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“Don’t worry about it. I’ll just make something myself.”
Agnes gives me a little bow and sits down at the table to eat while I go make myself some pasta.
By the time I return to the table with my food, their plates are empty, and Agnes is clearing the table.
“Sorry we couldn’t wait for you,” she says. “But cold paella isn’t very tasty.”
Colton gives me an apologetic look.
“No problem,” I say, flashing another fake smile. For a second, I think Colton is going to stay at the table with me, but he stands up, wiping his mouth with his cloth napkin.
“I have work to do,” he says simply, then disappears from the kitchen.
Colton
I’ve been a jerk these past couple of days. I know that. Just when Jane and I started getting closer, I shut it down for my own good. And hers. It’s better I don’t get too involved. She’s just another one of my employees, after all, and we need to keep some distance between us.
But humans are weak, and the fact that I’m standing in front of a pet store right now is proof of that.
The place is quite busy, and many of the owners actually shop with their pets. I didn’t know that was a thing. Does the pet have a say in what their owner buys?
I spotted the store when I parked for my meeting, and I thought I could buy a few things for Truffles. So Jane can forget that I’ve been a cold prick these past few days, and because I crave her smile. The genuine one, not the polite grin she’s been giving me every day.
As I enter the shop, causing the bell to ring, a golden retriever barks at me as soon as I step through. He probably knows I’m not exactly a pet lover.
I speed-walk to the back of the store, and the dog’s barks give way to the hum of motors in the fish tank area. This is the kind of pet I should be getting. Peaceful.
Finally, I find the cat section, and the amount of stuff for sale makes my head spin. Two entire aisles are reserved just for food. Then, there’s one for beds and litter boxes, another one for trees and scratchers, and a last aisle for toys of every size and shape.
I’m pretty sure Truffles doesn’t have much to play with. I grab a couple of toys, a scratcher post—better that than my furniture—and some kibble because I don’t know how much Jane has left. But when I’m walking toward the register, my eyes fall on the most beautiful cat tree. It looks fun, seems comfy, and would go well with my interior. The beige and brown color scheme features a mix of wood and plush carpet.
After paying for my purchases, I have to make two trips to the car just to fit it all in. Good thing I took the Range Rover today, the added bonus being the floral remnants of Jane’s perfume inside—but I’m happy to do it. Truffles is being forced to live in a small area of my house, so I want her to be comfortable. I see how much Jane loves her.
When I get home, I unload everything and leave it piled in the living room.
“Hey,” Jane says, striding from her wing with her purse in hand and an annoyed expression on her face. She stops, her brow wrinkling. “What’s all this?”
“There was a pet store near my meeting,” I say, then realize how defensive that sounded. “I thought Truffles could use some stuff.”
Jane’s eyes widen to match her smile, and my heart gets trapped in my throat. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
“It’s fine. I wouldn’t want her to get bored and scratch up all my furniture, so, you know . . . Better safe than sorry.”
“Right,” she says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, thanks. In that case, I’ll take the cat tree to her ASAP.”
“Leave it here,” I say. “I’ll put it together tomorrow.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m sure I can figure it out.”
“I don’t mind, really,” I say, putting my hands in my pockets and a smile on my face. “By the way, I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight, if you want? Another sighting of us in public wouldn’t hurt.”
“Oh, sure. I just have to run to the store real quick.” She adjusts her bag’s shoulder strap, the tension on her face returning. “Agnes didn’t see that the grocery list had two sides, and she forgot all my stuff.”
“Okay. Do you want me to come with you? We can drive to the restaurant afterward.” Weak. I’m so weak and unbalanced. One minute I barely talk to her, and the next I can’t give her space. But it’s reflective of the battle raging inside of me: One side craves spending time with Jane, and the other doesn’t want to be in the same room as her.
She bites her lip. “Okay. I’ll go get changed.”
She takes the rest of Truffles’ stuff and disappears behind the door to her wing’s corridor. A few minutes later, she reappears in a beige blouse that’s tucked into a black skirt. Her cinnamon hair is brought up into a simple bun, and she put some medium-pink lipstick on. The fact that she can look so spectacular in such a simple outfit baffles me. But I have a feeling Jane looks incredible in anything she wears.
