Chapter 11
Palmer
It was fully dark when Hailey and I stepped outside the coffee shop. The streetlights cast warm pools of light along the sidewalk. Kayla and Maverick were nowhere in sight as we walked back toward my car.
But then a piercing cry echoed through the night.
We both froze. The sound cut through the cold air, sharp and wrong, sending a chill straight down my spine.
A few people walked briskly toward stores or their vehicles on the other side of the street, but here the sidewalk stretched out empty in both directions.
There was nothing but snow piled high, glittering faintly in the light.
I turned slowly, my pulse picking up as I searched for the source of the sound.
It came again. High-pitched. Distressed.
Before I could react, Hailey gasped. “Oh!”
She tore off down the sidewalk to the left, her boots slipping on the packed snow.
“Hailey!” I shouted, panic surging through me as I rushed after her.
She stopped a few yards away and dropped to her knees, reaching for something on the ground. My heart hammered, breaths clouding in the air as I ran toward her. I froze when I realized what she was holding.
Something small was clutched to her chest.
“It’s a kitten.” Her voice trembled.
I blinked, squinting down at the dark shape in her arms.
It let out another piercing wail, and my heart lurched. It was definitely a kitten. The tiny thing’s gray fur was matted and damp, its body shivering uncontrollably as it cried.
Then it looked up at me, and I held my breath.
Its eyes were shut and crusted over completely.
I scanned the sidewalk, my gaze sweeping the snowbanks, the alleyways, and shadows near the buildings. There were no signs of a mother cat, or any more kittens. It seemed completely on its own.
The kitten screamed, panicked and desperate, but didn’t struggle in Hailey’s grip.
“Is it okay?” Hailey’s voice cracked with concern.
I wasn’t sure she should even be holding it if it was sick—but it let out another powerful wail. With lungs like that, it obviously still had some fight left in it.
I pressed my lips together. “I don’t know.”
Hailey stroked its back. The kitten arched into her touch, going silent for a moment.
I crouched closer. It sniffed the air between us and licked its lips, but its eyes were definitely sealed shut. They were even a bit swollen, bulging beneath the eyelids.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” I murmured.
“Should we take it to the animal doctor?” Hailey asked anxiously.
I nodded and pulled out my phone, searching for the local vet. My heart sank when I saw the hours.
Closed.
I sent a message through their website anyway, fingers flying, and made a mental note to call first thing in the morning.
“They aren’t open until tomorrow.”
“What are we gonna do?” Hailey’s face crumpled. “We can’t leave him here.”
I shook my head. “No. We can’t.”
Snow covered the ground, and the temperature was still dropping. I honestly couldn’t believe the kitten was alive.
I bit my lip, wondering what Roman would think about a mangy little stray coming into the house.
“Come on.” I helped her stand, with the kitten tucked in her arms. “Let’s get him warm.”
I couldn’t leave him there, no matter how Roman felt about it. I guided her back toward my parked car, careful not to let her slip. She nodded fiercely, holding the kitten even tighter as we hurried away from the dark, empty sidewalk.
“Give him to me,” I instructed, as Hailey and I walked into the warmth of the bed-and-breakfast.
Hailey clutched him defensively.
I softened my expression and crouched down in front of her. “I’m going to take care of him,” I assured her. “But you can help, okay?”
I carefully reached for the kitten. He—or she, I supposed, since we didn’t know which yet—hadn’t cried out once since we got him into the car. Hailey hesitated, then finally relented and handed him over.
I held the little body to my chest. He was still shivering.
“Can you get me a really warm bowl of water and a washcloth?” I asked Hailey.
With one last look at the kitten, she nodded and hurried toward the kitchen.
I straightened and scratched the kitten behind the ear. “Don’t worry,” I murmured, carrying him into the living room. “We’re gonna take care of you.”
I sat on the couch and grabbed the throw draped over the back.
