Chapter 2 #2
“Yes,” Leo commanded. Then he shook his head. “I’ll leave,” he muttered and blew past Via, Dora, and Sir and left the apartment.
When Sir started to follow him, Via scooped him up. “No,” she said firmly, moving her face to his until they were almost nose to nose. He needed to know this was serious. “Leave Mr. Brewster alone.”
“Don’t you mean Leo?” Dora said.
“We’re not on a first-name basis.”
“I’m sure that will change soon.”
Sir squirmed in her arms. “Shut the door,” she said to her sister. After Sir couldn’t escape, she set him down. “What was
that business about my birthmark?”
“I was just having a little fun. His expression was worth it.”
She’d been so busy making sure Dora didn’t give him the exact location of her heart birthmark that she didn’t see it. “What
expression?”
“Curiosity. Lots of curiosity.” Dora smiled, then it faded a bit. “I won’t do it again. I didn’t mean to cause a problem.”
Via picked up the bowl, spoon, and glass Leo had used and took them to the small kitchen. The apartment was only one bedroom
and on the small side, but she didn’t mind. It was perfect for her and Sir Meow’s needs. “It’s okay.”
She set dishes in the sink and wiped her hands on the dish towel that had a drawing of a little nose with lines on either
side, the words “Cats are angels with whiskers” underneath. Sir Meow was being anything but angelic right now. More like a pain in the bucket. She returned to the living
room to see Dora frowning.
“Are you sure?” Dora said, looking worried.
Via smiled. “Yes. Although it’s not like you to tease. Then again, ever since you and Charlie got together you’ve been acting . . .”
“Like I’m in love?” she said with a dreamy smile.
Yes, her sister was definitely in love. “Congratulations?”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Really, I’m happy for you. At least one of the Dalton siblings isn’t a romantic disaster.”
Dora tilted her head. “Do you know something about Fergus that I don’t?”
“No, but considering our brother hasn’t had a serious girlfriend since high school . . .”
“I figured he was just picky.”
Via wished she had been pickier.
“What about you?” Dora asked.
“I’m perfectly content being single and running Pawsitive Vibes.” She shifted Sir Meow in her lap. “Besides, who needs a man
when I have this handsome fella?”
Sir went limp with excitement.
But Dora wasn’t smiling. “Are you ever going to move on from Trevor?”
“I did. The day before the wedding that never happened, when I found out about his cheating.” She must have been blind not
to see it sooner, but she thought she was in love with Trevor. When it came to him, she’d had too many blind spots.
“Not all guys are trash like Trevor,” Dora said.
“And not all guys are as great as Charlie,” Via pointed out.
“But Leo—”
“Mr. Brewster.”
“There were sparks.”
“No sparks.” Via held up Sir’s paw for emphasis. “Dora, you don’t have to play cupid with me. Mr. Brewster is off-limits.
So off-limits.” She got up from the couch and handed her the cat.
Dora took him. “Where are you going?”
“Bennett’s office, to find out what’s going on with Earl’s estate.”
“Didn’t he tell you it was in probate?”
“Yes, but he was vague.” He had a right to be, considering she didn’t have any claim to his inheritance, despite her discussion with Earl.
And she never mentioned their conversation about their businesses to anyone else.
“Whatever happens to Second Chapter and Earl’s apartment directly affects me and my business. ”
“True. Do you think Leo’s lying?”
“I don’t trust him. And before you tell me that I need to start trusting again . . . don’t.”
Her sister sighed and stood, still holding Sir Meow, who was quite comfortable in her arms. “Don’t let what happened with
Trevor get in the way of a possible relationship.”
“Dora—”
“I know what I saw when I walked in here. And even if Leo isn’t the one—”
“He’s not.”
“—then you need to consider someone else. I can set you up at the Meow and Mingle next week.”
Via scoffed. “I’m fine with you holding the event at the café, but I refuse to participate in”—she shuddered—“speed dating.”
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” Dora walked to the door and grinned. “Good luck with your meeting . . . and with Leo.”
Rolling her eyes, Via shooed her and Sir out, then grabbed her purse. Dora was wrong, so wrong. Sparks. With Leo Brewster.
Yeah, right.
