“You do not need this in your life, Ryan.”
Maybe if I said the intention aloud…
Then the black kitten jumped into my lap and I was sunk. He tucked himself against my hip, under the light sweater I was wearing over my black linen sundress.
I looked up and met PMS’s gaze. He smirked at my predicament as he was lightly stroking the top of an elderly cat’s head. His or her ear was torn, but it only made the cat more beautiful.
The buzzer went off in my sweater pocket.
It was now or never.
I huffed out a sigh and tucked my flag into the top of the gate to let them know I was interested in taking these kittens.
I almost took my flag back when the black cat took a swipe at my ribs when I had to move him. I lifted him gently so I could look him in the eyes. “Feisty, aren’t you?”
He yowled and leaped away.
Okay, then.
He continued to meow and yell at me until I detangled the white kitten from my hair and set her back down with him.
“All right, that’s enough. I didn’t steal her.”
He hissed at me, and I stuck my tongue out at him before I lifted my skirt to climb out of the pen.
“You want me to take away my flag?”
He flounced to the blankets heaped in the corner and settled down to stare at me.
“Look, the kitten has your temperament.”
I knew that voice. I dreamed of that damn voice.
When I elbowed Preston, he chuckled. “Planted your flag?”
“Maybe.” Both the buzzer and flag were caged in his long fingers. “I see you have not.”
“Haven’t quite met my match.” His gaze drifted to my lips then back to meet my eyes. “I’m very particular.”
I swallowed. I just bet he was. Stuffy, pent up, repressed suit that he was. Of course he’d be picky about every little thing.
He’d be very thorough.
And I needed to put that thought in a box, thank you very much.
Before I could articulate a response, Elle Woods rang her little bell for us to move to the next station. “Happy hunting.”
He stepped into the pen I’d just been visiting. “Let’s see if this little devil likes me or not.”
“Good luck.” I took a page from the kitten’s playbook and flounced.
The next few rounds included perfectly sweet cats, but none of them seemed to be especially ‘mine’.
Finally, most of the cats had been homed, and another flag was stuck beside mine for the bonded pair. Elle—aka Beverly—clapped again to get our attention.
“Thank you so much for making this such a success. Most of our lovely cats and kittens have been requested, and now we’ll just make sure everyone is a perfect fit. We have a bonus round of our more special needs cats if you’d like to stick around for that. But first, we’ll have our amazing volunteer vet come out and talk to us about what it means to be a special needs cat owner. Dr. Thorne?”
“Thanks, Beverly.”