understand the importance of the kitten.
As much as she wanted to avoid him, to ignore the invisible thread that pulled her to him, Kate had to talk to Scott Gray.
* * * *
Near five-thirty, Reagan came running into the kitchen where Kate was making homemade pizza. “He just got home!”
Kate caught her breath. It was time. Why should she be so reluctant? Just because her stomach was a jumble of nerves, that’s why. Scott was far too forward. Heck, he’d already asked her on what she considered a date. He’d stood behind her, touching her, in the stall. More importantly, he stirred within her a long-dormant sex drive she’d put on hold for motherhood.
And she had no business thinking or feeling things like that about him.
She was recently divorced. It wasn’t the time or the place for such physical reactions. Maybe, after Reagan went to college, there would be time to date. And time again for the pleasures of sex.
Besides, they had a past, one she wasn’t too comfortable with now she knew how hard it was to get over a broken relationship.
“Let’s get this over with,” she said to Reagan. They left Spike in the apartment and walked together to the other duplex.
On the front porch, Kate urged, “Go ahead. Ring the doorbell.” Kate had explained to Reagan, if Mr. Gray said “no,” then they couldn’t keep the cat. Silently, she willed him to say “yes.”
Reagan looked up at her with narrow, determined eyes, then turned and pushed the doorbell—hard—two times.
“Kate!” Scott did not hide his surprise when he opened the front door, but he quickly recovered when he noticed the child by her side. “And you must be Reagan,” he said with a smile.
Kate gently pushed Reagan forward. “Ask Mr. Gray,” she prompted then added, “He doesn’t bite.”
Scott lifted an amused eyebrow. “I see your opinion of me has improved, Mrs. Lawrence.”
“Not necessarily.” Kate’s face flushed. “But I’m sure you won’t intimidate a small child.”
“No, only her mother.” He hid his grin and turned to Reagan. “I take it you have something to ask me. Please come in.”
He stepped aside, inviting them into his living room. Reagan bravely lifted her chin and marched inside. Kate followed a bit more reluctantly.
She’d been in his apartment once on that stormy night when she’d been locked out. Now, she surveyed his living room, which mirrored the layout of hers, with renewed interest. The room was casual and uncluttered but expensively furnished. It could only be described as having a "man cave" feel about it.
In the far corner was a stone fireplace where gas logs promised cozy winter nights. A deep, plump sectional of gray corduroy wrapped around the fireplace and media center, which, like hers, was built into the adjoining wall. But his was more of a true entertainment zone. His flat screen TV was larger than hers which befitted the man cave image.
A black, rectangular coffee table held a row of four remotes, the morning newspaper, an empty coffee mug, an iPad and an Apple laptop. A mahogany rug beneath the coffee table and a few throw pillows on the sofa added warmth and pops of color to the room. The walls of the room were a lighter shade of gray and empty of artwork. There really wasn’t any space on the walls for pictures, she’d already discovered. The two windows, one in front and another one on the side wall, took up wall space but let in plenty of sunlight. His window coverings were white, wooden plantation shutters. A large floor lamp and a couple accent lamps provided more light.
“What can I do for you, Miss Lawrence?” Scott turned all of his attention to Reagan.
“Miss Sarah gave me a little kitten at the barn. She said I could keep it, but Mommy says I have to ask you first.”
“I didn’t know if you allowed pets in your apartment,” Kate chimed in, trying not to hold her breath until she heard his answer.
Scott studied the serious child and her equally serious
As much as she wanted to avoid him, to ignore the invisible thread that pulled her to him, Kate had to talk to Scott Gray.
* * * *
Near five-thirty, Reagan came running into the kitchen where Kate was making homemade pizza. “He just got home!”
Kate caught her breath. It was time. Why should she be so reluctant? Just because her stomach was a jumble of nerves, that’s why. Scott was far too forward. Heck, he’d already asked her on what she considered a date. He’d stood behind her, touching her, in the stall. More importantly, he stirred within her a long-dormant sex drive she’d put on hold for motherhood.
And she had no business thinking or feeling things like that about him.
She was recently divorced. It wasn’t the time or the place for such physical reactions. Maybe, after Reagan went to college, there would be time to date. And time again for the pleasures of sex.
Besides, they had a past, one she wasn’t too comfortable with now she knew how hard it was to get over a broken relationship.
“Let’s get this over with,” she said to Reagan. They left Spike in the apartment and walked together to the other duplex.
On the front porch, Kate urged, “Go ahead. Ring the doorbell.” Kate had explained to Reagan, if Mr. Gray said “no,” then they couldn’t keep the cat. Silently, she willed him to say “yes.”
Reagan looked up at her with narrow, determined eyes, then turned and pushed the doorbell—hard—two times.
“Kate!” Scott did not hide his surprise when he opened the front door, but he quickly recovered when he noticed the child by her side. “And you must be Reagan,” he said with a smile.
Kate gently pushed Reagan forward. “Ask Mr. Gray,” she prompted then added, “He doesn’t bite.”
Scott lifted an amused eyebrow. “I see your opinion of me has improved, Mrs. Lawrence.”
“Not necessarily.” Kate’s face flushed. “But I’m sure you won’t intimidate a small child.”
“No, only her mother.” He hid his grin and turned to Reagan. “I take it you have something to ask me. Please come in.”
He stepped aside, inviting them into his living room. Reagan bravely lifted her chin and marched inside. Kate followed a bit more reluctantly.
She’d been in his apartment once on that stormy night when she’d been locked out. Now, she surveyed his living room, which mirrored the layout of hers, with renewed interest. The room was casual and uncluttered but expensively furnished. It could only be described as having a "man cave" feel about it.
In the far corner was a stone fireplace where gas logs promised cozy winter nights. A deep, plump sectional of gray corduroy wrapped around the fireplace and media center, which, like hers, was built into the adjoining wall. But his was more of a true entertainment zone. His flat screen TV was larger than hers which befitted the man cave image.
A black, rectangular coffee table held a row of four remotes, the morning newspaper, an empty coffee mug, an iPad and an Apple laptop. A mahogany rug beneath the coffee table and a few throw pillows on the sofa added warmth and pops of color to the room. The walls of the room were a lighter shade of gray and empty of artwork. There really wasn’t any space on the walls for pictures, she’d already discovered. The two windows, one in front and another one on the side wall, took up wall space but let in plenty of sunlight. His window coverings were white, wooden plantation shutters. A large floor lamp and a couple accent lamps provided more light.
“What can I do for you, Miss Lawrence?” Scott turned all of his attention to Reagan.
“Miss Sarah gave me a little kitten at the barn. She said I could keep it, but Mommy says I have to ask you first.”
“I didn’t know if you allowed pets in your apartment,” Kate chimed in, trying not to hold her breath until she heard his answer.
Scott studied the serious child and her equally serious
Similar Books
