He glanced over the hood. “Yes?”
“Thanks for leaving me by myself last night. I really needed time alone.”
He smiled and nodded. “Sure thing, but if you ever need me. . . .” He shrugged, not finishing his sentence, and climbed into the car.
Kate scrambled into hers and started the engine. She backed out of the parking space and headed home. No, to the apartment she was trying to make a home.
Could she do it by herself as a single mother?
More importantly, could she do it with Scott living right next door, reminding her of her past mistakes?
Chapter Six
Kate spent the day putting the guest bedroom/study in order, allowing the busywork to occupy her so her mind didn’t whirl with thoughts of Jerry and his upcoming nuptials. The unfairness of the whole damn situation would eat her alive if she let it.
Keeping her mind clear of Scott Gray was another matter.
Time got away from her, and she was ten minutes late picking up Reagan from horse camp. When she hurried into the lounge at Supreme Stables, Kate found Rea sitting alone on the well-worn leather sofa. The orange tabby kitten was in her daughter’s lap.
Reagan jumped to her feet and held out the squirming kitten. “Miss Sarah said I can take him home.”
Kate’s jaw slackened. “What?”
“Miss Sarah said the kitten is too tiny to live at the barn.” Reagan didn’t pause for breath, her blue eyes gleaming with excitement. “He needs a home indoors.”
“Oh, really?”
As she came into the lounge from the arena, Sarah overheard the discussion. “I told Reagan she must ask permission first,” she said. “Seriously, Kate, if you can’t keep the cat, maybe you can foster him for a few days until I can find someone else to take him.”
“I don’t know.” Kate’s head spun with the dilemma suddenly thrust upon her. The scrap of orange kitten cuddled in her daughter’s arms was certainly cute. But a cat?
“I’ve never had a pet,” Reagan said with a pout, naked appeal leaping into her eyes.
Her daughter was right. Jerry never allowed animals in the house, not even a harmless goldfish in a bowl. He claimed to be allergic, and Kate had always backed his decision. After all, she was his wife and a team player.
Her heart turned over. She held out her hands. “Let me see the kitten.”
Reagan brightened and released the orange tabby to her mother. The kitten seemed all skin and bones and definitely in need of a good meal.
Kate knew nothing about taking care of a cat. Yet, she knew from the light in Reagan’s eyes that the kitten was important. And damn it! What had being a team player gotten her? Nothing. Zero. Nada.
“I think it’s foolish to take the kitten,” Kate said as she stroked the tiny orange ears. She hesitated for the affect. “Which is why we’re going to take him home with us!”
Reagan shouted for joy. She ran over and hugged her mother. “Thank you! I’ll take care of him. I really will.”
“I’m sure you will, honey.” Kate handed back the kitten. “Now, take him outside. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Tears welled in Kate’s eyes as she watched Reagan scurry out the door as if she was afraid her mother would change her mind. She’d made her decision impulsively, but it felt good.
“Thanks for bailing me out.” Sarah said. “That kitten isn’t a good candidate for the barn. He’s too tiny.”
“We’ll see how it goes,” Kate said, shrugging and taking a deep breath to clear away her misgivings. She turned to Sarah. “How did Reagan do today?”
“She had a good time at camp. We had her riding one of our steadiest horses by the end of the day. She did a good job.”
Kate sighed with relief. “I’m glad. I was afraid she wouldn’t like it.”
“Your daughter is doing just fine.” Sarah placed a comforting hand on Kate’s arm. “Don’t worry so much.”
“But it’s my job to worry,” Kate said with a self-deprecating smile. “I’m her mother.”
“That’s exactly why I love my job,” Sarah acknowledged with a laugh. “I can send them home at the end of the day.”
* * * *
During the drive, Kate pondered her plight. Divorced, the decisions she made about Reagan would often be quick ones, spur of the moment, and they’d be all her own. She wouldn’t always have time to consult Jerry as the joint custody agreement directed.
