“Then we’ll have to go find him. I can’t actually do cat therapy without a cat.”
I decide not to point out that she’s told me several times it’s not therapy, and instead make myself get up off the couch. My dick has eased back a little, but not that much, and if she were really paying attention, she’d notice in a heartbeat. She doesn’t seem to, though, so I turn my back on her and lead the way, looking through the house for Thor.
As we poke through the various rooms, calling the cat’s name, I notice she’s looking more and more irritated. Finally she stops, planting her hands on her hips in that cute little way she has.
“Where are the cat toys? Where are the scratching posts? Did you buy treats to reward him for good behavior?”
“It’s on my shopping list. I didn’t have time.” There’s a guilty feeling creeping into my chest, like she’s the principal and I’ve been called into the office to be informed I’ll be serving detention for the rest of my life. Of course my brain twists that into something dirty, since I’m pretty hot for teacher at this point.
There’s a noise in the hall behind us, and I turn, hoping it’s Thor making his presence known. It’s not, though. It’s the kid, who obviously decided since we were walking around the house, we must be doing something interesting without him.
“Kitty?” he asks. I have no idea how he worked that out with those headphones on. They’re around his neck now, and he’s holding the iPad by one corner. “Find kitty?”
Maddy’s attention immediately shifts to Christopher. “Yes, honey, we’re looking for the kitty.”
“Help?” His eyes are big and pleading.
“No, Christopher. Mommy needs to find the kitty. He’s an unhappy kitty.”
Christopher’s mouth curves down in a frown. I’ve never spent much time with kids, but this one is making me understand why people like to have them around. If he’d turned those big eyes on me, I would have had a hard time turning him down.
“Kitty not happy?” Christopher asks.
“No, he’s not happy. And when cats aren’t happy, they can be mean. So you can’t pet the kitty, okay? Let Mommy find it.”
Christopher’s lower lip slides out. I’m ready to pick him up and carry him around so he can help us find Thor, but Maddy holds firm. “It’s Mommy’s job to find the kitty and find out why he’s not happy. When he’s happy, then you can pet him, okay? Now, go on back and play your game.”
Finally Christopher nods. “Pet happy kitty?”
“Yes, honey. You can pet the happy kitty.”
The little boy heads back to his spot, but he doesn’t put his headphones back on. Instead he puts the iPad in his lap and pretends to play, but I can tell he’s watching us.
“He’s a smart one,” I say. I mean it, but the pleased look that drifts across Maddy’s face is gratifying. I’d be happy to keep saying nice things about her kid if it makes her look at me like that.
The approving expression doesn’t last long, though. A second later she’s glaring at me again. “So how about we talk about why the kitty is unhappy. Because somebody”—she rams a finger into the middle of my chest—“didn’t do what I told him to. You need to get the stuff I told you to get. You should have gotten it already.”
“I told you—I haven’t had time. Why are you making such a big deal about everything?”
“Because you say you want me to help you with your cat, but you’re still not doing anything I tell you to. I’m beginning to wonder if there’s some other reason you wanted me over here today.”
“Like what?”
“Like maybe you just want to yank my chain. You keep coming on to me, and I know damn well you have no intentions of following through.” She’s heading for the one room we haven’t gone into yet—my bedroom. The one place I’d most like to have her, in spite of her comment.
I’m about to pull her into my arms to prove her wrong. “How in the world would you know that?”
“Oh, give me a break. You’re—” She makes strange, helpless gestures toward me, as if she can’t come up with any way to accurately describe me. “And I’m—”
“A hot, single woman.” Maddy blushes as I open my bedroom door.
Behind us, in the hallway, I hear little feet, and I suspect Christopher is following us again. “I’m not stringing you along, hon. I have a genuine cat problem. I also have a genuine—”
I stop. Because I just found the unhappy cat. In my closet. Squatting over my brand-new pair of running shoes.
There’s a distinct liquid sound, and the sharp smell of fresh cat piss hits the air. I jump toward the closet.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Get the fuck off my goddamn shoes!”
“Fuck!” That’s a little voice from the door, and I know Christopher has followed us.
She grabs her kid and covers his ears with her hands. “Don’t talk like that in front of Christopher.”
I lunge toward the cat, who hisses at me and runs like a gray streak out of the room. I could swear I hear him laughing at me.
“Piece of shit!” I yell after him, which gets me another harsh look from Maddy. “Sorry.”
“Shit!” says Christopher and giggles. Maddy’s hands must not be very soundproof.
“Go back to the living room,” she tells her son.
He does, still laughing, alternating his giggles with repetitions of, “Fuck! Shit!” It’d be hilarious if I weren’t so goddamn mad.
I take a deep breath. “I’m sorry about losing it in front of your kid.”
Maddy closes her eyes and takes a long, slow breath, as if she’s trying to gather her patience. Finally she lifts a finger and says calmly, “The vet didn’t find anything wrong with Thor, right?”
“The doctor said he’s perfectly healthy.”
Maddy opens her eyes. “Okay. Then he’s not secure about his territory or his place in your house. You need to spend time with Thor so he knows he has a safe home here.”
This is ridiculous. “He’s insecure? You have got to be fucking kidding me. If he’s insecure he should be trying to get on my good side, not pissing in my hundred-dollar running shoes.”
“If he felt safe with you, he wouldn’t be hostile.”
I fling up my hands. “How can you be insecure when you’re just a straight-up asshole?”
“Well, you ought to know,” she shoots back. “In fact, I can’t understand why the two of you don’t get on like gangbusters. You’re both jerks.”
“I’m the good guy, damn it.”
“Oh, really? Then why am I here working for you just so I can pay for the door you broke down? The door you said you’d fix. And now I’m trying to help your cat, but you refuse to do the work. You’re wasting my time. This is pointless, and I have way better things to do.”
She storms out of the bedroom and grabs her bag off the couch.
“Stop.” I follow her out and get between her and the front door. She can’t really make a huge, dramatic exit, because she has to sort out her kid. “Don’t leave.”
Grabbing Christopher’s hand, she squares off in front of me. “Give me one good reason why.”
“I don’t want you to.” Something flickers in her eyes, like it’s the right answer.
“Then you call me again when you’re ready to actually do the work I give you. Otherwise just don’t bother. I don’t need this kind of drama in my life.”
With that, she flings the door open and swings little Christopher up into her arms. He grins at me and says, quite clearly, “Fuck!”
“Argh!” says Maddy and shoves through the front door, slamming it so hard behind her that the house rattles.
After the second knock on Maddy’s door doesn’t get an immediate answer, I wonder if maybe this was a Very Bad Idea. I also feel like the door I just hauled up three flights is about to break my back in half.
I should have called ahead, or texted. But I was afraid she wouldn’t answer, and then I’d be right back to showing up at her door unannounced, anyway.
Speaking of her door, looking at it sends a twisty spear of guilt right through my chest. It’s closed, and it’s not like there’s a big, gaping hole in the middle of it or anything, but it doesn’t look all that secure even though I can tell the dead bolt’s locked. You let a mom and her kid live in an apartment behind that door for way, way too long.
I’m about to knock again when I finally hear some movement from inside. “Just a minute!” It’s Maddy’s voice, sounding impatient. Of course. I’m interrupting her day. I definitely should have called first.
She flings open the door. She’s wearing a loose cotton shirt and yoga pants that cling to her hourglass figure, and her reddish hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail. Damn, she is the companion image under the entry for breathtaking beauty. She is unbelievably hot, and I can’t believe someone would leave her high and dry. The way her pants hug her ass like a second skin makes my mouth dry.
Another man’s loss is my gain.