“Okay. Um. This one has spots on his belly! Eight, see?”
He flips the short-haired white kitten over gently and rubs noses with it, and sure enough, there are eight dots evenly spaced on his belly.
“I think his name should be Domino.”
The cat couldn’t care less, but stoic Lauren claps like a little girl.
“Good choice, Nix. What about your beautiful princess?”
Her voice is nasal, and Gideon snorts behind him.
Jay lands a small kick to his foot—a desperate reminder not to start something.
“She’s pretty—with those swirls on her legs and tail. I think her name is Doodle. What do you think, Mom?”
He asks without a single ounce of fear—just confidence that Lauren will be kind.
“Another perfect name,” Lauren says, genuine pride in her voice.
“Oh, I came bearing other gifts as well. Antonio said you might need this, and I knew no one here would remember.”
She casts a disparaging look right past Jay to Gideon, who locks his jaw and pointedly ignores her attempts at riling him up.
Instead, he just runs his middle finger over thevaffanculoprinted on the front of his shirt.
Italian is one of the ten languages Lauren speaks fluently.
Frankie and Jay sigh simultaneously—then laugh, faced, as they are, with identical dilemmas.
Lauren comes back into the room, bearing a garment bag embossed in silver withEminence Tailoron the white silk.
Eminence Tailormakes bespoke suits of the highest quality. Jay has one in his closet—the one he wore to the Academy Awards—and it cost over five thousand dollars. Worth every penny, too.
Jay is proud to sayLong Road Homesupports local businesses on the red carpet, and the proprietor was both part of the LGBTQIA+ community and a Were.
But Nix hadn’t been in for a single fitting, let alone the five it had taken Jay, so, like everyone familiar with the exacting tailor’s work, he was confused.
The suit is a deep navy blue with subtle gold stitching along the lapels. Lauren has chosen a pale yellow shirt and an understated tie with blue-on-blue stripes.
Jay spares a moment to be sad that Nix will only wear the suit once—because after tomorrow’s court case, no one will bear seeing it again.
Nix runs a finger reverently down the sleeve.
“For me?”
“Of course. Who else could wear such a beautiful garment? It was made just for you. See?”
She opens the front of the suit, and inside, Nix must see his name.
“Oh, it’s so pretty. Thank you. I love it. May I try thejacket on?” Nix asks.
Lauren helps him into it, and of course, it’s a perfect fit.
Finn huffs in surprise. “How did she know it would fit?”
Frankie shrugs, pride clear in her voice. “She’s amazing. She can take one look and size a person up. She’s never wrong…” She pauses, then coughs. “Well, with suits, anyway. ”
Gideon snorts again, Doodle perched on his head while Domino lies on his back, tiny paws batting at his fingers as he plays pat-a-cake.