But wasn’t that the way it had always been? She’d been Reagan’s sole parent on many occasions when Jerry was traveling. She’d gone to parent-teacher meetings without him and taken Reagan to the ER more than one time for a childhood fall or scrape. And there was that time when she turned off the lights and locked the front door so she could take Reagan trick-or-treating. Jerry, of course, had been out of town on business.
Maybe her new role as a single parent wasn’t so new after all.
“We should name him Spike,” Reagan said from the backseat.
“Sounds like a perfect name.” Kate’s heart warmed. This kitten will be a good thing, she thought.
But what if pets were not allowed in the apartment?
She hadn’t considered that obstacle. It would break Reagan’s heart to give up that kitten. No, now that she had committed to the cat, she refused to let it be taken away from her daughter.
There was no way around it. She and Reagan had to speak to their landlord and make him understand the importance of the kitten.
As much as she wanted to avoid him, to ignore the invisible thread that pulled her to him, Kate had to talk to Scott Gray.
* * * *
Near five-thirty, Reagan came running into the kitchen where Kate was making homemade pizza. “He just got home!”
Kate caught her breath. It was time. Why should she be so reluctant? Just because her stomach was a jumble of nerves, that’s why. Scott was far too forward. Heck, he’d already asked her on what she considered a date. He’d stood behind her, touching her, in the stall. More importantly, he stirred within her a long-dormant sex drive she’d put on hold for motherhood.
And she had no business thinking or feeling things like that about him.
She was recently divorced. It wasn’t the time or the place for such physical reactions. Maybe, after Reagan went to college, there would be time to date. And time again for the pleasures of sex.
Besides, they had a past, one she wasn’t too comfortable with now she knew how hard it was to get over a broken relationship.
“Let’s get this over with,” she said to Reagan. They left Spike in the apartment and walked together to the other duplex.
On the front porch, Kate urged, “Go ahead. Ring the doorbell.” Kate had explained to Reagan, if Mr. Gray said “no,” then they couldn’t keep the cat. Silently, she willed him to say “yes.”
Reagan looked up at her with narrow, determined eyes, then turned and pushed the doorbell—hard—two times.
“Kate!” Scott did not hide his surprise when he opened the front door, but he quickly recovered when he noticed the child by her side. “And you must be Reagan,” he said with a smile.
Kate gently pushed Reagan forward. “Ask Mr. Gray,” she prompted then added, “He doesn’t bite.”
Scott lifted an amused eyebrow. “I see your opinion of me has improved, Mrs. Lawrence.”
“Not necessarily.” Kate’s face flushed. “But I’m sure you won’t intimidate a small child.”
“No, only her mother.” He hid his grin and turned to Reagan. “I take it you have something to ask me. Please come in.”
He stepped aside, inviting them into his living room. Reagan bravely lifted her chin and marched inside. Kate followed a bit more reluctantly.
She’d been in his apartment once on that stormy night when she’d been locked out. Now, she surveyed his living room, which mirrored the layout of hers, with renewed interest. The room was casual and uncluttered but expensively furnished. It could only be described as having a "man cave" feel about it.<
br />
In the far corner was a stone fireplace where gas logs promised cozy winter nights. A deep, plump sectional of gray corduroy wrapped around the fireplace and media center, which, like hers, was built into the adjoining wall. But his was more of a true entertainment zone. His flat screen TV was larger than hers which befitted the man cave image.
A black, rectangular coffee table held a row of four remotes, the morning newspaper, an empty coffee mug, an iPad and an Apple laptop. A mahogany rug beneath the coffee table and a few throw pillows on the sofa added warmth and pops of color to the room. The walls of the room were a lighter shade of gray and empty of artwork. There really wasn’t any space on the walls for pictures, she’d already discovered. The two windows, one in front and another one on the side wall, took up wall space but let in plenty of sunlight. His window coverings were white, wooden plantation shutters. A large floor lamp and a couple accent lamps provided more light.
“What can I do for you, Miss Lawrence?” Scott turned all of his attention to Reagan.
