Page 20 of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe
The cat stared at her, its turquoise eyes wide. It was eerie in its intensity, like it could see into her soul. Maybe this cat was a ghost?! Or maybe Jeanie needed to lay off the candy and get to bed before she totally lost her mind.
‘Shouldn’t you blink more?’ she asked her new ghost-cat.
More staring, and then the cat stood and rubbed itself against Jeanie’s leg. Well, now what? Jeanie had never had a pet. Never had time for one. Growing up, she wasn’t allowed to have pets with fur or hair or feathers on account of her mother’s allergies. So, other than a few short-lived goldfish, Jeanie had never cared for another living thing in her entire life.
Unless you counted Marvin, which maybe she should, although that turned out really badly in the end.
She glanced back down at the cat, now suddenly convinced she’d end up killing the darn thing if Logan didn’t reappear very soon with that food. And then the cat started purring, the gentle vibration echoing up Jeanie’s leg. Well, that was kinda nice.
She stooped down and gave the little beast a scratch between the ears and the purring intensified. ‘Does this mean we’re friends now?’
‘It’s certainly a good sign,’ Logan’s amused voice told her from the doorway.
Jeanie smiled up at him. ‘We’re getting to know each other.’
Logan gave her the nod that meant he’d heard and acknowledged her, but had nothing to add to the conversation, something she’d never personally experienced. She always had something to add. Maybe she should try more nodding instead.
Logan made his way around her and the cat and rummaged in the drawers behind the counter. He found the can opener, and as soon as the can was open, Jeanie’s new friend suddenly had zero interest in head scratches. The cat beelined to the dish of food Logan set on the floor.
‘Hungry. No tags. Probably a stray,’ he said, leaning against the counter, arms across his wide chest.
‘You keep cat food in your truck?’
‘Of course.’
‘Of course...’
Logan ran a hand down his beard, his gaze still on the cat. ‘Never know when you might need it.’
‘Right,’ Jeanie said, biting down on a grin. This man was full of surprises. ‘Do you have a lot of cats on your farm?’
‘A few barn cats.’
‘And?’
Logan’s mouth hitched up in the corner. ‘Two goats, an alpaca, and half a dozen chickens.’
‘But I thought you were a produce farm?’
‘They’re rescues. They’re not there to work. Well, except for the chickens. They lay an egg or two when they feel like it.’
Seriously? He rescued animals, too? This guy was sure hiding a lot behind that beard and scowl. It made her really question her instincts, considering she initially thought he was a serial killer.
The cat finished eating and Logan sank into a squat to pet it. He was still in his socked feet, with the sleeves of his flannel shirt rolled up. His hair was rumpled from laying down and he spoke softly to the cat while he scratched between its ears. The whole scene was so domestic, so intimate, Jeanie had to look away. This was how it would be if he slept over; if they woke up together and came down for a cup of coffee before the day started. Jeanie wanted it so badly in that moment it took her breath away. The fantasy washed over her so quickly, she forgot to stop it. Is this what she’d been missing?
Soft, quiet moments in the early morning hours.
She wanted to hold onto it, but she didn’t know how. She’d never been able to before. Her life was fast and noisy, and she’d dived into it without really thinking. Life had just happened to her. For the past seven years, she’d managed to avoid thinking about what she wanted and now all she wanted was this man, petting this cat, and holding her against his strong body like he had before.
He’d almost kissed her. Her face flushed hot at the memory. He’d almost kissed her, and she’d wanted him to. Maybe he would try again...
‘I can give you the number for the vet I use,’ he said, interrupting her fantasy.
Huh?Vet for the cat. Her new cat. Right. Logan was not thinking about kissing her again, he was trying to help her with the stray animal that had apparently been tormenting her since she got here.
She cleared her throat, but her voice still came out strangely thick. ‘That would be great, thanks.’
Logan stood to his full height and ran a hand through his messy hair. The cat stared up at him, clearly already missing his touch.
