”
Her entire face softens. “Come here, baby. Come to Kate.”
She holds out her hand again, and I approach slowly enough to make her think this is her idea. Then, when I’m right next to her, I smell her again.
This close, it’s even stronger—and I’m more sure than before that I’m looking up at my forever.
Kate scratches between my ears. I nearly fall over at the rush of pleasure that is my one true mate touching me.
She sees me stumble and her pretty brown eyes go wide. “You poor, poor thing.”
My mate scoops me up. I not only allow it, I actually nuzzle against her chest as she hefts me against it, freeing one hand to open the door and let us into the pie shop.
She carries me into The Pie Chart and puts me on the counter while she searches for something to give me. A moment later, she comes back carrying a small bowl full of milk.
“Don’t tell the health inspector,” she murmurs softly. “But you look like you need this more than I do.”
Milk. She gives me milk.
Since I’ve been cursed, there isn’t much I won’t do for a little milk—especially when the woman born to be my one true mate is the one giving it to me.
Going to the vet? Yup.
Suffering the indignity of being checked for fleas (among other things)? You know it.
Getting the name of Mr. Whiskers because, despite being in a cat’s body for four decades, I still can’t use a paw to pick up a pencil and write out that my name is Vincent? Unfortunately.
But since Kate brings me inside, welcoming me into her pie shop and the cozy apartment above, allowing me to learn everything about her in time for Halloween… yup. I’ll do anything because, at long last, I’ll finally have my mate.
She just doesn’t know it yet.
ONE
HARVEST PIE BAKE-OFF
NOW
KATE
People say that bakers are morning people. ‘People’ are liars.
I hate getting up early, but I do love to bake pies which means that, as much as I curse out my phone when the alarm sounds, I’m up, dressed, and heading down to my shop while a good chunk of Shadowvale is asleep.
Just not in my apartment.
I’ve barely made it halfway down the stairs when I hear a thump and a thud behind me.
I glance over my shoulder. A pair of glowing green eyes peer out at me from the shadows.
I click my tongue, gesturing for him to return to the second floor. “No need for us both to be up, Mr. Whiskers. Go on, my handsome boy. You’ve earned your beauty rest.”
