Chapter Twelve
Moskins
The ball of black and white fur hisses at me when I bend down to pick up the feather toy laying next to her. Then a paw darts out and swipes at me for a third time in a row.
“Ow!” I growl, retrieving my hand without the toy and glancing at the scratches left behind.
My arm looks like I put it through a meat slicer. Some of the wounds are fresh, others are days old. All of them are thanks to the demon staring up at me with beady yellow eyes.
I can handle two-hundred-and-thirty-pound men coming at me on the ice and smashing me into the boards. But cat scratches are an entirely new pain.
I jab my finger at the kitten. “What pit of Hell did you escape from? It’s no wonder they suggested I take you.”
Her sharp, high-pitched meow is accompanied by a little butt wiggle before she pounces on my shoe.
The feline, appropriately named Oreo, has black fur with little patches of white down the middle of her back, just like the cookie. According to the shelter, she’s the last of her litter to be adopted. Now I know why.
“I should have gotten a dog,” I mumble, peeling her from my jeans that she’s trying to climb up.
Oreo makes another noise, batting at my fingers as loud rumbles come from her.
I gawk at her. “Do you enjoy torturing me?”
She meows again, still purring.
That’s a yes.
Sighing, I check the clock and realize I’m going to be late to meet with Winter at the Fairbanks Food Bank.
Problem is, I don’t know what to do with my new family member.
Can cats be alone? They can, right? As long as they have food, water, and their litter box.
I set everything up the second I brought her home.
I’d released her from the carrier they’d given me to transport her home in, and she tore ass through the living room and hid for hours.
I spent forty minutes trying to figure out where the pain in the ass went, only to find her in the room Emaly claimed.
She’d puked on the carpet and stained it orange.
At the last minute, I decide to bring Oreo with me. I’ll feel bad leaving her in her carrier, and I don’t know if I fully trust her to be home by herself. Which might be tricky, considering I doubt Hoffman would allow me to travel with a cat all season long.
I’d gotten to go to the Yokav Stadium and see the team twice this week.
Once for a group workout in the stadium’s gym, and once for conditioning on the ice.
I got the training camp schedule for September and the schedule for all our preseason games.
I’d be lying if I said I was confident that the Fireflies stand a chance at getting anywhere near the championships, but I’d work my ass off to get us close.
When I pull up to the food bank, I turn to see the kitten staring at me through the crate bars with big eyes.
She pawed at the door the entire drive, wanting out.
But I learned the hard way what a bad idea that was when I brought her home.
She’d not only gotten car sick on me, but she kept trying to get under the gas pedal.
At least she didn’t puke this time.
I don’t think twice about grabbing her carrier and bringing it with me, listening to her squeaky protests as we head to the building’s entrance, where we’ll spend the day sorting and distributing groceries to the community.
“What is that?” Winter asks as soon as I step inside. She’s pointing a pen at the carrier dangling in my hand, gaping skeptically at the kitten’s array of noises. “Did someone dump a cat outside? Oh my God, that poor thing!”
She quickly comes over and squats down to see inside, her whole face brightening at the sight of the she-devil wrapped in cute black fur.
“Don’t let the cuteness fool you,” I tell her, setting it down in front of Winter. “She’s a devious little shit.”
Winter gasps. “Don’t say that! She was abandoned and probably scared. I would be t—”
“I adopted her.”
My statement stops her, and she slowly looks up at me with a confused expression painted over her features. “You…what?”
A small smile appears on my face. “I adopted her from the shelter. Went back a few days ago. I was planning to get a dog, but they said cats are easier to care for if you have a busy schedule because they’re more independent.
Since I live alone and will be gone a lot, it’d be easier for me to have a cat. ”
Winter continues to gape at me in utter disbelief. This shouldn’t be that shocking. I told her I wanted to get a dog at the diner. She just chose not to take me seriously.
Eventually, she closes her mouth and glances back down at the carrier. “Can I…?” She gestures toward Oreo, and I nod.
“Be careful, though. She’s a feisty one.”
The blond sinks onto her knees and opens the carrier door. She’s cautious, trying not to scare Oreo as the kitten slowly makes her way out and looks around her new environment.
Her little pink nose reaches toward Winter’s extended hand, sniffing her once. I expect her to lash out. Scratch her. Hiss. The same shit I’ve endured since bringing her home.
But then I hear it.
Not the sound of haughty distrust.
The sound of approval.
