Page 22 of Fall at Once

How he’d done it, I would never know. He was a fat cat, and it had been, at best, a three-inch gap with a dang screen that he’d somehow knocked to the ground.

“Come on, Kenny. Come back inside where the cat treats live.” I tried coaxing him back through the window, but he was terrified and stayed stubbornly stuck in place with his butt against the trunk and his big golden eyes locked to mine.

He yowled at me, and I jumped, sloshing my coffee on the pink and white tiled counter. I set it down, trying to determine if I would fit through the window. I decided I wouldn’t. Plus, getting stuck halfway through a window would be way more embarrassing than someone seeing me climb a tree to save a cat.

“Fine, have it your way. I’m coming to get you. I have to go down to the sidewalk and climb up. Don’t move.”

He meowed plaintively, digging his claws into the bark.

“Damn it,” I muttered. I grabbed my backpack and dumped the contents on the wing chair by the fireplace, wincing when Sage and Victor jumped up to start pawing through it. Whatever, that was future Madi’s problem to deal with.

I made it to the sidewalk and managed to climb the tree. Lucky for me, there were plenty of sturdy branches to use; it was almost like a ladder. It was precarious, but I wasn’t worried I wouldfall—not yet, anyway.

But Kenny was stubborn and scared. He refused to budge, so I was now straddling a branch about two stories off the ground, wondering what the hell to do.

I was way too high to look down. I tried not to panic while also trying to convince Kenny to get into a backpack so I could strap him on and climb down, but he was not having it.

Gigi was right. This cat was an idiot. But I’d fallen in love with the fluff-brained little demon, so I was not about to let him yowl his way into an early death stuck up in this freaking tree.

“Come on, Kenny. I won’t let you fall,” I singsonged while trying to inch close enough to grab him and stuff him in my backpack.

I hadn’t adequately thought this through. I had one hand on the branch above me for balance. How the heck was I supposed to climb down with him, let alone get him into the damn backpack?

“Need any help?”

I slammed my eyes shut.

It was Cole.

Because, of course, it was.

I was a makeup-free, hair in a ponytail, sweaty mess. And my cute Lululemon set had gotten filthy on my way up the tree; I’m pretty sure I snagged it on something, too. Pale pink and dirty tree bark did not mix.

I was joking when I said his rescuing me was our thing. Lesson learned. No more jokes are allowed.

Still, I managed to shrug slightly before looking down to findhis brother Tate and friend Pace standing at his side.

I had an audience.

Even better. Damn it.

“Cat up a tree. This is classic,” Tate joked. “Who’s going up to get them?”

Pace slugged his arm. “We’re happy to help. Can I go inside? One of you can pass me the cat through the window.”

“Good thinking, thank you,” I shouted down. And yes, it’s unlocked. Go right in.” Over the last couple of weeks, I’d met the entire Cozy Creek Fire Brigade. They were all good guys, but that didn’t mean I wanted them to see me in all my calamitous glory.

“I’m coming up to get you. Hang tight,” Cole announced before hopping up to grab a branch and rapidly scaling the tree until he was suddenly straddling the branch across from me and a little above.

“Hang tight.” Tate chuckled at his accidental pun. “It’s going to be okay, Madi. I’ll stand right here and catch whoever falls first.”

“This is so not funny,” I hollered down to him.

“It’s a little funny,” he countered. “One day, we’ll look back on this day and laugh our asses off.”

“Doubtful,” I muttered.

“Ignore him. I find it best that way,” Cole said. “I’ve got you both, I promise.”

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