Page 110 of Something Borrowed

She scrunched her nose—so cute! But also, yeah, definitely feeling shy about something. A niggle of worry gnawed at him, though her expression was still warm.

“I’m not sure how you’d feel about this—and believe me, I’ll understand if you want to pass and just continue as is with sleepovers and the like . . .” She grinned, and he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her right then and talk later—but he was curious about what she was going to ask, so managed to refrain.

“Is there any chance you’d consider moving in with me?” Her face went pink—and Cal suddenly understood the expression he’d had a hard time interpreting. Not shyness, or not just shyness. Hope.

He felt like his heart might burst.

Vic’s face scrunched again. “Of course, that would mean you’d also be saying yes to moving in with Audra.”

Cal wanted to jump up and down and cheer. He’d live with six Audras to get to live with Vic—okay, maybe not six. But one, yes. He could handle the one. He wanted to pull Vic into his arms and kiss her till their lips went numb. And he also wanted to address her “really, really like you” comment and clarify his own feelings to her. Not like, or not just like. Something so much more—

In the end, he did none of those things—and he didn’t get a chance to answer Vic. The porch light flicked on, and the door opened. Audra checking up on them?

No, Audra letting Christmas out—

Wait!

Three cats came out. Three!

Cal’s jaw dropped.

“Oh, right,” Vic said, grinning but raising her eyebrows a bit tentatively. “I should’ve said Audra and the cats.”

“Christmas multiplied. You and Audra decided, then.”

“Well, you know what they say . . . You can never have too much of a good thing. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Well, you got your wish! How are the new ones, personality-wise? Christmas is so mellow, it’s hard to believe she was feral.”

“Sister isn’t as chill and friendly as Christmas, but she will be, I think. Mother is healthy and has been freshly spayed—but the prevailing thought is she’s too far gone, has been feral too long, to ever really enjoy human company.”

Sister had disappeared almost the same instant she appeared, but Christmas was plonked down on the top step now, one back leg stretched high in the air, grooming her nether regions with visible pride. Mother was curled nearby, head up and alert, but not particularly anxious-looking.

Cal looked skeptical. “She seems pretty friendly to me.”

“Yeah, I’m wondering if being in the house with her kittens helps make it not so weird for her. I mean she won’t jump on your lap or anything yet—and maybe she never will. The only person she seems to really like is—wait for it—Audra.”

Cal laughed.

“But she’s fine. She has family to love, a roof over her head, and food in her belly. She seems . . . happy.”

“It’s all anyone needs.” Cal grinned, but he felt somber, like he was giving his oath even if that wasn’t how Vic would hear it. “I definitely want to move in with you and Audra and the cats. I’m honored, in fact. I want to be part of your life, period—in whatever form feels good to you. I really, really like you, Vic—but also . . . I love you, and I plan to love you better than you’ve ever been loved—for the rest of your life.”

Vic blinked rapidly and Cal stroked her lovely cheek with one finger. “Let’s go play with some cats, shall we?”

Epilogue

Christmas twined around Vic’s feet and Sister nudged at Cal’s leg. Mother looked outraged when Vic and Cal scooped up and cuddled her offspring. She did a strange little series of annoyed hops, then strode off.

A lot had changed as the end of winter eased into spring, then bloomed into summer. It had been one thing to have Cal come over a lot and another for him to officially move in, so they’d run it past Audra, careful to make it clear that if she had even the smallest reservations about it, he wouldn’t.

Cal had been shocked that Audra didn’t object at all, but Vic wasn’t surprised. She seemed to like Cal better than Vic most days.

“Wrench Monkey’s not all bad,” Audra said a week or two into their new arrangement. “He maintains the place decently—and he likes cats.”

“That’s as close to a rave endorsement as I’m ever going to get, isn’t it?” Cal asked against Vic’s hair, arms entwined around her from behind.

“Absolutely,” she agreed.