“Is she fucking purring?” I ask, frowning as Winter picks her up and cradles her against her chest without any fight from Oreo. The kitten nuzzles Winter’s chin, making the blonde giggle.
Unbelievable. “That thing hates me. She only purrs after causing me bodily harm.”
Winter carefully stands, still holding Oreo close to her chest. “Maybe it’s because you refer to her as a ‘thing.’ What’s her name?”
There is instant love in both of their eyes that makes me jealous of a fucking cat. That’s low even for me. “Oreo,” I tell her begrudgingly.
She repeats the names to herself, barely making a sound. Yet I watch her mouth form the word a little too closely.
When I step toward them out of some sort of invisible draw, Oreo hisses at me. “See!” I exclaim in frustration, glaring at the cat. “She hates me.”
Winter continues to soothe the fur on Oreo’s back, hushing my cool tone. “I’m sure this isn’t the first time a pussy didn’t like you. Huh, Oreo?”
The retort makes me freeze.
We’re quiet for a second.
Two.
Winter sheepishly peeks up at me.
Then I burst out laughing.
Her grin quickly grows, and she joins in while still fussing over the kitten in her arms. “I’d say sorry, but I’m not.”
I shake my head. “I wouldn’t have accepted it anyway,” I reply easily, huffing out another laugh. “Seriously, though. I think I chose the one animal that doesn’t want me around. At this rate, you should keep her. It’s obvious she has favorites.”
Winter straightens, her eyes flicking to me. “I cannot have a cat.”
The indignation in her tone has me staring at her skeptically. “Why not?”
She levels me a look. “Thomas, I date men for food. Remember? If I can’t afford more than ramen on my own, I’m not going to be able to budget for cat food and everything else she’d need to live happily.”
The reminder makes my fingers tighten into fists. And apparently, I’m not the only one who wants to continue that conversation.
“Did you really go to Janel about Cody?” she asks quietly, not looking up from Oreo to avoid my stare.
I drop my voice so the people gathering at the other end of the room can’t hear. “If you’re asking, you already know the answer.”
We’re quiet.
She focuses on Oreo.
I focus on her.
“He could lose his job,” she whispers.
All I say is, “Good.”
When she peeks up at me again, I can see the way her lips part to say something before she inevitably decides not to.
My eyes go down to her hands. “Your nails are yellow today.”
Another happy color.
Her throat bobs. “Yellow represents healing, optimism, and clear mental focus.” Her fingers flex around Oreo. “And it was my mother’s favorite color.”
Was. I take the reference to her mother in the past tense as another piece of the puzzle. I don’t tell her I’m sorry for her loss because I don’t think she’d want to hear it. “What does purple mean?”
“Creativity and spirituality,” she answers after a moment.
I cock my head. “And pink?”
She doesn’t answer me. Mostly because a woman who can’t be that much older than me walks up with a big smile on her face. “Welcome! You must be Thomas.” She sticks her hand out to me, and I dutifully take it with a well-trained smile.
Before I can correct her, Winter says, “He prefers Moskins, Kaleigh.”
The woman, Kaleigh, nods in understanding as she inspects me with an inquisitive eye that seems to hold more than curiosity.
“Moskins,” she tests out, a small, flirty smile tilting her painted pink lips as her gaze rakes over me.
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you. I’m Kayleigh, the executive director here.
Anything you need, please feel free to ask. ”
I’m sure she’d give me anything I want if I give her the right smile. Unfortunately for her, she isn’t the woman I want something from. “I came with my own expert, so I think I’ll be well guided.”
My hand comes down on Winter’s lower back, just hovering enough to feel her body heat soak into my palm without actually touching her. Nonetheless, she stiffens and stands a little straighter.
Her eyes bounce from me to Kayleigh before clearing her throat. “Our original photographer had a family emergency, so our backup is running a little late,” she explains to the executive director, still giving me bedroom eyes.
Kayleigh’s focus is on where my hand is, and I can tell she isn’t very happy with the current placement. “Why don’t you wait here to make sure we don’t miss them, then? I’ll show Moskins around to familiarize him with our setup and explain how today is going to go.”
I begin to protest, but Winter steps away from me with a nod. “That’s fine. I’ll meet you as soon as they arrive.”
Kayleigh puts a hand on my arm, and the touch is a little too forward. Normally, I like that with women. There’s no point wasting time if all two people want is to get off in the end. I’d rather they not mince words or expect pretty pleasantries.