Page 56 of The Alpha's Protective Mate

She approaches me, her eyes wide. “So, he finally showed up, huh? What did he want?”

“He asked me out on a date,” I mumble, my head still spinning.

“And you said…?”

“I said no.” I blink several times. “He and I, we’re from very different worlds. It’s not going to work.”

Clearing my throat, I begin walking back to the cupcake display, my heartbeat unsteady. Jazz trails after me. “So what if he’s some crazy rich guy? He’s clearly head over heels for you! That’s gotta count for something.”

I open the display and start setting up the cupcakes. “I want a simple, peaceful life, Jazz. Robert Montgomery is the furthest thing from that kind of person.”

“He seems peaceful enough.” Jazz leans over the glass display case, watching me. “Besides, if a man looked at me like he was just looking at you, I’d be eating him up.”

“What?” I stare at her. “Eating what up? And I thought you had a boyfriend. Aren’t you and Marcus madly in love?”

“Yeah,” Jazz shrugs. “But Marcus is a boy. Robert is a man. A much older man.” Her brows wiggle. “More experienced, more willing to spoil you, more—”

“So, you want me to make him my sugar daddy?” I gape at her, unable to follow her train of thought.

She rolls her eyes at me. “You don’t have a single romantic bone in your body, Charlotte. I meant that older men know what they want. They’re looking to settle down in life, and when a man looks at you the way Robert does, he’ll put the whole world at your feet if you just ask.”

I close the display case and get to my feet. “You, Jazz, read too much into how he looks at me. The man has ‘trouble’ written all over him. I don’t play with trouble. Trouble needs to keep a ten-foot distance from me or get tased.”

My friend scoffs. “Like you would tase Robert. I saw the way your cheeks were all red. He’s not the only one who’s got the hots.”

I can’t really argue with that, so as I fix the disposable cup stand, I say, tightly, “It’s complicated, Jazz. And shouldn’t you worry about your own relationship? I haven’t seen Marcus for a few days now.”

Jazz’s expression darkens. “Neither have I. Do you think Dad paid him off like they do in the movies? ‘Take this check for fifty thousand dollars, and stay away from my daughter!’“

She mimics her father, and I chuckle. “Somehow I find it hard to see your father giving anybody that amount of money.”

“True,” Jazz says ruefully. “He’s such a miser. I’m not worth fifty grand to him.”

“You’re priceless to him,” I remind her. “He dotes on you.”

Jazz makes a face. “He hates Marcus, though.”

I choose not to comment on that. I met Jazz after she started dating Marcus, but from my few random conversations with her father, it’s clear that Marcus is the reason Jazz changed her whole personality. I’m only a few years older than Jazz, but perhaps my life experiences were harsher, so I’m quite critical of her boyfriend. Not that I would say anything. Marcus does seem to like her, so at least there is that.

“Anyway,” Jazz changes the topic. “Shelby told me something was wrong with Mano. She’s been at the vet?”

The mention of my cat has me grinning. “Oh, yeah. She wasn’t eating that much, but her stomach was bloating, so I asked Ricky to take a look at her. I dropped her off at the shelter the other morning.”

Jazz studies my face. “I’m assuming it wasn’t bad news?”

I chuckle, still a little shocked by the surprising outcome. “Apparently, the little hussy went and got herself knocked up by my neighbor’s cat. I thought she was fixed. Ricky thought she was fixed. I don’t know what happened. She’s got little babies growing in her. He came by after work yesterday to let me know because my phone was off.”

Jazz’s lips part. “Wait! Mano’s having kittens?!”

“Yep.” I beam.

“Can I have one?”

“Sure.” I shrug. “If she doesn’t mind parting with one. I’m not making any promises. She’s very possessive. But if she doesn’t want to give up her babies, we have five newborn kittens at the shelter who will be up for adoption after two months. I can bring you pictures if you want.”

Jazz rests her chin on her palm. “That’s okay. I’ll come by myself after work sometime this week. I’ve never seen the shelter, so it’ll be nice to check it out.”

I glance at Jazz silently. Things must be really bad between her and Marcus for her to want to visit the shelter just to have something to do. Normally, she spends every waking minute outside of work with Marcus. I know not to pry. When she’s ready, she’ll talk about it. I doubt it’s as simple as Marcus just avoiding her.

---