Page 33 of Cat’s Guide To Romance

“But your basement was very cozy. I loved living there.”

I chuckle. “I know. It's a nice place, but Mama's got it rented out again. And they're a bit grumpy. They aren't as fun as you.”

I turned to Gabe. “Do you think your old place is renting? Or oh, what about the Cookie Place?”

I text the group chat again, making Lark and Gabe chuckle.

Talon answers the question about Cookie Place.

Talon: Sorry. Wick and Ethan already rented it out.

“Oh, dang,” I say. “Not to worry. I know there are plenty of places I can go. I just have to find them. And hope they're furnished. But what the hell do I do with myself?”

I don't want to tell everyone about the pendant just yet. I'm not entirely sure how I want to use it.

“You're thinking really hard about something,” Pike says.

Okay, nevermind, time to confess. “My papa is like me. He's got a tail and ears while he's human.”

They all look at me.

Beau chimes in from the phone. “I didn't know your papa was still around.”

I snort. “Oh, yeah, he only comes around every five, six, seven years or so. Except now he's retired, so he's going to be home all the time. No one needs me anymore. Family dinner was so weird because Mama kept telling me to sit down. And my siblings all helped instead of me doing everything with mama's direction.”

“Well, that's cool,” Beau says. There's a sound on the other end, and in the next blink, Beau and Poe are here.

Beau hugs me tight. “I couldn't sit there and just talk to you on the phone. I had to be here.”

He plops down to the bar seat next to me and spins like I had. Frankie bounds up to him and licks his knee, making him laugh.

“Oh, Frankie, you make me smile.” Beau slides to his knees and scratches the Hellhound.

Before we know it, Talon and Wren are here also.

“So,” Wren says, “When are we doing an apartment warming party?”

I hold up my hands. “Oh, no. I don't need one. Actually, I don't want one. I really want to just find a place and enjoy it. Maybe I'll sleep in. Mama said that one of my sisters can take Ferris to and from school or papa can instead of making me do it every day. But I enjoy it. Well, I think I do. It's a routine. I've been doing it for years. It's gonna be so hard not to follow every day like I used to. I'm gonna have to figure something out. But I'm not afraid, I don't think. Is it scary to move out, to be alone?” I look to the bar top and sigh. “I'm excited, but I'm freaking out. It came on suddenly. Dad kicked me out.”

“What do you mean, your dad kicked you out?” It's as if everyone says it in unison.

“Um, I may have withheld some information.” I pinch my pointer finger and thumb together.

“Uh, you think?” Beau rolls his eyes as he adjusts his over the ear headphones.

“Well, it didn't seem relevant because mom told him that I’m not kicked out. But I decided that I am leaving home.”

“But not Hex.” Beau looks at me with pleading eyes.

“No, never Hex. I'm always going to live here. I can't see me living anywhere else. But I will go on adventures. Curiosity got the cat and all that.” I wave a hand.

“And satisfaction brought him back,” Beau says, giggling just a little bit.

“Exactly. I'm a cat. I need to roam, but I need a home base, and that's always Hex.”

Lark wiggles his brows. “And what if a certain demon coaxes you out?”

“Oh, no.” I wave my hands. “I will not be living in the human realm, even if Lucien is a sexy demon.”