Chapter 24 Kady
TWENTY-FOUR
Kady
“Larry!” My throat is hoarse from my fruitless calling. “Larry!”
I’ve accosted every person I’ve passed, thrusting my phone in their face and demanding they look at Larry’s photograph.
“Isn’t that Kady Sinclair?” I hear someone say as they cross the road to get away from me. “She’s gone crazy. Maybe that’s why it didn’t work out with the Blandon Pack.”
I don’t care if I’m known as the crazy cat lady as long as I get Larry back, safe and sound.
“Larry!” I call again, searching behind some tall plants and yelping in surprise when I find two baby geese staring up at me in blatant disapproval. “Oops, sorry.”
I let out a puff of air. Who am I kidding? Finding Larry on a campus this big is going to be next to impossible. Hopelessness begins to set in, making my hands tremble. What am I going to do without him?
I collapse onto a nearby bench under an oak tree and quickly skim through the messages in the group chat. No luck yet. Although Sabs found a twenty dollar bill, and Delilah came across a family of mice hiding in an empty food carton in Omega Village.
I jump when my cell starts vibrating like crazy in my hand.
“Calder?” I answer on the second ring.
His strong, commanding voice comes down the line. “I’ve found him.”
Relief floods through me. I’m glad I’m already sitting down as all the tension leaves my body at once, making my muscles deflate.
“Is he okay?” A few tears slips from my eyes. “How is he? Does he look—”
“He’ll be okay.” Calder’s response doesn’t provide the instant relief I’d hoped for. “He’s tucked up in my blazer right now, but he seems to have cut his paw.”
“What happened? Where are you? How did you find him?” I barely take a breath between all the questions I shoot at him. “I’m coming to meet you.”
“Send your location pin to our group chat, and we’ll come get you,” Calder replies. “Hale has the car, so we’ll be there quicker.”
I do as he asks. “Hurry.”
“We will. I told you we’d find him.” I can practically hear the smirk in his voice.
I count the seconds while I wait for them to show up. Time seems to have slowed to a snail’s pace. How long does it take to drive across campus?
I also let the Stellas know.
ME
Larry’s been found! More details to follow.
SABS
Thank God!!!!!! Again, I’m so, so, so, so sorry. We’ll have to get a bell for his collar so he can’t sneak past us!
DELILAH
Wish I knew that before dumpster diving…
She attaches a picture of her standing in a massive dumpster with a wrinkled nose, wearing bright yellow gloves up to her elbows.
Hale’s beat-up old truck wheezing down the road has me stashing my phone away.
I know Hale’s a delivery driver, so I assume he doesn’t have much spare cash, but he’d better take on more shifts, because that thing looks like it’s on its last leg.
It’s a miracle the truck still moves, judging by how it creaks over every slight bump on the road.
When they come to a halt, Calder climbs out of the car, holding Larry. He’s swaddled in Calder’s coat like a baby, looking right at home.
“Larry!” I rush over and scoop him into my arms, rubbing my face against his light whiskers. “You scared me so much.” Larry blinks lazily, clearly oblivious to all the fuss he’s caused. I look at his little paw. “You’re hurt, baby.”
“We can get him fixed up,” Calder promises.
“Thank you so much for finding him.” I look up from Larry, meeting Calder’s gaze.
“There’s an animal hospital in Forestville.
I can take him there.” I groan, remembering what happened the last time we went.
“But the vet is famously unreliable. He’s always fishing on the weekends, and the only other surgery is so busy we’ll be waiting hours! ”
“Hale can treat him,” Calder says, turning back to the truck. “Right, Hale?”
Hale smiles, his arm dangling casually out the window. “Sure. It’s only a superficial wound. I should have all the supplies. I can patch him up.”
I hold Larry tighter. “What do you know about patching up a wound?”
“Hale went to veterinary school for a few years before…” Calder rotates his wrist. “Trust me, he’s more than qualified.”
I ponder this, regarding Hale with some degree of skepticism. “You really can do this?”
“I can.” He nods. “He really just needs cleaning up. I’m not sure if it’s deep enough to even need stitches.”
“I’d appreciate you looking at it.” I smooth down the messy fur on Larry’s head. “I don’t want him to have to be in pain for any longer than he needs to be.”
Calder opens the door to the rear cab of the truck. “Climb on in.”
“Where are Ezra and Riven?” I ask. “I thought they were with you?”
“They’ve got a few things to sort out here,” Calder replies cryptically.
I slide into the backseat with Larry, Calder hopping in after me. As soon as he sees Calder, Larry purrs to demand his attention.
“He…” Shock momentarily steals my ability to speak. “Likes you.”
