2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Soren
Ieyed The Pet Pantry
And hesitated.
Several weeks had passed since Foggy Basin’s pride festivities, and I’d yet to venture into the pet store. I’d yet to see Sam. Given that we hadn’t seen each other since Christian and Noah’s Christmas party, I’d told myself that a few more weeks weren’t going to matter.
In fact, it mattered. It mattered a lot.
Heat burned my cheeks as I remembered Christmas. What had started out as a season with such promise had ended in disaster from which I had really yet to recover.
Hence my standing out with the sun beating down on me and still hesitating to go into the store.
Tibby nudged my hand. I gazed down at my black lab, who was, after more than a year, just an extension of me.
“I know girl. I’m vacillating between heading back to Foggy Basin and the feed store and actually going into this store.
” I’d been buying her food at the feed store since Christmas. Which was fine.
Zane was a great guy who always spoiled Tibby.
But the feed store didn’t have toys and Tibby had, frankly, worn through everything she had.
I could’ve headed to a larger town. I kept meaning to take Tibby on a trip to San Francisco, but the timing never worked.
Invariably, some crisis in my business would arise, and I’d have to stay home to handle the issue that arose.
“All right. I promised you toys, didn’t I?” She’d completed her therapy-dog training with Noah last week, and he’d suggested rewarding her with a few new toys since she’d done so well. Great. Now I just had to find the balls to step into the store.
Finally, after having spent a good ten minutes waffling, I headed inside.
The cool air hit me right away. Sam always kept the store at the perfect temperature—a little cool for hot days and just a bit warm when the outdoors had a nip. In northern California, we got heat and chill.
I glanced toward the front cash desk. Normally, whoever was working would, unless they were helping another customer, shout out a greeting.
Today? Nothing.
Soon, it became apparent why.
Sam was leaning against the counter with his elbows on it. His head was resting against his hands and, to my best guess, he was fast asleep.
I was ready to back out of the store, but Tibby—my darling girl—woofed and headed toward one of her favorite people in the world. Someone I’d kept her away from for five months.
Her woof startled Sam awake, and he shot into an upright position.
Our gazes locked.
Time stood still. For just a moment, we were back in Christian and Noah’s front hall. Our lips were touching. He wrapped his arms around me. I deepened the kiss.
He ran.
With his dark skin, I couldn’t tell if he was blushing or not. God knew I was.
Tibby pulled on her leash—something she never did.
Especially since completing her latest round of training, she’d become even more obedient.
At least when she was leashed. The rest of the time, she was a goofy puppy.
She was just over a year old and could be a menace if she was left to her own devices for too long.
Hence needing the toys.
I cleared my throat. “Hey, Sam. How are you?”
He rubbed his eyes. “I’m okay.”
I cocked my head.
After a moment, he yawned. “I’m not okay.”
“Yeah.” I brought Tibby right to the cash register.
Sam reached for the container of treats. His hand stilled. “Is she still allowed?”
“Yes. Thank you for asking. Tibby? Sit.”
She plopped onto her butt and waited patiently as Sam retrieved a treat. When he held it out, she held his gaze.
“Are you a good girl?” He used the same soft tone he always did.
The voice that did something to my insides. Made them all gooey.
She woofed.
He handed her the treat—which she took delicately. Then she munched it down in an inelegant bite.
Sam chuckled. “Glad to see some things don’t change.” He scratched Tibby’s ears. “You’re still a good girl.”
She gave him a look that said both of course I am and another treat, please at the same time.
This time I laughed. “She has your number.” I cleared my throat.
“She passed therapy-dog training last week. Noah and Christian are really busy these days, so I’ve gotten permission to visit the nursing home.
Miss Esmeralda is looking forward to our visits.
” The woman was easily in her eighties—if not older—but a gentleman never asked a lady’s age.
She’d gifted her home to Christian and Noah before going into the nursing home.
She was still a hotbed of gossip in Foggy Basin and had given me more than one pointed look over the past few months.
Big surprise—she knows something’s up. Of course, I had given her some hints at the pride day.
“Great job, Tibby. I’m so proud of you.” Sam grinned. Then he eyed me. “One more?”
Tibby’s gaze shot between the two of us—as if gauging who was more likely to give her a coveted treat.
I shrugged with a smile. “Sure.”
He gave her one, then turned his attention to me. “It’s great to see you here today. Is there something I can help you with?”
“We’re here to pick out new toys. To celebrate Tibby’s accomplishment. Plus, I might as well pick up a bag of her food and some more, uh, things.” I gestured to the treats container with my chin.
Sam nodded. He understood.
His phone rang.
