22. Ava
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ava
Comfort food and cats
After I ordered the pizza and told them it didn’t need to be ready until this evening, I leaned my head back against the couch. When my phone vibrated, I glanced over. “Mom, stop calling me,” I muttered at the screen, without answering.
She was frustrated because I was only working half-time this month, so I didn’t have as much money to contribute to household bills. Fuckity-fuck-fuck-fuck.
I knew why she didn’t have a job. Her entire job while I was growing up had been taking care of my sister.
They’d had benefits because of her, but then she died, so the benefits died with her.
Now, my mom had no formal job experience.
I’d encouraged her more than once to finish her nursing degree.
She had all the coursework and just needed to take her licensing exam.
There was a tangle of feelings for me around this.
My dad worked, sure, but he was resentful about life in general.
I’d always been the buffer in the middle of it all, the emotional sponge.
Which was why I knew, even though I didn’t want to say it out loud, I’d latched onto an easy excuse to delay my return.
This broken ankle gave me a much-needed break.
My phone buzzed again, and I snatched it up, thinking maybe it was Tanner. It was Holly. I smiled instantly.
Holly: How’re you doing?
I texted back quickly.
Me: Pretty good. A little bored. Occasionally feeling trapped. But I’m working part-time, so mornings are covered. Currently watching Grey’s Anatomy and Schitt’s Creek because they are my emotional support shows.
Holly: Excellent. I heard Tanner brought you takeout last night.
My cheeks flamed. She couldn’t even see me, and I was blushing.
Me: How would you know that??
Holly: Girl, do you realize how fucking small this town is??
I burst out laughing as my phone rang in my hand. I answered, “What?”
“I think Tanner likes you,” she announced with no preamble.
My cheeks burned even hotter. I still hadn’t recovered from our encounter last night and wasn’t about to mention it to Holly.
“He’s just being nice,” I deflected. “Everybody’s being nice. Like you, texting me. And I guess I’m doing card night. Josie’s hosting, but it’s at my place.”
“Perfect! By the way, are you taking it easy with your ankle?”
“Yes!” I exclaimed. “Oh, Chris is coming for my PT in a half hour, I think.”
“Awesome. Anyway, how do you feel about Tanner?”
“He’s a great guy. How could he not be?”
“I know, but do you like him?” she pressed.
“I don’t know,” I said, throwing a hand in the air like she could see me. “I mean… I like him—”
“Oh my God, you are being stubborn. We’re getting the scoop at card night.”
“Oh, you’re coming?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you in two nights.”
“Oh, nice! Thanks for checking on me, Holly.”
After I ended the call, there was a knock on the door, and I glanced up from the TV.
I’d finished work for the day, and I was just waiting, trying to pass the time until Tanner came over with pizza. Josie poked her head in. “I have Growly here.”
“Oh, the cat?” I squeaked, starting to lurch upright before catching myself.
“Don’t you dare get up!” she warned. “I’ll bring him to you.”
She entered carrying a small cat carrier. She set it carefully on the ottoman near my boot.
“Did you say his name is Growly?” I asked.
Josie grinned. “He didn’t have a name, and that’s what the shelter called him as of this morning.”
“Why’s he called Growly?”
“His purr sounds like a growl. Tiffany says he’s a sweetheart, but he’s stressed. He needs time to decompress and feel loved.”
I nodded solemnly. “I am here for him.”
“I’ll get the supplies.”
“Wait—what supplies?” I asked as she headed for the door.
“You know, litter box, food, all the things.”
“Josie! You didn’t have to buy all that!”
She threw an eye roll over her shoulder. “I’m not gonna dump a cat off without the essentials.” She disappeared through the door.
I leaned toward the carrier and studied Growly through the mesh door. He was a grizzled-looking guy. One of his ears was half-gone, he had puffy cheeks, and he looked depressed.
“Oh, honey,” I murmured. “I want to let you out.”
As I reached forward, Josie reentered. “Don’t open it until I’m back in,” she warned. “I don’t want him to bolt.”
I peered at him again. “He looks a little sad.”
She held up the litter box. “Where should I put this?”
“Laundry area, I guess?”
“On it.” She disappeared again.
I opened the carrier carefully. “Hey, bud,” I whispered.
He stayed in place, suspicious and silent. I’d never had any pets. There wasn’t time, not with my sister. When I got married to Brad, he’d declared he hated pets. Which should have been a red flag.
Josie returned. “Okay, all set. Litter box in the laundry room, and water and food just outside.
“Thanks,” I said sincerely.
She plopped onto the couch beside me. “I have a feeling.”
“You have a feeling…?” I had no idea where she was going with this.
“You should stay.”
“Stay?”
“In Alaska.” When I opened my mouth to reply, she held up a hand. “Do you like your life back home?”
I paused. “Um… actually, no. I don’t.”
“Exactly. So why not give Willow Brook a chance?”
My mouth fell open before I snapped it shut. “I have to find work.”
“I have a job for you.”
“You have a job for me? How do you even know what I do?” I sputtered.
“You mentioned you did executive assistant stuff. Tate’s renovating the old ski resort outside of town. You’re detail-oriented, competent, and smart. I need someone I can trust.” She held my gaze, hers clear and steady. “My gut says you’d kick ass at this.”
“I would kick ass at that!” I blurted, grinning before I could stop myself.
Josie’s eyes sparkled. “So you’ll think about it?”
