Page 220 of Keep This Promise
I roll my eyes. “Maybe Mopey was afraid of the people asking too many questions if she said one thing.”
He shrugs and continues the story. “Sounds fair. One day, Mopey met another cat, he was very handsome with soft fur and dazzling eyes. He was quite the catch, and Mopey thought that—”
“Colon,” I cut in.
“Colon?” Holden’s tone is quite unhappy.
“Yes, it’s where the poop collects, I hear it’s quite full of it, actually.”
“Full of what?” Eden asks.
“Poop,” I reply.
His smirk makes my heart race. “Fine, Mopey and Colon, the best love story ever told. Anyway, Colon drank way too much . . . milk. He was really not feeling well that night. He was hanging out with all the other cool cats when he ran into Mopey. She instantly wanted to be Colon’s best friend.”
Eden tilts her head. “Why?”
“Because he was super nice.”
“Or because Mopey was also not feeling well from the milk she drank. She was rather unlike herself,” I offer.
“This is my story, Sophie. No more butting in.”
I raise my hands in surrender. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. However, I’d like it noted there are historical inaccuracies and timeline issues.”
“It’s fiction.” He turns back to Eden. “Now, Mopey and Colon really liked each other. She was also very beautiful, and another cat was being mean to her, so Colon saved her.”
Eden sucks in a breath. “Like a prince!”
“He was a prince, in fact.”
“The Prince of Poopville,” I say under my breath.
“Hey, Poopville is a very nice town filled with wonderful people. They are happy to have Colon as their leader,” he teasingly scolds.
This story is just too much, and yet, I love it. The three of us curled up, telling silly bedtime stories after a harrowing five days. It feels so right, so perfect, even if the story is about two drunk idiots who have no idea what they were doing then—or now.
“This is silly, Holden.”
He taps her nose. “It is, but I didn’t get to the best part. After Colon saved Mopey from a horrible mean cat, they were happy. She moved to Poopville and became the princess of poop.”
“Oh, that’s enough,” I say through laughter. “You need to get some sleep.”
Eden opens her arms, and I lean down, letting her wrap her arms around me. Then she does the same to Holden.
“Good night, bug,” he says, kissing her cheek.
“Good night.”
I kiss her other side. “Good night, my darling girl.”
“Good night, Mummy.”
On our way out, we click her lights off and softly shut the door. Standing in the hall, alone, the energy shifts. The air feels heavy with anticipation. We haven’t been alone since the night we had sex in his office.
I’m unsure if he’ll kiss me now, if I want that, or if I will be able to keep myself from going to him.
Holden releases a heavy breath and extends his hand. “Come with me.”
