Chapter Ten #2
boxes of things no one wanted to deal with but also wouldn’t get rid of. On the far wall, under the window, was an old, musty
futon that creeped her out, and the walls were a horrible shade of lime green.
She wove her way through the crap and stuck her head in the three-quarter bath. The vanity was old and ugly and the toilet
had a huge crack in the seat lid, but the shower was relatively new and as it was never used, the grout was pristine.
“This would work,” Harris said loudly. “Once it’s cleaned out and maybe painted, it would be fine.”
“It’s not fine,” Shawna said faintly. “It’s . . .”
“A junk room.” Jax smiled at her. “And a project.”
Yes, fixing it up would be work, but Jax knew she would be much more comfortable to have her own space.
She looked around and nodded slowly. “I can get someone in to replace the vanity and the toilet. Once the room is cleared,
I’ll get it painted.”
Harris looked pained. “You wouldn’t paint it yourself to, ah, save money?”
She stared at him. “No, Harris, I wouldn’t.” She knew he was balking at the hit their joint “house maintenance fund” would
take but she didn’t care. “The kids and I will work on cleaning out the room this week. I’ll move the stuff you have to decide
on to the garage for you to deal with.”
She would order a new bed and linens. There was already a dresser in the room and the closet was a decent size. Once the room was emptied and updated, it would suit her just fine.
“So we have a plan,” she said. “I’ll talk to Marcus tomorrow to see if he could send over one of his guys to do the work.”
Everyone trooped out of the room and went back to the kitchen. Shawna put the kids to work setting the table as she went to
check on the crockpot.
“You’re really going to move downstairs?” Harris asked quietly.
“Yes. You wouldn’t have a problem with me sleeping in your bed on the off weeks because it’s what we’ve always done, but it’s
not going to be comfortable for Shawna or for me. There’s a level of weirdness that doesn’t need to be there.”
“I don’t get it but I believe you.” He hesitated. “You’re being really great about all this. I appreciate it.”
She pulled him into the living room and lowered her voice. “You know this is real for her, don’t you? She thinks you’re wildly
in love and want to get married. She’s planning her future with you, Harris. She wants to get pregnant on your honeymoon.”
He physically flinched. “No, she doesn’t. We haven’t talked about having kids. I don’t want more kids.”
“Then you should tell her that because she has no clue this is all a game to you.”
“It’s not a game. I care about her.”
“Do you really want to marry her, because she thinks you do.”
His gaze slid from hers. “We probably shouldn’t talk about this anymore. Thanks for what you’re doing with the junk room.”
“You’re going to hurt her, Harris. You’re going to rip out her heart and for the rest of her life she’s going to know that
the man she fell in love with played her.”
“I’m not playing her. This relationship matters.” He looked at her. “What are you going to tell her?”
“Nothing. I’m not getting in the middle of this. You’re the wrongest of the wrong, but this is your life. Screw it up however
you like. Just next time, make sure you give the kids a heads-up that one of your women is moving in. They deserve to be warned.”
A little after one in the afternoon on Monday Jax went looking for Ramon. She figured her relationship with Lucy was about
as good as it was going to get—the cat seemed relaxed and settled, albeit unimpressed with her. The sooner Ramon met his new
cat, the sooner he would be an even happier bird.
She found him in the mystery room, perched by the New Releases bookshelf, as if studying which of his favorite authors had
shown up.
“You know you prefer cozies to hardcore mysteries,” she said as she approached. “We have at least three new ones in the other
room.”
She held out her arm and he hopped on, then walked up to her shoulder.
“Hey, handsome boy,” she murmured, stroking him lightly. “How are you doing?”
“Never better.”
“Good to hear.”
He nuzzled her ear. “Love you.”
“Love you, too. Ready to meet your cat?”
It was as if she’d poked him with something hot. He squawked and flew back to the shelf where he gave her some serious parrot
stink eye.
“No!”
“Ramon, come on. You haven’t even seen her. She’s very beautiful and you know how you like pretty things. Plus, I think you’d be happier with a cat of your own. Sam was amazing and you two had a great relationship. I’m hoping it will be the same with Lucy.”
He turned his back on her. She sighed.
“I’m only doing this because I love you. Please? Just go look at her. You don’t have to stay long, but at least you could
try.”
She waited a couple of seconds before repeating, “Please? For me?”
She could swear she heard him make a huffing sigh before he looked at her.
“Not happy.”
“I know but thank you for the effort.”
She held out her arm and he hopped on. Together they went up to the apartment where she stepped inside, then carefully closed
the door behind her. Lucy might be doing well in the apartment, but it would be a while until Jax trusted her in the much
larger bookstore with the constantly open front door.