“I will think about it,” I said, my tone wondering. “It would be a big change. But yes, I’ll think about it.”
“All right,” Josie said with a satisfied nod. “So then, what that means is you might be here long enough to help Growly feel settled and safe. You could even adopt.”
“Adopt him?” I blinked. “I’ve never had a pet.”
“Never?” Josie looked genuinely surprised.
“Never. Just wasn’t in the cards for me.” I didn’t want to get into the details.
We both looked over at Growly. He’d actually moved from the very back of his little carrier to the front and was peering out cautiously.
“I think I should go, so he has time to get adjusted to you. It’ll be great. Just you and him,” Josie announced. I opened my mouth to say something, but she read my expression before I could. “Ohhh… wait. Is somebody coming over?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Why are you asking me that?” My cheeks burned.
“I saw Tanner’s truck here the other night.”
“Oh, that’s right, you live just down the road,” I replied, willing the heat to dissipate from my cheeks.
She grinned. “So maybe he’ll bring you dinner again.”
I bit my lip. “Maybe he will.”
“Is he bringing you dinner again?” she pressed, exasperated now. “You could just be specific.”
“Okay, fine.” I threw my hands in the air. “He’s bringing me pizza.”
“Awesome.” She beamed. “Growly will be fine around Tanner.”
“How do you know that?”
“Tanner is as steady as a person can be. Animals like that.”
“Am I steady?” I asked quietly. I felt anything but. The last year of my life had felt like a nightmare reality show with someone yanking the boards out from under me, one at a time. Every time I’d start to regain balance, another one would go.
Josie’s expression softened. She held my gaze. “Don’t doubt yourself so much. You’re awesome.”
“You hardly know me, Josie.”
“I’m a pretty good judge of character. Holly thinks you’re awesome too, and she spent a lot of time with you in the hospital.”
“Whatever.” Despite my doubts and bone-deep insecurities, I did trust myself on one front: I was a good friend, and I had good friends. That mattered.
Impulsively, I reached out and squeezed her hands. “Thank you. For everything. And for bringing me Growly.”
“He’ll be good company. He needs somewhere safe and quiet. Some animals get really stressed in the shelter. They do their best, but it’s just how it goes.”
“Do you run the shelter?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Oh, no. My friend Tiffany does.”
Josie stood and leaned over to hug me quickly. “I’d let Tanner know Growly’s here. Ask him to knock before coming in. We don’t want an accidental escape.”
“Excellent point. On it.”
“Enjoy dinner,” she said in a singsong voice as she walked out the door.
Once she was gone, it was just Growly and me. I looked over at his little face—and my heart squeezed. He had already stolen a piece of it. Even with a half ear and puffy cheeks, he was beautiful.
“You’re safe here,” I told him quietly. “But don’t escape, please.”
Growly let out a weird meow-growl noise. “You’re gonna end up keeping that name,” I murmured, eyeing him fondly.
His face was divided in color—one side speckled gold, the other black and silver. I wanted to see the rest of him, but I didn’t want to spook him. It was probably good I couldn’t move too fast right now. I reached for my phone and texted Tanner.
Me: Let me know your ETA. The foster cat is here. Please knock before you come in—potential escape attempts.
I eyed Growly, who had now inched his head all the way out of the carrier.
“You won’t want to escape,” I whispered. “You’re gonna love it here.”
Five minutes later, he emerged fully. His body was black, flecked with gold and silver, and a little hunched. I wondered how old he was.
I wanted to look up what kind of cat he might be. I wished Taylor Swift were here—she’d know. And yes, I loved Taylor Swift.
“What do you think, Growly?” I murmured.
He sniffed my boot and my knee, and very cautiously walked onto the couch and sat beside me. He still looked sad, but then he started to purr, and I almost cried.
“Purring is good, right?” I asked him.
He purred again, louder. “Oh my God. I can speak purr.” I mimicked the sound, and he gave me a look. “Okay, fine, that was weird.”
Within minutes, he’d walked the perimeter of the room, eaten a bite of food, and inspected the litter box. My phone vibrated from an unknown number.
Unknown: This is Tiffany! Just a heads-up—Growly’s a good boy. He’s litter box trained, up to date on his shots, and neutered. He’s a little rough around the edges, but he’s a sweetheart.
I smiled as I read, eyeing Growly. Rough around the edges tracked.
He moved stiffly and looked a little sideways. Like life hadn’t gone easy on him.
Tiffany: He ended up at the clinic after getting hit by a car. His limp’s from that—and an even older break we found on x-ray. He’s recovered great, but the shelter environment was tough. He loves people but not the noise. If you need anything, text me.
Me: He’s doing amazing already. He’s exploring, and I think I can speak purr. I promise I’ll take the best care of him.
Tiffany: Holly assured me you would. I’ll meet you soon. I’ll be there for card night.
Me: Is it okay to have card night here with him just settling in? Too much activity?
Tiffany: He loves people. Just not the barking dogs at the shelter. You’re so thoughtful to ask.
Growly jumped back on the couch and resumed his purring. I purred back, and he stared at me. “Okay, okay.” I laughed. “I can be weird. Deal with it.”
When my phone buzzed with another text, I started to feel popular.
Tanner: Ah. Foster cat. Great. I love cats. I’ll knock and wait for the all-clear before I come in.
I hearted his reply. I wanted to say more, so much more. I looked at Growly. “If Tanner wants to kiss me again, don’t mess it up, okay?”