She glanced at her watch. Ten minutes to get to Pipkin’s office. Plenty of time, but she wouldn’t mind arriving early. Maybe
Leo was already there. Or he might be waiting in his Gran Turros, or whatever he called it. She didn’t care. All she wanted
was confirmation he was Earl’s nephew. And if that was true . . .
A sudden quiver of doubt appeared in her stomach. If Earl had kept a secret this huge from her, then they weren’t as close
as she’d thought.
Leo walked out of Earl’s apartment, then paused at the sight of Via entering the hall at the same time. After getting his bearings and escaping Via’s overly affectionate cat, he was ready to head to Pipkin’s. He shut the door and looked at her annoyed expression. He was pretty annoyed with her too.
Then he remembered the feel of her hands in his hair, the enticingly light touch of her fingers moving, massaging, bringing
his body to life . . . in more ways than one.
He shook it off. He shouldn’t have gotten so irritated about the cat hair, but driving from California on only three hours
of sleep and little food had taken a toll. Then again, he had no choice. His uncle had made sure of that. But his tired and
still-hungry state had to be the reason his body was sparking out over her.
“We might as well walk to Bennett’s together,” Via said.
He grimaced. “I don’t recall giving you permission to attend my meeting.”
“After everything I’ve done for you? Did you forget the gourmet Cocoa Puffs already?”
He couldn’t gauge if she was serious. “You hit me with a lamp.”
“You were in my apartment—”
“Let’s not rehash.”
Her mouth curved into a triumphant smile.
If he weren’t in such a hurry and annoyed by his situation and his heightened state, he might have returned it. Even in his
current mood, he noticed again that her bottom lip was slightly fuller than her top one, her teeth the perfect size, although
not perfectly aligned. Natural. Almost irresistible. And for dozens of reasons, he had to resist.
“Fine,” he said, straightening his tie, despite knowing it was already straight. He had to focus on something instead of her. “We’ll go together. Anything to expedite the process.”
She led the way down the stairs, and they walked into the cool morning air. His disposition was cruddy, but at least the weather
was nice, the colorful fall leaves and crisp temperature reminding him of growing up in New York City. The changing seasons
were one of the few things he missed during the last eight years of living in Los Angeles. But it wasn’t worth leaving the
life he’d built there, and there was nothing that would make him do it.
“This way,” she said, turning to the right and passing Pawsitive Vibes. He glanced at two cats sunbathing in the picture window.
He’d never heard of a cat café before. Maybe it was a Midwestern thing.
They walked in silence for a minute before his phone buzzed inside his pocket. He pulled out his cell and checked the screen.
His admin, Robert, was calling.
“Hey,” he answered, slowing his steps.
“I’m checking to see if you made it, sir.”
It didn’t matter how often he told Robert to call him Leo, the man insisted on being formal, an unusual stance in casual LA.
“Got here a little while ago. Drove all day and night—” He glanced at Via. She was a few steps ahead. He turned his back to
her and lowered his voice.
“I’m leaving after I sign the papers, then I’ll be back tomorrow night at the latest. Contact Arcadia Financial and confirm
our meeting. I don’t want to lose that account.”
“Yes, sir,” Robert said. “Is there anything else you need me to do for you?”
“No thanks. See you soon.” He hung up and looked at Via again. She had stopped in front of a record store, Needle Drop Vinyl.
He hurried to catch up to her.
“Driving back to LA in one day again isn’t smart,” she said, facing him. “You didn’t handle the drive so well the first time.”
“So you were eavesdropping.”
“Your voice carries.”
He side-eyed her and they started moving again. “While I appreciate the unexpected concern, the Turismo cuts several hours
off the trip once I get on the highway.”
“Why didn’t you just fly?”
“I didn’t buy my car just for the looks. It drives like a dream.”
“I’m sure it does.” But she was giving him that look again, a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
He didn’t bother saying anything else. She’d find out he was telling the truth soon enough.
They stopped at the end of the block in front of a building with a sign painted on the large picture window in old-fashioned
letters: Bennett Pipkin, Attorney at Law. He glanced at Via, who shot a quick look at him.
“Here we go,” he muttered and opened the door, gesturing for her to go first. As the door closed behind him, a wayward thought
entered his brain.
Where is her birthmark exactly?