The thing fought me as I attempted to pry him from my chest. His claws snagged on my sweater, but I won in the end, bundling him in the blanket snugly enough that he couldn’t move his legs.
He let out a disgruntled yowl but didn’t hiss or fight me.
When Hailey returned with the bowl of warm water, I instructed her to set it on the small side table. She glanced between me and the kitten, who I held face-up on my lap.
I gave her a reassuring smile and reached for the washcloth floating in the bowl, wringing it out before gently pressing it to the kitten’s eyes. He meowed, but didn’t struggle as I held it there.
“What are you doing?” Hailey watched intently.
“I don’t really know,” I admitted with a small shrug. “But I’m hoping the heat and moisture will loosen the crust.”
Hailey grimaced. “Why are his eyes like that?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I can look it up after I try this, but even human babies get crusty eyes sometimes. I’ve just never seen anything this bad.”
She watched silently as I continued, murmuring softly to the kitten and checking his progress. It took awhile and a lot of gentle patience, but eventually the crust softened and I was able to wipe it away.
Hailey gasped when we saw his eyes. They were a perfect bluish-gray, still a little swollen, but clear of the gunk.
I cleaned the rest of his little body, and when I finished, he curled into a ball on my chest and started to purr.
I grinned at Hailey, who stared at him with pure wonder. She was practically making heart-eyes at him.
“He’s probably hungry.” She slid onto the couch beside me.
I nodded. “Probably. I’ll get him cat food tomorrow after the vet, but I can make him some chicken for now.” He was pretty tiny, but he had teeth and I was fairly certain he was old enough to eat solid food.
I carefully transferred the kitten to Hailey, who almost melted with contentment when he snuggled up on her chest, too. Then, I headed into the kitchen to cook.
By the time the kitten had settled enough to stop shivering, the baked chicken breasts were almost done. I’d left one set aside without any spices or salt for the kitten, and as I was mashing the potatoes, I heard the front door open.
I froze, masher suspended in midair.
Roman. Crap.
I’d completely forgotten to warn him about the stray animal I’d brought into the house.
I waited, breath held, staring at the kitchen entryway until his figure finally appeared. I couldn’t read his expression—he always had that faint furrow between his brows—but when his gaze locked on mine, my stomach tightened.
He stopped a few feet in front of me, heavy brows lifting. He smelled faintly of smoke and sweat and something clean and spicy.
“You wanna tell me why my daughter is cuddling a gray rat in my mother’s living room?”
My cheeks heated as I set the masher back into the pot of steaming potatoes. I stared down at them—they smelled warm and buttery.
“It’s not a rat.” I sounded braver than I felt.
I lifted my chin. Roman was intimidating, but he was also gentle in his own way. I’d seen it in how he treated Hailey. Still, when he narrowed his eyes at me like that, it was easy to forget.
“Then what is it?” he asked, unconvinced.
“It’s a kitten.”
His frown deepened. “A kitten?”
“Yes. We saved him.”
He let out a long, heavy sigh and placed his hands on his narrow hips.
I tried not to linger on how nice he looked in his uniform.
He wore the fancy one today, with a black coat with gold bands on the sleeve and slacks that were tailored perfectly for him.
He must’ve had some sort of important meeting.
The metals and crests pinned to his chest spoke of honor and respect.
I clenched my jaw. Taking in an animal without his permission hadn’t been respectful.
“You took that thing off the street?” he asked. “Is it sick?”
I shifted on my feet, distracting myself by mashing the potatoes a bit more. “I’m not sure. I’m taking him to the vet tomorrow.”
I was over mashing the potatoes now, but I didn’t stop as his silence stretched. “We couldn’t leave it, Roman. It’s freezing outside. He needed help.”
In my periphery, I saw him push a hand through his hair.
“I’m gonna have to let her keep it,” he muttered, voice low as if he were speaking only to himself.
Despite the guilt lingering in my gut, I stifled a grin.