Page 37 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

Mitch arched an eyebrow. “We had an open policy at my old job—anyone could bring their well-behaved dog. A couple of people groused about not being able to bring their cats—but given the potentially contentious relationship between cats and dogs, upper management nixed that idea.”

“Have you ever considered getting a pet?”

“I…uh…” He scratched the cat’s ears. “They like this, right?”

“Oh, he’s an attention guy—he’ll take whatever he can get.” She grinned. “And you were saying…”

“I never really considered it. Growing up, my home was completely unstable, and even when I was settled in California, I never felt secure. Didn’t seem fair to bring an animal into that kind of environment, and it turns out I was right.”

He glanced up and Loriana met his gaze. “There’s a lot to unpack in those short few sentences.” The look of panic on his face would’ve been priceless if it hadn’t been so serious. “Unstable home?”

“Mom died when I was eight—in childbirth. My dad wasn’t a great guy before that, and his disposition certainly didn’t improve. I stayed out of his way and under the radar until I graduated from high school. A bunch of us rented a house while we went to college. I was recruited to go down to the States and…well…”

“You never felt secure.”

“I was a stranger in a strange land. Their rules felt foreign. Yes, I spoke the language, but I didn’t understand the culture. People looked at me and made certain assumptions. Now, I’m not saying that didn’t happen in Canada—it did. But things were amped up where I lived. All I’ve ever wanted is to work hard, be good at my job, and to stay under the radar.”

She inclined her head. “What happened?”

“Nothing I’m comfortable talking about.” He gently placed the cat on the floor.

In return, Plato gave him the evil eye. Then the beast leapt onto his wicker chair. He spun twice before dropping to his butt, then lifted his leg and started cleaning his balls.

Mitch’s eyes widened.

She couldn’t help herself—she laughed. “He’s not subtle.”

“No, he’s not. And I need to be going.”

Damn. Me and my big mouth.

“You don’t have to leave. We can talk about something else. About anything else.”

Still, he rose. “I’ve had a lovely time, but I need to be going. I’ve had a long day.”

She put her mug on the side table and started to rise.

He held up his hand. “I can see myself out.”

“But I’ll drive you.”

“Loriana, it’s six blocks.”

She liked how he said her name. Way too much. Still, she wasn’t going to let her guest leave without escorting him to the door. She rose and followed him back to the door.

He bent to put on his boots. Next, he grabbed his coat and slipped it on. Finally, he donned his hat and pulled on his gloves.

“I can’t thank you enough for your help tonight.”

He chuckled. “I pulled a wagon.”

“You ensured Marnie and I were able to give all the kids something special. That means everything.” She snagged his hand.

His eyes widened.

Too forward? Oh well.

She wasn’t known for holding back. She tugged him toward her and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Mitch Alexander.” She whispered words into his ear.

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