Page 16 of The Tiger in the Sack

I’m a woman of mystery

I’m a man in a helmet. We could start a club.

What are the other membership requirements?

Must own at least one cat with an excellent name

Vito says he’d like a full report on Tig. Comprehensive. Personality assessment, favorite sleeping positions, feelings on pigeons.

Is your cat trying to get my cat’s number??

He’s either networking or flirting. He takes this very seriously.

Tell him Tig is selective about his contacts, but is very interested.

Vito says that’s fair. He respects a cat with standards.

They have so much in common.

I was smiling. I could feel myself smiling and I couldn’t do anything about it and Fox was still sitting there staring at me with a goofy smile on his face.

“Cheerleader in a Tree?” Fox asked.

I looked up. He was reading everything. Upside down. Of course he was. Nosy bastard.

“Fox.”

“I’m not saying anything.”

“You’re reading my texts.”

He picked up his smoothie. “Cheerleader in a Tree is a very, let’s say, creative contact name for a girl who turned you down.”

I turned back to my phone. Time to shoot my shot again.

So about that ride

I was wondering when that was coming

Friday. If you’re free.

The three dots appear and disappear and appear again and I tried not to think about what that meant.

...Friday works.

I held my breath as the three dots appeared again.

Tell Vito that Tig has formally accepted his connection request. Pending references.

He’ll be in touch.

The little bubble appeared one more time and then disappeared without sending. I waited. Nothing came. She’d typed something and deleted it, which I was going to think about for longer than was reasonable.

I put the phone in my pocket.

“Friday,” Fox said.

“Don’t.”