Even if it took all the creativity Kitty had left.
12
Kindness in women, not their beauteous
looks, shall win my love
– The Taming of the Shrew
‘You’re in charge of a dog?’ Cesca asked, sounding as though she was trying to swallow down a laugh. ‘But you hate dogs.’
‘He’s OK,’ Kitty said, keeping her voice low as she leaned her head against the living room wall. Jonas was about ten yards away, attempting to arrange the nativity scene on the console table. Even with that distance, she didn’t want him to hear and spoil the surprise. ‘He’s just a puppy.’
‘How the hell do you get yourself into these situations?’ Cesca asked. ‘Only you would end up in the middle of nowhere with a bloody dog.’
‘Unlike you,’ Kitty pointed out, still whispering, ‘who just ended up in the middle of nowhere with the man she hated most in the world.’
‘Well now you put it like that, maybe we’ve got a lot in common.’ This time Cesca let her laughter escape, chuckling loudly. ‘But don’t forget I ended up falling in love with that man. Don’t tell me you’re going to fall in love with the dog, too?’
Kitty rolled her eyes. ‘That’s lovely, Jonas,’ she shouted as he looked at her for a reaction. ‘They look great.’ Bringing her attention back to her
sister, she added, ‘I don’t think I’ll be falling for any animals here. Or men, for that matter.’ Why the heck did that make her think about Adam? Ugh, she needed to get him out of her brain. ‘And anyway, the dog has been found a temporary home, far away from me. I only have to see him once a day.’
‘Ooh, where?’
‘He’s staying with Jonas’s uncle.’
‘The famous Adam Klein? Mr Cornflakes?’ Cesca asked, sounding surprised. ‘Doesn’t he hate your guts?’
‘That’s him.’
‘Maybe he’s not so bad after all,’ Cesca said. ‘How old did you say he was again?’
‘Cess…’ Kitty warned. ‘Don’t go there.’
‘Where? I’m just asking how old he is, for sisterly reasons. You know, in case the two of you end up bonding over cornflakes or something.’
‘Stop it.’
Cesca laughed. ‘So how old is he? Tell me, or I’ll Google him. And then I’ll send you sexy photos of him every day.’
Kitty sighed. Once Cesca got the bit between her teeth she was impossible to evade. ‘I don’t know, thirty-something, I guess?’
‘Ooh, a much older man. You floozy.’
‘There’s nothing going on!’ Kitty protested. Annie walked into the living room and raised an eyebrow at her. ‘I’ve got to go, I’m in the middle of decorating the house.’
‘OK, but call me back later. I need to know everything.’
‘There’s nothing to know. And I’m busy later.’
‘Doing what?’ Cesca asked.
‘Avoiding you. Now goodbye.’ Kitty flicked her finger across the screen, ending the call, before walking over to help Jonas and Annie with the decorations.
Less than a minute later her phone buzzed in her pocket, telling her she had a text message. It was almost certainly from Cesca.
Yeah, she wouldn’t be looking at that any time soon.