Page 58 of Fall Hard

“Speaking of things that aren’t romantic gestures,” Kit said with a roll of his eyes as Leo moved to the driver’s side. “How’s the artwork coming along?”

I’d spent all weekend pretending that Bryn wasn’t avoiding me as I practiced painting the copies Kit had sketched for me and had finally settled on one that didn’t look as awful as the others.

“Good,” I summarized as I climbed into the car.

“Jamie’s?” Leo asked, looking at me in his rearview as I stuck my finger through the bars so Ky could sniff me.

“Yeah, thanks.” Oh, crap. That was one thing I hadn’t considered—would Jamie care that I’d brought Ky home? I mean, chances were that she wouldn’t be home enough to really notice, but still. I gnawed on my bottom lip as we drove the short distance between the mall and the apartment and Kit helped me carry things upstairs.

“Do you think Jamie will be mad?”

“Isn’t Jamie always mad?” Leo muttered and I choked on an unexpected laugh as I tried to keep Ky’s carrier as still as possible when we walked up the stairs.

We lugged the stuff inside and set her up in the living room. I hadn’t ever set up a litter tray before, but after searching online it seemed pretty simple.

I opened the door to the carrier and Ky instantly ran out and hid under the sofa, peeking out at us with big eyes.

“Hey,” I called to Kit as I stood up and moved to the hall entrance, “can I talk to you for a sec? Will you watch the kitten please, Leo?”

Leo nodded and Kit followed me into my room, stopping short of my desk when he saw what sat atop it.

“What do you think? Will she like it?” I figured it would be good to show another human before I presented the artwork to Bryn. If Kit visibly recoiled, then I would know to burn it.

Kit lifted the thick paper carefully, examining it closely before he smiled, the piercing in his tongue flashing in the light. “I think she’ll love it.”

I felt relieved knowing that he approved, and he watched that emotion cross my face, nodding slightly. It may not have started out as a romantic gesture, but it had kind of ended up that way.

We sat back down in the living room and watched TV and chatted while we waited for the kitten to come out from under the sofa. She’d only ventured one paw out from beneath by the time Bryn got home.

She stopped short when she saw Kit and Leo on the sofa sitting with me, her eyebrows quirking up. “Is this an intervention?” Then she noticed all the extra stuff we’d piled into the corner and the litter tray by the window. “What is going on?” Before I could say anything, a streak of gray ran out from under the sofa and twined around her legs and Bryn melted before our eyes. “Oh my god.”

“She came out!” I squealed and then clamped a hand over my mouth when Ky shied away. Bryn scooped her up into her arms and stroked her head under her chin.

“Who is this?”

“Ky.”

“She’syours? Isn’t this the kitten from the shelter?”

“May thought we would be a good fit,” I said, somewhat defensively.

“Holy shit.” Bryn smiled when Ky licked her hand and brought her over to me, placing her into my lap. “Why Ky?”

“Short for Valkyrie.”

“Obviously.” Kit snorted and Leo chuckled. “Why not Val?”

“Because she’s a brave kitty warrior, not a bartender.”

Bryn rolled her eyes but couldn’t resist petting her some more. If it got her to come within five feet of me, then I would take it.

We played with the kitten, tracing a long ribbon back and forth for her to swat, until she fell asleep on my lap, purring. Kit and Leo left just as Jamie walked in and did a double take. I had thought I’d have more time before I’d have to break the news to her.

“I know I’m not here that often, but when did we get a fucking cat?”

I laughed and then immediately stopped when Ky’s eyes fluttered open briefly. “Well, you know how I had my first shift at the shelter today?”

Jamie raised her eyebrows. “You already caved?”

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