Hot Damn(35)

Suddenly, though, he stops.

“Fuck,” he says.

“What?” I open my eyes, startled and afraid something horrible has happened.

On the other end of the couch, perched on the arm, is Thor. He’s just sitting there, staring, unblinking, golden eyes fixed to us.

“Damn,” says Jesse. “You don’t think he was watching the whole time, was he?”

I just chuckle. “I don’t know. Does it matter?”

He straightens, zipping up his pants. “It’s kind of creepy.”

I stand and turn to watch him, trying to figure out if he’s serious. “He’s just a cat.”

“Yeah, but still.” Jesse shakes his head and starts toward the bedroom.

“How long until you have to go to work?” I call after him, buttoning my jeans.

“Couple hours…shit!” The last word comes out on a roar.

I run toward the bedroom. “What? What’s wrong?”

He’s standing in front of the closet holding the helmet he needs to take with him to the fire house tonight. “Fucking cat!” he snarls. “Fucking cat pissed in my helmet!”

He stomps into the bathroom and starts running water in the tub. “I swear to God I’m going to throw that cat in the yard. If he can’t behave in the house—”

“No,” I cut him off, following him. “You can’t put him outside. He’s always been an indoor cat—he won’t know what to do or where to go. He’ll get hit by a car or something.”

He hangs his head, teeth clenched while he rinses out the inside of the helmet. “I don’t know, Maddy. I just don’t know how much longer I can deal with him.”

My heart sinks, all the positive feeling from the sex sinking with it. “He’s getting better.”

“Not better enough.”

From the other room I hear Christopher calling, probably disturbed by Jesse’s shouting.

“Damn it, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake him up.”

I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it. His nap time was about over anyway.” I turn then swing back, pointing a finger at him. “Do not put that cat outside. Put him in his room until you cool off, but don’t put him in the yard. Okay?”

Jesse nods reluctantly. “Fine.”

I go to check on Christopher, wondering if Thor will ever sort out his stupid little cat brain.



It’s not long before reality sets back in. Two days later I drag home exhausted, Christopher warm and sweaty in my arms, after half the day sitting in the ER waiting to find out why he had a fever that spiked over 103. Even though Mel went with me for moral support, it was still a nightmare.

Christopher’s better now, after some medication and precautionary fluids. I push the door open, noting there’s a bit of a draft. Maybe that’s why Christopher got sick. It’s not the best time of year for an open window—warmish during the day but still pretty chilly at night.

I settle Christopher down then, irritated, go to investigate the draft. There’s a window half open—screen and all. My irritation spikes. It’s one thing to leave the window open to cool down the house, but why the hell would Jesse open the screen? He knows the cat could get out.

I push the screen shut and leave the window slightly open, hoping to cool the house down a bit before nightfall. Then, looking forward to some time to cool myself down, I head to the kitchen for a glass of iced tea.

I don’t even make it to the fridge before I see the note on the kitchen counter. It’s handwritten, I can tell that much, the writing sharp and pointy. I pick it up and read it.

Then slam it back down onto the counter, tears of rage hot in my eyes.

“Where is my phone?” I mutter through gritted teeth. “Where the fuck is my phone?”

It’s in my purse, of course, and I stab the icon that dials Jesse’s number. He picks up after two rings.

“What the fuck, Jesse?” I screech at him before he can even say “hello.” “What the actual fuck?”

“Maddy? What? What are you talking about?”

“You know damn well what I’m talking about!” I can’t even control the volume of my voice anymore, even knowing I could easily wake Christopher up if I don’t keep it down. “How could you just…take Thor to the vet? You know they won’t be able to place him there! You know they’ll end up having to put him down!” Which was what the note said—I’m taking Thor to the vet and I’m leaving him there. I can’t deal. I’m sorry, Madison, but I just can’t deal with it anymore. But I can’t even get my head around that. How could he do that to Thor? How could he do that to me? To his sister?

“Mads. Take a deep breath.”

“Take a deep breath my fucking ass!” I shake the note violently, wishing it were thicker so it would make more noise. “We could have at least talked about it. You know I’m more than willing to help out with this stuff.” The magnitude of the betrayal is only just starting to sink in. I’m so angry I feel like I might burst a major blood vessel or something.

“Madison,” he says again. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I left Thor asleep in his cat tree in the living room. I swear.”

“Don’t you lie to me, you motherfuck—”

“I swear I’m not lying. Honest, Mads. You know I wouldn’t do that. Don’t you?”

He sounds as off put as I was, first reading the note. “It’s right here in this note.” Still, I start prowling the house, looking for Thor. Is he really still around here somewhere? Nothing’s making sense.

“What note?”

“The one I found on the kitchen counter.”

“I didn’t leave a note.”

“There’s a note right here. I can Snapchat it at you.”

“Please don’t.” I can hear him take a deep breath. “I believe you. I just have no idea where the hell it would have come from. I sure as hell didn’t write it.”

“Well, if you didn’t take the cat, then where the hell is he?”

“You can’t find him?”

“No. I don’t see him anywhere.” I hesitate. “There was a window open.”

His voice is starting to sound strained, too. Maybe this really is some huge mistake, some way or another. He sounds genuinely concerned. “You think he got through the screen?”

“The screen was down. He could have jumped right out.” I head for the front door then outside, searching the bushes, the grass, under the porch.

“Who the hell took the screen out?”

“I don’t know. Jesse…” I trail off. I thought I heard a meow. My heart jumps, and I look up…and up…into the big maple in the front yard.

Thor blinks down at me from where he’s clinging to one of the highest branches. His ears drop back, and he gives me a look that’s the most defeated I’ve ever seen from a cat in my life.

“Meow,” he says, and I burst into tears.





Chapter 12





Jesse




Of all the dumb-ass things I’ve ever had to do, this is probably the dumbest. I’ve been a firefighter for years and have never been subjected to this particular indignity.

Still, I hang on as the cherry picker rises then shifts course toward the maple tree. I can see Thor among the branches. He looks like he’s scared half to death.

Seriously, it’s one thing to have to rescue somebody’s cat from a tree. Rescuing your own? That’s… Let’s just say the rounds of laughter from the guys on the ground around the fire truck are offering an appropriate commentary. They were more than willing to come help me out—I think mostly because they want to be able to mock me about it. I’m probably going to get a talking-to later for appropriating city equipment to save my own cat.

“Thor,” I say, sing-songing it. “Hey, buddy. How’d you get up there, huh?”

He climbed, you moron. Thor just crouches down on the limb, staring at me, his pupils little more than slits in his big, yellow eyes. He’s meowing over and over—it almost sounds like he’s crying. It’s the first time in weeks I haven’t wanted to smack him upside his little kitty-cat head.

“I’m going to get you down from there, okay?” I wave down to the guy maneuvering the cherry picker, directing him so he’ll get me a little closer. “Don’t be afraid of the big noisy truck. It’s just me. Jesse. The one you like to torture with your pointy feet.”

Thor hunches closer to the tree branch. He really does look terrified. I hear the guys on the ground laughing, and I can’t really blame them. I’d be doing the same thing if I were on the ground and one of them were up here in the cherry picker trying to pluck a goddamn cat out of a tree. I lean over, trying to reach Thor, but he backs away.

“C’mon, dude. Help me out here.” I lean forward and swipe toward him, but he moves the wrong way, and suddenly he’s sliding off the branch.

No, no no, don’t fall, don’t fall… I swipe again at him, and this time my gloved hands makes contact. His claws dig in, but I can’t feel them through the leather of the glove. I jerk my hand back to my chest. He’s safe. The guys are still laughing, but it’s okay. Lacey would be laughing her ass off at me right about now.