Totally Not Stalking
. . .
Cade
A Few Days Later…
Ellie’s landlord was sabotaging all my plans. I’d gone straight to the café as soon as I landed, but Kitty wouldn’t allow me upstairs to see Ellie.
Madison had given me Ellie’s number, but I didn’t want to seem overeager. Or stalker-like. So I left her a simple voicemail requesting a call back, then followed it up with a text each day it went unanswered.
I also set up camp in the café to catch her going in or out, which was the closest Kitty would let me get.
So maybe it was a little stalker-like.
Today wasn’t any different as I walked into the now familiar café. The orange cat in the window even puked again as soon as I got through the door.
“Back again?” Kitty winked from behind the counter. She waved at Mac taking up position in his normal corner, already bombarded by three friendly cats. “That’s three days in a row. I’m starting to think you’re sweet on me.”
I tuned out her never-ending flirting. “Is Ellie available?”
The older woman glanced at the ceiling and tightened her apron. “No, but I do have a message from her.”
Hope surged before I could stop it. This was new. “What’s the message?”
Kitty winced. “Well, she said you can send any communication through her lawyer.”
I pulled out my phone, willing to jump through whatever hoops Ellie wanted if it meant she’d hear me out. “Do you have her lawyer’s info?”
Kitty cleared her throat, suddenly avoiding all eye contact. “Ellie doesn’t have a lawyer.”
My thumb paused on the screen. Of course she didn’t. “I just need five minutes with her.”
Kitty immediately shook her head. “That’s not happening, but I’m happy to pass on a message for you.”
“What I have to say is for Ellie’s ears only,” I said, knowing just how nosy she was.
That earned a knowing smirk. “Looks like we’re at an impasse again, so have a seat, and I’ll grab your coffee. I saved your usual table for you in the dark and antisocial corner.”
She said it with a straight face, like she’d done me a favor. But saving anything wasn’t needed. Not a single table was taken. Mac was the only other person here.
And now his little fan club had grown to five fluffy cats sniffing around his ankles.
Despite Kitty’s teasing, I set up in my antisocial corner next to a bunch of decorative pink plates on the wall. She bustled around the counter before bringing over a lukewarm mug of coffee—setting it next to my laptop.
“Working on anything fun today?” she asked.
“No.” I focused on my screen, used to her wanting to chat for a bit and dig for information.
As expected, Kitty stuck around and leaned her hip against a wicker chair. “Do you want some advice on getting Ellie Belly’s attention? If you’re ready to grovel, I’m happy to help.”
Lifting my head, I gazed at all the empty tables. “Are you sure you’re the best to be giving marketing advice right now?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“I just can’t imagine why Ellie isn’t talking to you when you’re such a charmer,” she drawled, making a show of tapping her chin. “How puzzling.”
I gave a thin-lipped smile. “I’ll buy all your pastries if it’ll make you go away.”
Kitty beamed back at me. “Deal.”
I texted Nate to arrange a delivery to the office while she packed the boxes.
Harrison popped in a few hours later. Kitty wasted no time fawning over my brother and making him a fancy, sugar-packed iced coffee piled high with whipped cream and sprinkles.
He was all grins by the time he dropped into the seat beside me with his sugary concoction.
“What a nice lady. I see why you come to this place.”
My family needed to learn boundaries. “What are you doing here?”
“Just checking in on my favorite brother.” He flashed a smirk. “Everything good?”
“Great.”
His smirk only widened. “Let me guess. Ellie’s still not talking to you?”
I turned back to my laptop, cursing whoever had filled him in. “Get lost, Harry.”
He laughed way too loudly for the deserted room, and a grey cat came over to sniff his foot. Harrison happily patted the thing’s head. “I’m just surprised you’re sitting here like a chump. Already run out of ideas?”
I scowled, but honestly some brotherly advice was tempting. Hopefully he’d be more helpful than Kitty.
“She won’t listen to me,” I admitted, sending an unimpressed glance Kitty’s way. “Her landlord won’t even let me get close.”
“So?” He shrugged and scooped up a dollop of whipped cream, holding it out to the cat. “You fix problems for billion-dollar companies for a living. You’re telling me you can’t find a single other way to get Ellie’s attention? You haven’t even tried throwing rocks at her window yet.”
I actually had tried throwing rocks, but I didn’t tell him that. All it had achieved was Whiskey’s grumpy face glaring at me from the window and Kitty chasing me away with her broom.
But Harrison had a point. I had other ways to get through to Ellie.
Just like that, a plan sparked to life. Ellie didn’t need me stalking her apartment or throwing rocks at her window. She deserved so much more than that.
I knew exactly how to get her attention.
“You’re a genius,” I told my brother, failing to stifle a grin.
His brows flew up. “I am?”
I rose to my feet, pulling out my phone. “I need to make a call, but stick around. Lunch is on me.”
He stared at the pink lace tablecloth. “You know, offering to cover the bill at a frumpy cat café doesn’t quite hit the same as at the places I usually go. Should they even be serving food here?”
Ignoring him, I called Nate to work out the logistics of my budding plan.
Then I called my IT guy to see how quickly he could hack into the Sunshine Cuddle Services app.