“Miss Sarah gave me a little kitten at the barn. She said I could keep it, but Mommy says I have to ask you first.”
“I didn’t know if you allowed pets in your apartment,” Kate chimed in, trying not to hold her breath until she heard his answer.
Scott studied the serious child and her equally serious mother. If they’d been alone, he would have kidded Kate, asking her what she’d do for his permission. Another dinner date? A kiss maybe? But he sensed his answer was much too important to joke about. So he cleared his throat and lifted a cautious eyebrow.
“I think the best way to answer this is to show you something,” he said. “Will you excuse me a moment?”
Taking the steps to the second floor two at a time, Scott found his own calico cat in the master bedroom curled up on his pillow. He scooped up the snoozing feline and brought her downstairs.
“Does this answer your question?”
“A kitten!” Reagan hopped from one foot to the other and clapped her hands.
“You have a cat?” Kate asked.
“Surprises you?”
She inclined her head. “A little.”
“You don’t know much about me then.”
She looked sheepish. “I guess I don’t.”
“This is Folly,” Scott said to Reagan. “I call her that because I didn’t intend to take her, but my sister, Miss Sarah, drives a hard bargain.”
“She’s beautiful, Scott.”
“Would you like to hold her?” He offered the cat to Kate.
Folly was a pretty, long-haired calico—spotted orange and shiny black on her back, but with a white bib and belly. Her paws were white and furry.
“Look, the tip of her little nose is black,” Kate commented, stroking the silky fur.
“She’s unique, but of course I’m biased,” he countered. “She’s a good companion and keeps me company on long, lonely nights.”
Kate frowned at his remark and lifted her gaze to meet his.
Scott raised a challenging eyebrow and held her gaze a moment. Then he turned to Reagan. “As you see, I have a cat, so you may have a cat, too. However, if you start to colonize the apartment with more of them, we may need to talk.”
“Thank you.” Reagan grinned and shyly ducked her head.
“You’re welcome.” He was glad he’d pleased her. Maybe that was the tack he needed to take with Kate. Could he get to the mom through the daughter without seeming to be a total jerk? Kate was coming off an unhappy divorce, after all, but that didn’t mean her life had ended.
He had wanted to marry her once. After this morning’s meeting, he found he hadn’t changed his mind. So much for moving on. He could be a sucker for punishment, couldn’t he? But he intended to convince Kate that she’d made a mistake and should live life as she was meant to live it…with him.
“Do you have the supplies you need for the kitten?” he asked Reagan.
She shook her head no. “We just got him this afternoon.”
“You’ll need food and cat litter to get him through the night. You can use a box lid to hold the litter until your mom buys a pan from the store.” Reagan hung on his every word, looking at him with trust. He was surprised by the warm feeling that rolled through his heart. He cleared his throat, unprepared for the tenderness. “Let’s go into my kitchen and see what I have.”
Reagan came with him willingly, anxious for his help. Scott looked back at her mother to gauge her reaction. Instead of following them, she continued to hold his cat, caressing the long fur and cuddling it to her breast. When she bent down and kissed the black top of Folly’s head, a pang of jealousy surged through him.
Somehow, he would take the place of that cat. Sooner than she realized, Katherine Cox Lawrence would be holding and kissing him instead.
Chapter Seven
The next day, while Reagan was at horse camp, Kate carried Spike to the Walters Small Animal Clinic where she had an appointment. Scott had shocked her last night. He’d been good with Reagan, letting her daughter keep the kitten and giving them food and litter for the night. More importantly, she’d been stunned by her response to a side of him she hadn’t known. The man owned a beautiful, well cared-for cat that was evidently well-loved.
Good with her daughter. Cat owner. Was there a softer side to the man? Careful, Kate, you’ll be swept away.
She couldn’t afford to feel any sympathy toward Scott. He was too manly and sexy for her good. Jerry hadn’t been. Maybe, that’s why she’d married him. He’d been safe, not sexy, and he’d made her feel as if he needed her, too—as if she’d been enough for him at that time.