No. That wasn’t a ringtone. It sounded like an alarm.
He grabbed for it, swiped, and winced. Then rubbed his forehead.
“You okay?”
He pressed a hand to his stomach. “Not so much. I, uh, am taking care of a litter of kittens. They need to be fed every three hours, and it’s that time again.”
“How are you going to do that?” I gazed around the store. “Are you here alone?”
“Desiree called in sick. It’s just me.”
“Oh.” That really sucks. Wait…is there something I can do? “Can I help? It’s my day off, and I don’t have anything to do. I can’t run your cash register, but I could call you if someone needs help. Are the kittens in the back or at your house?”
“In the back. I was going to bring them out here and try to feed them here.” He gestured to the counter.
“Ah.” Looked kind of tough to me, but what did I know? “Well, at least let me look out for things until you can bring them out. You trust me, right?”
His eyes widened.
Of all the stupid things to say—
“Yeah, I trust you. I appreciate this. I’ll give you a discount. I’m going to head back right now—they can be impatient.” With that, he headed toward the back of the store.
Tibby eyed me.
“We’re just going to stand here and look pretty. I know you can do that. We’ll smile if anyone comes into the store and—
Even as I said the words, the door opened and a striking woman stepped into the store with a cat wrapped around the back of her neck. The woman’s sun-kissed skin glowed and as she lowered her sunglasses, I caught sight of luminous dark-brown eyes.
She smiled. “I don’t recognize you.”
“Just lending a hand. Is your cat okay with dogs? Tibby’s very gentle.” She just doesn’t have a lot of experience with cats. She’d spent time around Noah and Christian’s two…but not much beyond that.
The woman smiled. “Persephone is very chill around dogs. But she won’t leave my shoulders. I’m here to get some food. I’m Miranda, by the way.” She eyed me. “And you are…?”
“Soren. A friend of Sam’s.” Something about the woman had me on edge—and I had no idea why. I was normally an easygoing guy. Today I felt I had to stake my territory.
Not that it was my territory to stake.
“Oh, Sam’s a lovely man. I’m a friend as well.”
No missing the emphasis on the word friend.
“Hey, Miranda.” Sam came up the aisle carrying a box.
“Hello, Sam.” She purred the word. Yes, purred.
“Did you need help?” He held up the box. “I have some kittens to feed.”
Now he was closer, the mewling reached me.
Tibby went up on her back paws in an attempt to see what was causing the noise.
Miranda gasped. “Kittens? How lovely.”
Persephone didn’t appear all that impressed. She yawned, closed her eyes, and appeared to go to sleep.
Sam put the box on the counter—as far away as he could from the cash register. “Dr. Genner says they’re about two weeks old. They’ll open their eyes soon.” Very gently, he picked one up.
The tiny white-and-orange kitten was squawking.
“This is Peaches.” He tucked the kitten against him. “She’s, uh, loud.” Within a moment, he had a dropper bottle to her mouth.
She sucked greedily.
Still more squawking emerged from the box.
“Oh Sam, they’re darling.” Miranda moved over to them. “How cute. And you’re taking care of them? You’re such a sweet man.” She pressed her hand to his biceps. “Is she a tabby?”
“No. White with orange markings. That’s right, sweetheart, keep drinking.” He stared at her with intensity—as if he could will her to consume more.
“And the other two?” Miranda leaned over to gaze into the box.
I eyed Persephone. Who continued to doze.
“Jack is the black and white one. Carlos is the gray kitten.” Sam grabbed a tissue. “Okay, time to pee.”
My eyes shot open.
He rubbed the kitten’s belly and, sure as shit, the kitten peed.
“Nice trick. I wish I’d known that when Tibby was younger. She sure didn’t pee on command like she does now.” I rubbed my girl’s ears.
Sam spared me a glance. Then he tucked Peaches into the blanket and grabbed a squalling Jack. “He’s the second noisiest. I worry about Carlos—he never complains. Dr. Genner said I needed to watch him closely. He couldn’t say more…but I saw he was worried.”
My heart seized. Clearly, Sam cared deeply for the kittens. I couldn’t imagine how he’d handle things if one died. “He’s cute.” I gestured to Jack as Sam fed him.
“He’s sweet. Not as feisty as Peaches. I suspect she’s going to be a handful. Not that I would know.” He sighed. “I’ve never had a cat—let alone three tiny kittens.”
Again, Miranda pressed a hand to his biceps.
This time, I caught a slight wince from Sam. He didn’t pull away—but I would’ve laid money down on him wanting to.
“Can I help you find anything, Miranda? I might not be familiar with the cat section, but I’d be happy to help.”