Page 72 of Better Luck Next Time

“Sounds foolproof,” Adalia said, but she had to admit that as much as she encouraged Dottie’s kookiness, she was worried about how the cat would react to Tyrion. He already seemed scared, and she didn’t want to traumatize him any more than necessary. Nor did she want any of the humans in the room to lose an eye.

“I need to find the dear and send her toward the circle with the sage,” Dottie said, glancing around. “Now where did she wander off to?”

“I know how to draw her,” Adalia said, glancing out the back window to check on Tyrion. He looked content enough, but she didn’t want to leave him out there any longer than necessary. She grabbed an oven mitt from a drawer and put it on the kitchen table. That done, she started adding things to the blender: frozen strawberries, frozen peaches, orange juice, and a generous squeeze of honey.

“Um, Adalia,” Finn said. “Are you making the cat asmoothie?”

“I know it sounds nuts,” Adalia said, “but every time I make a smoothie, she’s on the blender like I’m chopping catnip. No interest in margaritas, though. Go figure.”

“She’s definitely Jack’s soul companion, not yours,” Finn said with a small smile. “I’m not sure what that says about him.”

She nudged him. “Anyway, one time I caught her licking the container, so I figure we can use the smoothie to subdue her, too.”

“That’s what the crystals are for,” Dottie said.

Adalia grimaced. “Maybe we should have a backup plan. Finn, get a laundry basket from the basement.”

He hurried off, and when he returned with the white plastic basket, he looked so triumphant she was tempted to pull up “Eye of the Tiger” on her phone. “Got it,” he said, “and may I state for record that I feel much better about trying to trap her with this than with that flimsy nylon collapsible carrier I used last time. Now how does a smoothie draw a cat?”

“Not justanycat,” Adalia said. “Watch and learn.” She pressed a button on the blender, creating a loud grinding sound, and seconds later, a black streak shot into the kitchen, jumping up on the counter. Jezebel started attacking the blender, screeching and hissing, her paws flying.

“What the hell?” Finn shouted as Adalia backed up out of reach of the cat’s claws.

Adalia donned the oven mitt and grabbed the electric cord, trying to pull it from the wall, but Jezebel took a swipe at her.

“Trap her, Finn!”

Finn rushed forward with the basket but tripped on a crystal and missed. The basket hit the blender, tipping the appliance over onto its side. The lid popped off, and smoothie shot all over the counter and walls while Jezebel continued attacking the blender as if she were in a fight for her life. The machine slid across the granite counter, spreading the strawberry concoction all over Adalia’s and Finn’s chests and faces…and everywhere else.

Adalia burst out laughing, trying to reach the cord again, but slipped on the wet floor and fell, her butt cheek landing on a crystal.

“Oww!”

Finn reached for her, concern in his eyes, but she waved him off and got to her feet, determined to shut off the blender before the cat managed to reach inside and hurt herself. Ignoring Jezebel’s frenzied clawing at the small appliance, she got a good hold on the cord and yanked.

As soon as the blender stopped, Jezebel halted her attack and became completely complacent, looking at the blender as though wondering how she’d gotten there. She jumped off the counter and landed in the center of the circle, sitting on her butt in front of the sardines.

Finn sprang into action and slammed the basket over her. Instead of fighting him, she lay down and licked her paw and sniffed the sardines, totally calm.

“See?” Dottie beamed, clapping her hands. “My plan worked.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Finn was going to be late for dinner with his parents, and he had half of a fruit smoothie on him.

Too bad he still didn’t want to leave.

They’d brought Tyrion inside, and the dog had instantly gotten to work licking up the splatters of smoothie that covered the kitchen like a Jackson Pollock painting, tail wagging the whole time. Only when the kitchen floor had been licked clean did he approach the laundry basket that was now bucking and weaving under Finn’s hand, Jezebel hissing and spitting like a possessed thing.

“Let them smell each other, dear,” Dottie said. “The animal world is primal. That’s how they’ll know they’re friends.”

Which was well and good for her to say. Finn didn’t want to lose a hand.

Except Tyrion took one sniff of Jezebel and immediately backed up and lowered to the ground, head between his paws. Another growl from the cat, and he turned over onto his back, revealing his stomach. He had at least sixty pounds on her, but he was acknowledging her dominance.

“Smart man,” Finn said. “He knows she’s in charge.”

“Smart man, indeed,” Adalia said, raising her eyebrows.

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