Page 65 of Unlikely You

“Yeah,” I said, and she squeezed my leg again. We’d reached my apartment, and Honey drove down the street to find a parking spot for her truck.

“You okay?” she asked me when she turned the truck off and we were left in silence together.

“Uh huh,” I said, but my voice sounded like it came from someone else.

It was still raining, but Honey reached into a bin she had in the back and pulled out an umbrella.

“Wait right there.” She got out and came around my side to open my door and be there with the umbrella to shield me. She was always thinking of things like that. So considerate.

“Shall we?” She gave me her arm like she was a gentleman and I was a lady wearing a dress that she was helping step over a puddle.

I led us both toward my apartment and then up the stairs to my door. Honey shook off the umbrella and left it beside my door. Someone was probably going to steal it.

“I have a cat,” I announced after I’d unlocked the door but before I opened it.

“You do? I have a few cats, but they live in the main house with my siblings, along with the dogs.”

Oh. Right. I’d warned Honey about my cat just in case she was scared or allergic, forgetting that she literally lived on a farm with many animals.

I opened the door and Arson was right there, screaming her displeasure at being left alone.

“I know, I know, calm down,” I said, sticking my leg out so she didn’t dart into the hallway. That had happened a few times and I’d had to trap her and remind her what happened to bad kitties who escaped from their apartments. Just because she’d been a feral kitten didn’t mean she could survive the city streets.

Once I moved Arson back from the door, Honey dropped down to a crouch.

“Oh, hello gorgeous,” she said in a soft voice, holding her fingers out for Arson to sniff.

“Her name is Arson,” I told her, and Honey laughed softly.

“Good name. Bibliofile didn’t tell me about the cat.” I hadn’t, and I didn’t know why. Too personal.

Arson cautiously approached Honey, giving her fingers a little sniff before bonking her head against Honey’s hand.

“Oh you’re just a little love, aren’t you?” Honey said, and Arson totally melted, coming over to rub up against her legs before rolling onto her back.

“Wow, she normally doesn’t do that with strangers.” Arson was a spicy cat on most days, but with Honey here she was a furry little orange marshmallow.

“That belly looks like a trap, so I’m not going to touch it,” Honey said, stroking Arson’s head before getting to her feet again.

“Smart,” I said, suddenly hit with the fact that Honey Holloway was in my apartment.

Staying near the door, I watched as she took in the space. It was a little cluttered due to the fact that it wasn’t just my home, it was also my office and warehouse and sewing room.

“This is so cool,” she said, stepping over to where I had my sewing machine in the window.

She turned and beamed at me, as if she was pleased.

“You’ve got it so organized, but I’d expect nothing less.” Arson abandoned me and went to twine around Honey’s legs.

“Did you, uh, want a drink?”

I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I’d had someone else at my apartment. You were supposed to offer people drinks, right? Drinks and food?

“Oh, sure. Whatever you have is fine.” She leaned closer to inspect my row of printers.

“You do the bookmarks and stickers yourself too?” she asked.

“Yeah. It gives me better quality control. And I can make new designs or print as many as I need right away. It made much more sense to invest in my own printers. I only had one at first, but as the business grew, I added more.”

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