Chapter Three
Casey
M eow.
I have a cat now.
A stolen cat.
My little stowaway zipped inside when I came home last night, finding refuge under my bed. It was the same cat I’d seen running from Maggie the other day. It was also the one she was later searching for, stealing the birthday boy away from me when he went to help.
Boy is right.
I can’t believe I allowed myself to flirt with him. Clara’s influence is ridiculous. Listening to her has embarrassing consequences.
Like enjoying conversation with Brayden Foss, eighteen years my junior.
His attention, while welcome and sweet, was inappropriate. Sure, he’s a legal adult now, but just barely. He’s my landlord and neighbor’s son. It has “mistake” written all over it.
You’re just lonely, Casey.
As if conjured up by my thoughts, the cat hops onto my bed and sits on my stomach. His purring is soothing. I scratch him behind the ears and smile.
“Maggie has a lot of cats,” I agree, like I can read his mind. “No wonder you wanted to escape. You know I have to put you out, though. You’re not mine.”
He meows in protest. His glittery green eyes are intelligent as he stares me down. I feel bad that he has to share a home with a bunch of other cats he clearly doesn’t want to be around.
“I’ll talk to her,” I vow, already dreading that conversation.
Satisfied, he climbs off my stomach and stretches, orange tail swishing back and forth.
He keeps me company as I get ready for work, and when I grab breakfast, he gets a few bites along with a bowl of milk.
When I finally open the door to leave, he bolts, not giving me a chance to walk him over to Maggie.
He’s a survivor.
I smother a silly giggle as I head out the door. I’ve always enjoyed my job. It helps that the man who runs the physical therapy clinic, Drew, is a good friend, too. My patients are who have kept me out of my depressed state, giving me the will to keep plugging along.
They need my help, and I love helping them.
By the time I arrive, the place is already hopping, patients crowding the small waiting area. I’m not late, but with some of the looks I’m getting, you’d think I was. I flash the group a friendly smile and then head to the back to put away my purse in the break room.
Drew is leaned against the counter, an eyebrow hiked up, as his woman, Sophia, yaps at him. Not many people like Sophia, because she’s a grumpy old man in a young woman’s body, but Drew seems to enjoy her fire.
“You done, crybaby?”
She gives him the finger and limps off. He smirks at me in triumph.
“A little too busy to be flirting with your baby dragon,” I tease as I stuff my purse in a cabinet. “I wouldn’t want to have to tell the boss you’re fraternizing with the employees.”
Drew snorts. “Sophia doesn’t work hard enough to be considered an employee. And at least I was here early. Your boss should fire you, Monroe.”
We both grin and then get to work.
The first part of the day is so busy I don’t have time to obsess over my conversation with Brayden. During lunch, though, when I’m heating up a Lean Cuisine in a desperate attempt to eat healthy, I can’t help but let my mind replay last night.
He’s just a kid.
Not anymore…
I’d looked at him as a man for the first time. Though nothing like Derek, who’s broad and muscular, there was something truly appealing about Brayden’s lean but tall body and adorable smile.
A lot of men are sure in their advances with women, but he was so awkward it was endearing. Honestly, it was refreshing to not be the one with all the confidence issues.
It was also really cute when his face would turn red.
I wolf down my tasteless food and hurry back out to greet my next patient. Riko Valentine scowls, long legs sprawled out in front of him, as he sits in a waiting chair.
This is the second time this week to see Riko.
He recently suffered a grade II hamstring strain, and like every teenager, is in a hurry to get back to the soccer field.
Unfortunately, the human body doesn’t work on sheer willpower alone.
His injury wasn’t severe enough for surgery, but he’ll need repeat sessions to get him back to where he needs to be.
“You got to leave school early,” I say, gesturing for one of the therapy tables. “Why are you pouting?”
He grunts as he slowly rises to his feet, not bending his right knee. As much as he tries to hide it, I notice the slight grimace of pain.
“I’m not pouting,” he states, voice booming, as he limps over to the table. “Just over this shit.”
An elderly woman recovering from wrist surgery frowns at his language. I would usher him into one of the private rooms because he’s so loud, but they’re all full.
“I know,” I tell him kindly. “We’re going to get you fixed in no time.”
Once he settles on the table, I begin working on him with a soft tissue mobilization massage. With gentle movements, I knead the tightness in his hamstring. This will help with the blood flow so we can stretch it in a bit.
“Fuuuuuuck,” he cries out. “You’re a sadist, woman.”
I can’t help but laugh. “I’ve barely started. Don’t be a baby.”
He grits his teeth, thankfully keeping his big mouth shut for a minute, as I increase my massage intensity. I know he wants to get back to playing soccer, but he’s in a lot of pain. Unless we address the issue and get it to heal, he’ll only make things worse.
Eventually, I’m able to reduce some of the stiffness in his hamstring. Now on to the next part.
“I want you to relax while I stretch you,” I instruct. “Don’t tense up, even if it hurts. I’ll go slowly.”