The only other person that Larry has taken a real liking to is Faye. She’s sweet by nature, and I think he can feel her energy. Aside from that, everyone else needs to keep their distance.
“Is that so hard to believe?” Calder chuckles. “I can be likable, you know.”
Hale snorts from the front seat as we set off.
“Larry doesn’t really like people very much. He’s not very social.”
“He seems fine to me.” Calder strokes Larry’s back. “You’re just misunderstood, aren’t you, buddy?”
“I never thought I’d see you speak to a cat,” Hale teases.
Calder huffs. “Just because I’m not Dr. Dolittle like you doesn’t mean I’m not good with animals.”
“Maybe he has Stockholm syndrome.” I snicker. “That would make more sense.”
“Hey, I didn’t kidnap him.” Calder’s hand flies to his chest, gasping like he’s seriously offended . “He’s just a good judge of character.”
“Thank you for finding him.” I shudder to think of the alternative. “Where was he?”
Calder shifts in his seat. “The Blandon Pack might have found him first.”
My eyes narrow, anger bubbles inside me. Calder places his hand on my knee, calming me. “Don’t worry about them. We’ll take care of it, okay? Right now, let’s concentrate on getting Larry better.”
I’m ready to unleash full-force Kady fury on the Blandon Pack’s asses. “But—”
“We’re taking care of it.” Calder squeezes my knee. “Trust me.”
Usually, I’d argue, my drive to be independent superseding all else. However, my adrenaline seems to be wearing off, my energy feels like it’s been zapped.
I nod wearily. “Okay, fine.”
Calder’s lips part in surprise, then he smiles, petting Larry’s back while we travel away from SVU to their apartment. We listen to the radio, peppered in with me talking to Larry. The guys talk about other things, but I’m too wrapped up in making sure my fur baby is okay to pay attention.
When we arrive at their place, Hale leads the way, having me and Larry wait on the sofa while he gathers his supplies while Calder taps furiously on his phone.
Hale returns a few minutes later, donning nitrile gloves. “I’m ready for the patient.”
“Be warned, he’s not usually very friendly.”
Going to the vet is Larry’s least favorite thing.
After his last flea treatment, it took me over an hour to lure him back into his cat carrier.
Hale easily takes Larry from me, tickling him under the chin like they’ve been friends forever.
Larry seems even more taken with Hale than he did with Calder, rubbing his face into his chest.
“Such a friendly little fella,” Hale praises.
Has Larry suddenly had a personality transplant? If he was this charming, Warren and Sabs wouldn’t have scars from him.
“I’ve got everything ready and wiped down the table.” He gestures at the dining table.
“I’m not that great with blood,” I admit.
“No problem,” Hale replies. “I can handle him by myself. Calder, why don’t you take Kady to your room to give us space?”
Calder splutters finally looking up from his screen. “My room?”
“Just while I patch Larry up.” Hale nods. “It won’t take me long.”
Calder rises, his posture more wooden than usual. “This way.”
I follow Calder into his room. It’s very tidy, books stacked up on his desk and his closet doors open. There are a few outfit options laid over his bed to see what combination works well together, right down to the socks.
“I’d go for a different pair of pants with that shirt.” I point at one set, teasing him.
A flush creeps up Calder’s neck as he grabs his clothes in a bundle then hurls them into the closet, slamming the door.
“I wasn’t expecting visitors.”
“Are these your parents?” I turn my attention to a faded photograph stuck to the bulletin board above his desk.
A gorgeous woman with the same golden tan as Calder is flanked by three handsome men.
One—who I infer is probably Calder’s biological father—has his same mischievous smile.
A little girl sits on one of her dad’s shoulders. “You have a sister?”
“Yep.” A smile breaks over his face, making him even more attractive. “Violet. She’s eighteen and pretty much has everyone eating out of the palm of her hand. She definitely knows what she wants. You’d like her.”
My attention strays to the more recent photograph next to it, of Calder and the rest of his pack posing on the beach next to surfboards, wet suits peeled down to their waists.
Look at the books instead, Kady! That’s safer than letting your eyes roam over the muscular abs, happy trails, and bulges beneath the tight, black fabric.
“Hale really did go to veterinary school, right?” I rip my hand out of my mouth before I start biting my nails. “He does know what he’s doing, doesn’t he?”
“Hale used to be top of his class. Larry’s in good hands.”
I nod, gnawing on my bottom lip.
“Here.” He hands me a printout. “Why don’t you proofread one of these articles for The Valley Voice?”
“You want me to do your work for you?” I tsk. “You’re the editor, remember?”
“I thought you might want to keep your mind busy.”