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Was there any other choice? It wasn’t like I could say no to a grieving woman who saw giving this card to me as the bright side of her husband’s funeral.
I tapped the card on my palm. “Thank you. I’ll call Saoirse tomorrow.”
Maybe this would turn out to be exactly what I needed to truly move on with my life.
Chapter Seven
Miles
There was a soft knock on my office door followed by my business partner, Saoirse, strolling in. Her gaze dropped to my lap, and she pursed her lips, unimpressed.
“You stole my cat.”
I stroked Clementine’s back and grinned. There was no denying the big ball of orange fluff parked in my lap. “Is it stealing when your cat walked into my office, climbed onto my lap, and fell asleep? I didn’t choose this life, this life chose me.”
Saoirse perched her ass in the chair in front of my desk, all attitude. “I know about the treats you keep in your drawer. This is bribery.”
“You don’t have to bring your cat to work, you know. Most cats stay home and nap all day.”
“You try leaving her when she’s pouting. Not possible.” She jutted her chin. “But…I guess you can keep her in here for a while longer, if you really want.”
I leaned forward, instantly on alert, which Clementine did not like. She let me know by digging her claws into my thigh and meowing like I was murdering her instead of slightly shifting her.
“What do you need me to do for you?” I asked.
Saoirse’s mouth formed an O. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You would never voluntarily give me your cat. Tell me what you want in exchange.”
Saoirse had married my brother Weston’s best friend Luca a couple years ago. Us going into business together had started with a casual conversation over drinks. Saoirse had needed funding, and I’d had it in spades. I’d needed a change and new direction, and Saoirse had provided that in our partnership. She’d always been good at helping people set up their businesses, and as it’d turned out, I had something of a knack for it too. Graphics and visual marketing were my main areas of expertise, but I did a lot of everything for my clients. It made the work interesting. No two days were the same.
“Okay, there might be one thing.”
I cocked my head. “Give it to me. I’m ready.”
“Clara sent me a lovely woman who wants to start a small catering business. We can help her, but I am stretched to the max and can’t take her on as a client right now. I looked at your schedule, though, and you can for sure.”
I picked up my pen, wobbling it between my fingers. “A catering business? Aren’t there enough of those in Denver?”
“It’s not quite catering, but I don’t know what else to call it. You’ll have to hear her explain it.”
“So, it’s a foregone conclusion I’ll say yes, huh? Did you schedule her an appointment with me?”
She rubbed her lips together. “Even better. She’s in my office. You can talk to her right now.”
I groaned, further disturbing the princess napping on me. “You want me to walk in there blind?”
She dismissed my concern with a wave. “This is an informal meeting, so don’t worry about it. Besides, I told her I’m springing her on you. She won’t expect you to have a PowerPoint presentation prepared.”
“Holy alliteration, Batman,” I said, earning an eyeroll.
“If you’re reducing me to a comic book character, I’d like to be Catwoman—the Michelle Pfeiffer version.”
“Fine, Catwoman, come get your feline friend so I can meet this—what’s her name? Or am I not allowed to have any information about her?”
Laughing, she scooped her cat off my lap and started for the door. “Her name is Daisy Dunham. Isn’t that the cutest?”
Daisy? There was no way…
