“It’s not that I don’t want to.”
He smiled. “It’s all right, Paige. I’m the one imposing on your time now.” He pushed the cart forward. “I swear we had cats when I was a kid. I just had no idea how much stuff they needed. I appreciate your taking pity on my lack of cat knowledge. I’m sure you had better things to do tonight.”
Ugh. She should embrace this. Josh was a great guy. She hadn’t met anyone she liked nearly as much in a few years. Why should she toss this out just because she was worried about how her friend would react? Whynotgo for it?
“I mean, I could get a sandwich,” she said. “And finish my errands tomorrow.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. But I’m going home after that. No funny business.”
He grinned. “All right. No romance, no funny business. Just two friends who secretly want to jump each other’s bones eating totally not romantic and not sexy sandwiches before they part ways for the weekend.”
“Jump each other’s bones? You think highly of yourself.”
“Oh, please. Like you don’t want to get on this train.” Josh stood back and gestured at himself.
Paige laughed. “Okay, okay. Come on, let’s finish up here.”
“What can possibly be left? Half the store is in my cart.” But he pushed on to the next aisle.
Chapter 9
Two days later, Josh returned to the Cat Café. He didn’t see Lauren or Paige when he walked in, so he walked up to the counter. The barista who’d been handling donations at the fundraiser was there, a tall, pretty woman with dark skin. Her name was…Monique.
Josh walked to the counter and said, “Uh, hi, I’m here to pick up Mr. Knightley.” He held up the empty cat carrier he’d brought.
Monique smirked. “Yeah, Lauren mentioned. Congratulations on your new friend.”
“I feel like I need to make it really clear that he chose me.”
“That’s usually how this goes.”
“That’s what Lauren said. I wasn’t, like, looking for a cat or anything, though.”
“Sure you weren’t. I believe you. That’s why you’re standing there with a cat carrier.”
Josh sighed. He’d spent the last few days preparing his apartment. He’d stayed up late one night to finish unpacking the boxes. He’d spent Saturday assembling his desk and then setting up all the stuff he’d bought with Paige. So he was all ready for Mr. Knightley to move in, although he still couldn’t believe he was getting a cat. It wasn’t the sort of thing he imagined for himself, although he was a teensy bit excited. As he’d set up the litter box and found a good place for the cat bed, he’d imagined having a little furry friend in his apartment and how nice it would be to have a purring cat at his side on the nights he got stuck working late.
He would never admit that to Lauren, though. He didn’t want her to get that “I told you so” expression on her face.
“Lauren’s in the back,” Monique said. “She can help you.”
Josh peeked back toward the cat room. He could see through the glass door that Lauren was busy with some customers. “You know, I’m not in a hurry. Can I have a latte?”
Josh hadn’t spent any time in this space aside from the fundraiser. It might be nice to have the full cat café experience. He looked around while Monique made his latte. The front part of the café was separated from the cat room by a wall with a glass door, and on this side of the door, there were three café tables and a smattering of chairs set up, but the more comfortable seating was back with the cats. There was a little vestibule in the front, too, likely as extra insurance against the cats getting out.
Josh still couldn’t believe he was adopting a cat. He was a total sucker.
“Lauren said you’re a lawyer,” said Monique.
“Just barely.”
“My sister just graduated from law school, too. She works at Weiss & Polk now. Do you know it?”
“I do. I’ve heard great things. One of my law school classmates works there.”
“I never see her anymore. I think she sleeps in her office.”