I start with a straight leg raises stretch and slowly lift his leg until his face twists in pain.
“Too much.” He curses again, earning a few more nasty looks. “Why are you so cruel?”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not taking it past what you can handle. We’re going to hold it here for a few seconds. All we’re doing is lengthening the muscle.”
Sophia grabs a rolling chair and wheels it over to us. Riko groans again, this time because of her.
“A sadist and a psychopath. What do I owe the honor?” he grumbles. “Seriously, don’t you have other people to torment?”
Sophia laughs. “No way. I only torment babies and you’re the only one crying right now.”
“Not crying.”
Drew stalks over to us, grabs the back of Sophia’s chair, and wheels her over to his office. Riko praises Drew for being “the real MVP.”
The next half hour he curses at me and his stupid leg, but by the end, when I’m no longer pushing his muscles to their limits, he’s back to his happy self.
“Hope to see you never, Casey,” he says as he leaves.
Our receptionist, Jenna, grins evilly at him. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but you’re scheduled for the day after tomorrow.”
We both laugh as he leaves, shooting us the bird.
Work is fun. If only I could stay here all day. It’s when I go home, everything is hard.
The house is so quiet.
Not that Derek was an especially noisy man. There’s a certain emptiness that I can’t seem to fill with just me. It sucks. Really sucks.
When I walk inside, though, a blur of orange darts past my feet, once again hiding out at my place.
This is becoming a problem.
He meows from the kitchen, waiting on me to serve him. With a groan, I follow the presumptuous cat to where he sits by the refrigerator.
“Got a taste for milk and now you’re an addict.” I laugh as I make him a small bowl. Since I don’t have cat food, he gets a can of tuna. “You can’t stay here forever, little dude.”
But what if he did?
It would sure fill the empty void Derek left.
Someone knocks on my back door, and I scream in surprise. Nothing can deter the cat from his feast, though, and he continues to happily eat.
I make my way over to the door and nearly trip over my own two feet when I see Brayden peeking in through the window.
My skin flashes hot and I absently tug at my shirt, wondering if it looks too tight. There’s not much I can do to make myself feel or look better between here and answering the door, so I resign myself to not worry about it.
Easier said than done.
“Hey,” I say, opening the door a crack. “What’s up?”
Brayden arches an eyebrow and smirks. “I think you know what’s up.”
Meow.
I close my eyes and groan, knowing I’ve been caught. “To my defense, I didn’t invite him.”
Brayden laughs. “Now that I know you’re harboring a fugitive, can I come in?”
Brayden Foss in my house?
Wouldn’t be the first time. He’s fixed a few things in the past, some by himself and some with Reid.
But now…
Now it feels different.
“Uh, sure,” I say a little too breathlessly. “You can try and wrangle this cat since he doesn’t listen to me.”
I move aside so Brayden can enter. As he passes, I get a whiff of his clean scent. Then, my thoughts wickedly travel to thoughts of him having just showered.
Do. Not. Think. About. That.
My skin is on fire from embarrassment. What is it about Brayden that gets me all flustered?
“Well,” Brayden says as he squats beside the cat to scratch its head, “if it isn’t the notorious Mo himself. Your human is looking for you, man.”
Mo meows as if to complain.
“She calls him Mean One, or Mo for short.” Brayden looks up at me, a cute smile on his face. “He seems pretty sweet to me.”
“I don’t think Mo likes it there,” I tell him, scrunching my nose. “She has so many cats. So. Many. Surely, she won’t miss one.”
He scoops Mo into his arms and stands. The cat protests with loud meows, but doesn’t try to get away, instead, enjoying the scratches Brayden gives him. I can’t help but step closer so I can pet Mo too.
“Dad says she has too many,” he says, deep voice vibrating over my skin. “They bicker about it a lot.”
“You hear that, Mo?” I say, leaning forward to kiss the cat. “Maybe you can come live with me instead.”
When I lift my eyes, Brayden is watching me with unguarded intensity. My confidence may be low, but our attraction to each other is undeniable. Of course, the first guy I feel a spark for would be the neighbor’s son.
I bite down on my bottom lip, snared in his stare. His eyes drop to my mouth and his cheeks turn a lovely pink. Mine are probably just as red.
Being around Brayden Foss is dangerous to my sanity.
He chases away the cloud of depression that’s been hanging over me, filling my chest with warmth.
An inexperienced young man and a heartbroken older woman is a recipe for disaster. It’s a perfect storm for two people, who have no business being together, to fall in love.
It’ll only end in catastrophe.
Someone needs to be the adult around here and end it before it begins.
“You should take Mo home now,” I murmur, voice raspy, barely audible over Mo’s purring. “I’m sure Maggie is worried.”
Brayden lingers, eyes still hyper focused on my lips. “But you’ll be sad if we go.”
And if you stay, it’ll make me happy.
The last thing I need is another man to fill the place of the one I lost.
It’s unfair and cruel to the both of us.
“Bye, Brayden.”
He gives me a soft smile. “See you around, Casey.”
I really hope I do.