CHAPTER 39
Cole
A screaming howl came from right next to my ear before a large paw came down on my face with a surprising amount of force. I jerked upright and scowled down at Monster, who was, for some reason, sitting on my pillow. “What?”
The evil cat lifted its paw and licked it while still giving me a death glare. I was pretty sure it was flipping me off. The vibe checked out. I flipped him off in return and looked around the room. I was sure I’d closed the door to Price’s guest room the night before, but it was open just a crack when I looked at it.
“Do you know how to open doors?” I tilted my head at the cat while scratching my head. Letting Monster into the room with me would’ve been something Rosie did, but I knew she wasn’t home with us.
Like he could read my mind, Monster let out a sad howl and flopped over onto his back. I stared at him, sure he wasn’t real. Surely no real animal would be that dramatic. As I watched, though, the strange animal continued his howling while rolling from side to side.
I tried to pet him, thinking he needed comfort, but that earned me a new scratch. “Alright, you dick. I’m calling your mother.”
Rosie answered the video call a minute later and gagged. “Put a shirt on. Gross.”
“Wait, show me!” A woman’s voice rang out in the car with Rosie, but it wasn’t Sonnie.
Alarm bells rang and I sat up straighter. “Who are you with? Where’s your sister? Are you okay?”
“Oh, god, that’s hot.” The woman sighed and then Rosie’s camera focused on the woman driving the car. I recognized her from pictures I’d seen of Sonnie. “I’m Gia, Sunflower’s best friend. Rosie and I bullied Sonnie into talking to you idiots. Who knows if it’ll be today, tomorrow, or six years from now. My bestie is nothing if not stubborn. I suggest you prepare to fight for her. That is, if you love her.”
My stomach twisted with more anxiety at the idea of Sonnie not talking to us for another minute, much less years. I opened my mouth to speak, but the idea of it left me breathless.
“Oh, honey, breathe. She’ll come around.” Gia fanned her eyes. “You do love her, don’t you?”
I took a shaky breath and blew it out slowly. “I think I should tell Sonnie before I tell anyone else.”
“That’s enough of an answer for me, baker boy.” Gia leaned forward. “Let me make one thing clear, though. If you fuck around and hurt my best friend again after this, I will hunt you down, cut off your balls, and make you eat them with ketchup. Do you understand me? No one makes that woman cry and gets away with it. She’s a fucking sassy ray of sunshine and you’re lucky to have her look at you twice. Respect her or it’s a dinner of balls for you.”
Rosie groaned and pulled the phone back to her. She faked a gag again and rolled her eyes. “I am so sick of adults. You’re all disgusting. G’s right, though. You know what happens if you hurt my sister again.”
I looked over at Monster and shuddered. “Did you sneak in and make good on your threat already?”
She laughed so hard she snorted. “No! Did Monster get in?”
I turned the camera around to the cat, who was still rolling around dramatically. “I don’t know how he got in, but he woke me up by slapping me in the face. He’s being loud as hell and acting like he’s dying. What am I supposed to do with this? I don’t deserve this.”
Monster perked up while staring at my phone, like he recognized Rosie. He walked over and rubbed against it. When I tried to move the phone back to myself, he swatted me multiple times and let out a hoarse scream.
“Monster! Be nice to Cole. I told you to attack him only if he doesn’t fix things with Sonnie. Give him a chance, dude.” Rosie laughed again and I could tell she was having a blast at my expense. “Sorry, Cole. I didn’t teach him to open doors. He just knew how to when we found him.”
“I’m going to hire a pet psychologist. This cat needs professional help.” I hissed at him, hoping that would work to make him back off my phone, but instead, he just gave me a look which made me feel like an idiot and continued to swat at me.
“Oh, my god. Did he just hiss at Monster? What the hell?” Gia cackled. “He’s perfect for Sunflower.”
“Cute nickname.”
They both snorted but it was Gia who set me straight. “Sunflower Morgan is your girlfriend’s real name. She doesn’t tell people that, though. She hates it. That doesn’t stop me, though.”
My chest gave another pang of longing. Sunflower… Of course, that was her name. I missed her already. I sighed and was glad Rosie couldn’t see me in my sad state. Then Monster climbed onto my lap and stretched up to do something that felt wildly similar to a hug. Mortifyingly, I had tears in my eyes when I spun the phone around to show Rosie her cat was hugging me.
Rosie gasped. “Is he strangling you? Don’t let him strangle you, Cole!”
“I think… I think he’s hugging me.” I reached up and gently stroked my hand down his back but that immediately earned me a slap to the side of the head. I dropped my hand back in my lap and Monster rubbed his nose against my jaw before jumping down and leaving my room. I sat there, stupefied.
“My ovaries just exploded. That. Was. Amazing.” Gia gushed shamelessly. “Monster comforted you! It was on his own terms, but still! He loves you!”
Rosie sniffed and suspiciously wiped her eyes. “I gotta go. I have something in my eye.”
“Me, too, kid.” I swallowed around the lump in my throat and shook my head. “Do you need anything for today? I could send my card to you.”
Gia’s face appeared on my screen. “You don’t have to buy the kid’s love. In case you haven’t noticed, she already loves you. The cat loves you, the kid loves you, the woman loves you, and if you give me another couple of minutes looking at your chest, I’m sure I’ll love you, too.”
I felt my cheeks warm and prayed she didn’t notice. “Um… Thanks. I just want to make sure Rosie is taken care of.”
“Rosie, he’s blushing. Holy shit, your sister better lock these men down.” Gia passed the phone back to Rosie but continued talking. “Let’s cross our fingers that her throwing up this morning was morning sickness.”
“Sonnie was sick this morning?” Every other thought fled my brain. “Is she okay?”
Rosie stared back at me with a shocked look on her face. She shrugged comically. “I guess I missed it.”
“She’s fine. Can you imagine, though? You guys would make the most beautiful babies.”
Rosie widened her eyes at me. “Now you’ve met crazy Gia.”
“Hey! You’re going to have to ask the handsome viking for his card if you call me crazy again. I only treat kids who are nice to me.”
From somewhere else in the house, I heard Drake shout. “What the fuck do you want, cat?!”
“I should go save Drake. It seems Monster went to check in on him.”
Rosie grinned at me. “Tell my sister you love her. Tell her you want to be the person who always stands up for her. And make sure you say you’re sorry! And tell her she’s pretty. Remind her she’s a better baker than all three of you.”
I winced. “Goodbye, Rosie.”
She laughed for a moment and then grew serious. “Fix it, Cole. Please. I don’t want to lose you guys.”
She hung up before either one of us could witness the other tearing up. It seemed I was just as emotional as a teenager.
I heard Drake shout again and climbed out of bed. I barely made it two feet before Gia’s words rang through my brain. Morning sickness. What if Sonnie was pregnant?