But there should have been more. For a very long time, she’d been without the considerate support Scott had offered her and Reagan. With Jerry, she’d always worried about pleasing him, helping him, walking on eggshells so she and Reagan didn’t disturb him when he needed his quite time and space. When had Jerry given her the same sort of caring?
She realized the hollowness of her relationship with Jerry. It was a profound revelation.
“Good morning,” Dr. Mandy Sullivan said, entering the exam room. Married to the retired, famous bull rider, Judd Romeo, Mandy had kept her maiden name professionally. “It’s good to see you again, Kate.” The veterinarian wore a white lab coat and khaki slacks. Her dark hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck, and she had a rosy glow about her.
A quick glance explained Mandy’s look of contented happiness. Dr. Sullivan was very pregnant.
Kate placed Spike on the metal exam table, holding him so he wouldn’t jump off. “It’s good to see you again. I see congratulations are in order.”
Mandy blushed. “Yes, but I’m not sure I like pregnancy. It’s too limiting. I feel so awkward. Judd tells me I’m as clumsy as a bull in a china shop.”
“Men! They should try being pregnant.”
“I totally agree.” Mandy smiled and turned to the small, orange patient. “So, this is what brings you in today.”
“Yes, Sarah Gray at Supreme Stables gave the kitten to my daughter yesterday at horse camp. We want to make sure he’s healthy.”
Mandy shook her head as if to indicate she’d seen this situation many times. “That’s Sarah for you, always rescuing some little creature. Let me call my technician.”
A young girl in blue scrubs entered the room and took over at the table for Kate, who moved out of the way.
“Your kitten is a boy,” Mandy confirmed.
“I thought so, but wasn’t sure.”
“I’ll give him a good checkup,” Mandy explained as she worked. “And I’ll test him for feline leukemia and FIV before vaccinating him.”
“We’ve never had a cat, so we don’t know anything about caring for them.”
“They are pretty self-sufficient,” Mandy said. “All you need is good food, a little water, a litter box, a few toys. You’ll need to bring him back in three weeks for more shots and in four to six months to neuter him.”
“I
suppose that’s better for him,” Kate observed.
“And you too. You don’t want the complications of a male cat in your house.”
“Male anything,” Kate said under her breath.
Mandy heard her and grinned but didn’t comment. She finished giving the vaccinations. “We sell the items you need in our shop out front. I recommend flea control for a few months, but if you keep him indoors, which I suggest, you won’t need it all the time.”
“Sounds good.”
“Here you go.” Mandy returned the kitten to Kate. “You have a healthy animal.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
“My pleasure. I enjoy helping Sarah with her ‘pet’ projects.” They walked to the waiting room together. “You know Sarah works for my brother-in-law, and my daughter, Georgia, helps with her horse camp.”
“Oh, I saw your daughter at camp. She’s a beautiful girl.”
“She is,” Mandy acknowledged, “especially after what she went through several years ago finding her birth mom. But that’s a story for another day.” She set Spike’s new chart down on the receptionist’s desk. “The point is, we may have some used boots and jodhpurs that your daughter can wear, if you’d like to have them.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful. Reagan is new to riding, and I’m afraid I don’t know much about it.”
“Great. I’ll send Georgia to your house after camp with the clothes.”
“Thank you, Mandy.”
“Thank you, for letting me meet your new family member.”
* * * *
Kate left the clinic with her cargo space full of cat equipment and necessities. Spike, their new family member, was safely ensconced in a wire-mesh topped carrier with a plastic base. Kate no longer had to worry about him crawling under her feet as she drove. She’d also bought a hooded litter pan at the suggestion of the receptionist and a tall, multi-level, carpeted tree house that had to be assembled.
She’d spent a ton of money, but considered the expense worth it. Besides, her child support check was due in the mail this week. Eventually, she’d have to watch what she spent. She still had to go through nursing school. Money would be tight. It would be many years before she could do without Jerry’s support.
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