Page 13 of Hold the Pickle
I was afraid if I told Dalton about her before signing the lease, he’d back out. I needed to plead her case away from the manager.
She’s a total sweetheart and never causes any trouble or damage.
He’ll love her. I know it.
The door jingles. I turn to see Max stride in.
Thank goodness.
“How’s Max Junior?” I ask.
“He’s a she!” he says.
I stand up. “Max! That’s terrific!” I wrap my arms around his brawny frame. He’s massive thanks to his bodybuilding hobby.
“Yeah, a little girl.” He seems dazed.
“I can’t wait to meet her,” I say. “Did the appointment go well?”
“Sure, perfect. We had a sonogram.” He flicks his phone to show a grainy black-and-white image.
I can’t decipher any of it, but I say, “Beautiful! And Catzilla is out of the house, so she can breathe again!”
Max nods, pocketing his phone. “You sure you’ll be all right living alone?”
I slug his arm, swallowing the lie. Max definitely can’t know I’m rooming with a strange man. “Of course. I’m a big girl.”
Vera comes out from behind the register. “Did I hear you’re having a girl?”
“I am!”
Vera squeals, drawing several employees out of the kitchen. While they congratulate him, I untie my green and white apron and fold it. “Max, I have to run to the apartment. There are still some things to do.”
“Go on. We’ve got this.” He smiles over the handshakes and back slaps of his crew. I hurry to the back to grab my purse and dart out to my car.
I’ll make sure Catzilla is happy and brushed. I’ll clean out her litter box where it’s hiding in a dark space under the bar. We’ll both look adorable and charming, and surely Dalton won’t make a fuss about her.
Maybe he’s a cat lover?
I race the three miles to the new apartment, practicing my speech to the windshield. “Catzilla is the easiest pet imaginable. She can’t meow due to a bronchial infection she had when she was rescued. So she won’t make any noise!”
Of course, she’s also gigantic. Maine Coons are big cats, and Catzilla is a stellar example of the breed. She looks more like a bobcat than a pet.
It will be okay. We’ll be ready to woo Dalton.
But when I pull into our section of the complex, I suck in a breath. Dalton’s red Jeep is already in a slot. He got off early!
Oh, no. No, no!
I kill the car, pausing to rearrange my entire plea. “Dalton, she’s my baby. I know you’ll love her. Give her a chance.”
We should have exchanged numbers. But we couldn’t exactly do that in front of the apartment manager either. He thinks we’re a couple!
What a terrible web of lies we’re already trapped in!
As I walk to the door, I imagine the scenarios inside.
Maybe he’s had a chance to adjust to Catzilla.
