Page 25 of Cat’s Guide To Romance

He growls and crosses his arms as he leans against the pillar holding the porch roof up. “Tomorrow you're going to start working with me over at mom’s farm.”

“Oh, no, I'm not. I enjoy working at Flutter and Fangs. You're not going to tear me from that. Not after I’ve done your job for the last…I don't know, my entire life?”

“What do you mean, you did my job?”

“I parented your children. I didn't even get a childhood.”

“Well, it's your fault that I had to go away and leave you all behind.”

My heart pounds and I drop my arms. “What do you mean my fault?”

He waves at my head and I know my greatest fear has been realized. “You cannot put this on me.”

He glares back at me. “If you had a full human form, the entire family could have come with me. But since you can’t shift I had to leave you all behind.”

My hands open and close. I try to take in a breath, but the air won't come. “It's not my fault that I only have a partial shift.”

“You’ll be working with me over at mom’s tomorrow. Doing whatever she wants us to do.”

“No, I will not. Me and Grandmother have come to an agreement that I am allowed to work as I wish since I take care of the kittens.”

“Well, I'm home now.”

I snort. “For how long this time?”

“Forever. I retired.”

I meet his eyes. “What? I thought you liked your job.”

“I loved it, but your mother’s been complaining that I'm never home.”

“Because you’re not. She’s been working her fingers to the bone for the covens and you’re never here. I wish you were, because then I could have a life.”

“Don't you take that tone with me. You should be grateful.”

“Grateful?” I laugh and throw my hands in the air. “Grateful that I can't do anything because I'm watching the kittens or running around doing whatever mother asks.”

“Excuse me for trying to provide for the family.”

“Mama's income from working with the Covens is more than enough to take care of us all. You left because you wanted to.”

Father grinds his teeth and looks away.

“Admit it,” I say. “You're ashamed of having a son that only has a partial shift into his human. I'm a freak and you don't like that.”

He growls again and waves a hand at me. “Never mind, we'll talk after dinner.”

“No, we won't, because after dinner I will be sleeping then going to my job to get away from all of this.”

Of course the door opens and Ferris's head peeks out. “Do you hate me?” he asks so softly and my heart drops.

“No, I don't hate you,” I say with a little more fire than I intend. “I love you. And you're not a burden. I don't want you to think that.” I drop to my knees and pull him into my arms. “I love you so much, Ferris. And I'm not mad at you at all. I'm mad at him.” I nod to our father. “He stole my childhood.”

“What does that mean?” Ferris asks.

“You'll understand when you're older.” I kiss the top of his head and push back to my feet. I squeeze his shoulders. “Go back inside and help mama. I'm sure she probably needs a little bit of the help.”

“Alrighty. Love ya.” He presses a kiss to my cheek before turning on his heel and going back to help mama with whatever she's tasked him with doing. I turn back to father. “You don't even know how to comfort your own children. And that makes me sad for you.” I try to push past him to go back inside, but he grabs my wrist.