She walked to one of the chairs by the kitchen table and waited until Ramon stepped from her hand to the back of the chair,
then she called for Lucy.
“Hey, pretty girl. It’s me. Want to come out and say hi?”
Nothing happened. Ramon gave her a superior look, as if pointing out that the cat didn’t seem all that interested in doing
what she was told, but Jax ignored him. She walked into the bedroom where she found the cat stretched out on her bed, dozing
in a patch of sunlight.
“Hi,” she said quietly as she approached. “I have a surprise for you.”
Lucy opened her eyes, but otherwise didn’t move. Jax stroked her gently, then scratched her under her chin, hoping for the
soft rumble of a purr. There wasn’t one. Lucy stretched, her tail flicking slightly as if she were more annoyed by the attention
than pleased by it.
“You don’t have to like me,” she said, scooping up the cat in her arms. “Let’s see if you feel differently about Ramon.”
She carried her out to the living room and set her on the sofa. Lucy immediately jumped to the ground and stretched again
before settling on her side as if prepared to resume her nap. Her big blue eyes closed slowly.
“Ramon,” Jax said. “Do you want to say hi?”
The parrot fluttered on the back of the chair. “No.”
“Ramon. Be nice.”
He fluttered again, his wings flapping in the quiet of the apartment. In less than a heartbeat, Lucy went from sleepy and
relaxed to on alert. She came to her feet in a lightning-fast move as every muscle in her body tensed. Her eyes were wide
and dilated, her head turning as she searched for the source of the sound. When she spotted the parrot, she made a cacking
sound in her throat, then crouched low, as if preparing to—
“No!” Jax screamed as the cat leaped toward the parrot, her body more spring than mammal. Ramon was busy giving Jax stink
eye, so didn’t notice at first and barely managed to jump out of the way. He screeched and flew up to the top of a bookcase.
Lucy scrambled after him, making a low “I’m going to kill you and eat you on a taco” sound in the back of her throat. Jax
lunged, Ramon screamed and Lucy jumped to the top of the bookshelf in a burst of speed and strength that sent Jax’s heart
into her throat.
Jax ran to the door and held it open. “Go,” she screamed at her bird. “Go, Ramon. Hurry.”
He flew toward the door and out to safety. She slammed the door shut behind him. Lucy stayed on the top of the bookshelf,
glancing around, as if wondering where lunch had gone. Her tail continued to flick back and forth, her eyes darted from side
to side.
“He’s gone,” Jax said, pressing a hand to her chest as she struggled to catch her breath. “And while we’re on the subject of Ramon, what the hell? I got you to be his friend. Not kill him.”
Lucy offered her a look of disdain.
“Yes, I know you’re a cat, but I thought you were different. I thought you were nice.”
Lucy jumped to the sofa, then the floor. She walked back toward the bedroom, no doubt to resume her nap—all the while dreaming
about the large African gray parrot she nearly killed. Which left Jax with two problems. First, what was she going to do with
Lucy, and second, how was she ever going to get Ramon to forgive her?
Jax found Cheryl shelving cookbooks in what had been the old kitchen. They’d been selling a lot lately, especially those related
to summer barbecues and picnics. Normally Jax liked to take a minute to enjoy the ambiance of the old-fashioned cast-iron
stove and the displays of kitchen gadgets, candles and spices, but she was still having trouble catching her breath.
Her newest employee took one look at her, then said, “I know whatever it is, it’s bad, so tell me quick and then we’ll deal.”
“There’s no dealing, unless you want to adopt a cat. I tried to introduce Lucy to Ramon.”
The older woman sighed. “What did you expect? She’s a cat.”
Jax tried not to wince as guilt flooded her. “She could have been fine with him. Sam was.”
“I never met Sam, but he sounds like an extraordinary animal. Lucy’s more in the normal band. She’s a predator and Ramon is
prey. How bad was it?”
“She practically scaled a bookcase to get to him. It was awful and it’s all my fault.”
Cheryl patted her arm. “Yes, it is, but your heart was in the right place.”
“You’re not being comforting.”
“I doubt Ramon thinks you deserve comfort.”
“Ouch.”
“I’m sorry but it’s the truth. You need to let the cat thing go. He doesn’t want one and it’s not fair to keep terrorizing
him.”
Jax flinched. Cheryl certainly had a way with words. “So no on wanting a cat?”
“Correct. The shelter will take her back. Other than her very natural predatory instincts, Lucy’s a very sweet girl. I’m sure
she’ll be adopted quickly.”