Page 17 of Hidden Hero

Ever efficient, Joseph nodded. “I’ll get their paperwork ready. They’re up to date on all their shots, and Samantha can review their health records with you.”

As Cora filled out the adoption forms and listened to Samantha’s advice about transitioning the cats to their new home, Max and Mia explored the room, already comfortable in her presence. She bought a litter box, litter, dishes, and food from the shelter, accepting Joseph’s offer to place the items in her vehicle.

The jingle over the door sounded, and Samantha said, “I have an appointment coming in. Joseph will be right back.” A moment later, Cora heard Samantha say, “Hey, Jeremy!”

She blinked in surprise, then shook her head. There were lots of Jeremys on the shore. But her thoughts of avoiding the mystifying detective were soon shot down as he walked into the room, his gaze searching until it landed on her. He smiled widely.

“Hey, Dr. Wadsworth. What a surprise.”

Her gaze dropped to the animal carrier in his hand. A long yowl sounded from the carrier, and her gaze leaped back to his face. “You have a cat?”

“Yeah.”

Dumbly, she repeated, “You have a cat.”

He cocked his head to the side as he stared intently at her. “Are you okay?”

Her head jerked, and she quickly recovered from her surprise. “Yes, I’m fine.” Flustered, she shrugged. “I would have expected you to have a massive dog with a deep bark. I didn’t see you as a cat person.”

Jeremy stepped closer and looked down as she tilted her head back to hold his gaze. “I like to think I’m a man of surprises, Dr. Wadsworth.”

For a moment, the loud barking and meows became muted, as the only thing she noticed was the handsome detective staring at her. Then suddenly, his attention dropped back to the two cats at her feet, and he grinned.

“Are you adopting cats?”

She smiled. “Yes. Your detective reasoning is correct.”

He threw his head back and laughed. Then he held her gaze again. “I have to say that you don’t seem like a cat person to me, either.”

“Then I guess we’re both full of surprises.” What shocked her the most at the moment was making small talk, which seemed easy and not forced.

Before she could ponder that further, Samantha said, “When you’re ready, come on in the clinic, Jeremy. Let’s check out Tommy Girl.”

Cora’s brow furrowed. “Your cat is named Tommy Girl?”

He shrugged while still grinning. “Yeah.”

Since he wasn’t elaborating, her curiosity continued. “Is it a boy or girl?”

He laughed. “She’s a girl.”

“But Tommy is a boy’s name.”

His grin remained as he lifted his brows. “Not necessarily. We shouldn’t assign genders just to a name.”

She huffed and nodded at his gentle rebuke. “I agree. I shouldn’t assume that the name Tommy is a boy. But… well… it is sort of unusual.”

As though saving her from further embarrassment, he quickly explained, “When I rescued her, I thought the kitten was a boy. And don’t give me any gruff about anatomy. She was a tiny kitten, and it’s hard to tell. So I named her Tommy. But as soon as I discovered she was a girl, she was already used to the name Tommy, and I didn’t want to confuse her. She simply became Tommy Girl.”

She stared, uncertain of what to say. Finally, she said, “That’s smart. And strangely sweet.”

He laughed again. “I can be smart and sweet, you know?”

Flustered, she sighed, wondering what about the detective made her feel less in control. She squared her shoulders, hoping to regain her usual composure. “I assure you, Detective Pickett, I have no doubts about your intellect,” she said, her tone even. Her gaze dropped to the carrier, and a small smile softened her features. “And I applaud you on your choice of pet.”

They stood for another moment, neither speaking, yet something unspoken seemed to hang in the air between them. It was a weight she couldn’t quite identify, a strange energy that left her feeling both vulnerable and intrigued. Deciding she was more tired than she realized, she looked back down at the adorable cats still at her feet, ready to take them home.

Joseph returned to the room, scooped up the cats, and placed them into a carrier for her. Once they were secure, she stood and reached out to take them from him, but he said, “I’ll take them to the front desk for you, and you can finish the paperwork when you’re ready.”

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