was nearing six o’clock and the cat hadn’t left her lap, Sophie simply picked her up and set her down before heading inside.
Opening the side door that led right into the kitchen, she was surprised to see the cat had followed her and dismayed when it darted around her legs and sped inside. She quickly followed it, hoping to catch it and put it back out before anyone saw it, unsure of how any of the Pendeltons felt about animals.
“Well, look what the cat brought in, a cat,” James said with a smile as he bent down and scooped up the cat with a familiarity that had her wondering if it was his. “Just where have you been all this time, Sammy?”
“She’s your cat?” Sophie was relieved it belonged to one of them and the way Sammy was pushing against James’ hand for attention, she guessed it was his.
“Actually, she was Nicole’s cat. She disappeared a few weeks ago and we all feared she had gotten hit by a car. It’s nice to see you again, Sophie. Are you joining us for pizza?”
“We had to threaten her, but I’m glad it worked,” Nora stated as she and Rachel came in followed by Ash who carried four large pizza boxes.
“Good lord!” Sophie exclaimed, the aroma from the closed boxes enough to make her drool. She hadn’t eaten since late morning and hadn’t realized how hungry she was. “How many others are joining us?”
“Just us. We like leftovers.” Ash’s smile slipped when Sammy jumped out of James’ arms, hissed at Ash and ran out of the kitchen. “That damn cat never did like me. When did she show back up?”
“She came in with Sophie and she’d like you if you’d give her a little attention,” James scolded him.
“Kind of hard to do since I’m allergic to them.”
“I wonder where she’s been,” Rachel said as she grabbed plates and napkins and carried them to the counter. “We’ll take her home with us if you want, Ash.”
“I’ll take care of her,” Sophie found herself offering unexpectedly. “I mean, if it wouldn’t bother your allergies too much, I wouldn’t mind feeding her and keeping an eye out for her.”
“Cats are resilient,” James said as he grabbed three slices of pizza and took a seat. “Food and water and some attention and they otherwise take care of themselves.”
Giving her a wink, Ash said, “Go ahead and keep her here, Sophie. That way you’ll feel sorry for me when I break out in hives and give me some TLC.” He waggled his eyebrows making Sophie laugh as Nora slapped him behind the head as she took a seat next to him. “You’ll pay for that, sweetheart.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Where’re Adam and Adrian?” Nora asked as she sat next to James as Sophie joined them also.
“There’s a problem at the Portland factory and it was Adrian’s turn to check into it. Even though I offered to go since there’s a certain honey down there I wouldn’t mind seeing again, he insisted he wanted to take it. Adam’s got a date with someone, but wouldn’t say who.”
The crestfallen look on Nora’s face indicated she had stronger feelings for Adam than she did the other guys, but she quickly bounced back and joined in on the ribbing and Sophie found herself relaxing and enjoying the way they bantered with each other, a banter that held a lot of sexual innuendos that had only her blushing. She soon learned Ash was the playboy, the one who was in charge of overseeing the managers at other factories and arbitrating when problems arose. From the way he talked, he also had a woman in each city that he favored visiting.
As much as she had enjoyed their company, Sophie had intended to head upstairs as soon as they were finished with dinner, but they had other ideas.
“Come on, Sophie,” James said as he took her hand and led her out of the kitchen. “It’s my turn to pick the movie and I promise to choose something you like.”
Since a movie sounded tame enough, she went with them into the den where the five of them spread out on the
Opening the side door that led right into the kitchen, she was surprised to see the cat had followed her and dismayed when it darted around her legs and sped inside. She quickly followed it, hoping to catch it and put it back out before anyone saw it, unsure of how any of the Pendeltons felt about animals.
“Well, look what the cat brought in, a cat,” James said with a smile as he bent down and scooped up the cat with a familiarity that had her wondering if it was his. “Just where have you been all this time, Sammy?”
“She’s your cat?” Sophie was relieved it belonged to one of them and the way Sammy was pushing against James’ hand for attention, she guessed it was his.
“Actually, she was Nicole’s cat. She disappeared a few weeks ago and we all feared she had gotten hit by a car. It’s nice to see you again, Sophie. Are you joining us for pizza?”
“We had to threaten her, but I’m glad it worked,” Nora stated as she and Rachel came in followed by Ash who carried four large pizza boxes.
“Good lord!” Sophie exclaimed, the aroma from the closed boxes enough to make her drool. She hadn’t eaten since late morning and hadn’t realized how hungry she was. “How many others are joining us?”
“Just us. We like leftovers.” Ash’s smile slipped when Sammy jumped out of James’ arms, hissed at Ash and ran out of the kitchen. “That damn cat never did like me. When did she show back up?”
“She came in with Sophie and she’d like you if you’d give her a little attention,” James scolded him.
“Kind of hard to do since I’m allergic to them.”
“I wonder where she’s been,” Rachel said as she grabbed plates and napkins and carried them to the counter. “We’ll take her home with us if you want, Ash.”
“I’ll take care of her,” Sophie found herself offering unexpectedly. “I mean, if it wouldn’t bother your allergies too much, I wouldn’t mind feeding her and keeping an eye out for her.”
“Cats are resilient,” James said as he grabbed three slices of pizza and took a seat. “Food and water and some attention and they otherwise take care of themselves.”
Giving her a wink, Ash said, “Go ahead and keep her here, Sophie. That way you’ll feel sorry for me when I break out in hives and give me some TLC.” He waggled his eyebrows making Sophie laugh as Nora slapped him behind the head as she took a seat next to him. “You’ll pay for that, sweetheart.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Where’re Adam and Adrian?” Nora asked as she sat next to James as Sophie joined them also.
“There’s a problem at the Portland factory and it was Adrian’s turn to check into it. Even though I offered to go since there’s a certain honey down there I wouldn’t mind seeing again, he insisted he wanted to take it. Adam’s got a date with someone, but wouldn’t say who.”
The crestfallen look on Nora’s face indicated she had stronger feelings for Adam than she did the other guys, but she quickly bounced back and joined in on the ribbing and Sophie found herself relaxing and enjoying the way they bantered with each other, a banter that held a lot of sexual innuendos that had only her blushing. She soon learned Ash was the playboy, the one who was in charge of overseeing the managers at other factories and arbitrating when problems arose. From the way he talked, he also had a woman in each city that he favored visiting.
As much as she had enjoyed their company, Sophie had intended to head upstairs as soon as they were finished with dinner, but they had other ideas.
“Come on, Sophie,” James said as he took her hand and led her out of the kitchen. “It’s my turn to pick the movie and I promise to choose something you like.”
Since a movie sounded tame enough, she went with them into the den where the five of them spread out on the
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