All the Sauce (IceCats 4)

“Man, I’ll buy you a plant daily for a kiss like that.” I hug my plant as he hugs me to him. “But really, I’m just repaying you.”

I look up at him, confused. “Wait? Huh? For what?”

He smiles down at me. “Because since I came to South Carolina, I haven’t been that happy. And then Evan left. But then you came along.” He actually looks shy as he glances down at me. “I know, a week, Owen, relax. But for real, you make me happy, Paxy.”

Oh man, all these feelings are swirling deep in my gut. I lean up, kissing his bottom lip. “Where are we going? Mine or yours?”

His lips quirk. “You’re driving.”

“Oh, then we’re getting food.”

He presses his hand to his chest. “A girl after my heart.”

Shit. Am I?

I am.

I want Owen Adler’s heart.

Chapter Eighteen

Owen

* * *

I always heard of crazy cat people, but apparently there are also crazy plant people.

And my girlfriend is one.

“So, I have like six different pothos, all different and so damn beautiful. Then I have all these awesome snake plants, but this one is my favorite. His name is Tom.”

Yes, she names them.

“And then these are all my figs.”

“Figs?” I ask, my brows up in my hairline as I take in her jungle—er, I mean bedroom. She has a cool space, but it’s basically a bed and plants. I don’t even know where she keeps her clothes. “What is a fig? Like a cookie?”

She laughs as she goes to the part of the room where these huge leaves take up most of the wall. “No, fiddle-leaf figs. They have to be on the west wall with medium light.”

I blink. “How does a plant know if it’s on the west wall?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. But they know and didn’t grow until I put them here. My bed used to be here.”

Yeah, this is all completely normal.

“And these are my Monsteras. This is Rachel, this is Monica, and then this one will be Phoebe!” She happily puts the one I got her beside the other two and then starts to wipe down its leaves. Her eyes are bright, her grin is unstoppable, and she is even bouncing when she walks.

Now, this is all a bit crazy to me, but then I remind myself that I name every stick I have. I add a little six and even the name on the tape at the top of each stick. My left skate is Herb, while my right is Bob. And hell, if I were guaranteed to score every game, I’d put my sticks on the left side of the area. So, I would never judge her for her cute little obsession, for the main reason that it makes her happy.

Deliriously happy.

I’m sort of jealous of the plants for all the attention they’re getting.

I come up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist, and she leans into me as she wipes the leaves. “Can I help?”

“Yes!” she gushes, pointing to the fridge. “There is water in there. Can you grab it?”

“You chill the plant water?”

“Oh yes. They like it.”

I hold in my laughter as I kiss the back of her head and walk over to the fridge. I follow her directions—and there are a ton—before I start to water her crew. “You need more room.”

She’s now wiping down the fig leaves. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna get a two-bedroom. If I get paid what I was told when I started, then I’ll be able to afford it without my parents’ help. That is, if I get hired.”

She says the second part really low, but I hear her. “If? I thought it was a given.”

Angie nods. “As did I.”

“What changed?”

She shrugs. “I have no damn clue. I don’t know if it’s because I confronted London about Leroy or what, but she told the doctor you and I are dating. Though when I pointed out that you weren’t a patient, I didn’t get let go like they were implying.”

“You’re kidding,” I say, gawking at her. “That’s bullshit.”

“I know,” she agrees. “Then she said we’d cross that bridge later, when I asked what would happen if you wanted to be a patient.”

“Fuck them. I’ll go somewhere else if I need to.”

She looks over at me. “It’s good for the program, though. We need all the data, and if you need help, I know Dr. Tembalt is incredible. I would want him for you.”

“Sure, but I’m not going to be the reason you lose your job. You love it.”

She gives me a small smile. “I hope it won’t come to that. She is just mad right now. Hopefully, everything evens out.”

“I don’t understand why she’s still mad.”

“I don’t either,” she says, going to another plant. “But it’s fine. I’ve got my plants, and I’ve got you.”

I wink at her. “You got that right, sugar.” She makes a face, and I just grin at her, ignoring how silly it was to call her sugar. It just rolled off my tongue, though, and I like it. “So, is there a plant you’re missing that you really want?”