Page 36 of What the Doctor Ordered
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously but she didn’t notice since her face was turned away from mine. Something that I learned quickly about Kiley is that she wasn’t good at hiding her emotions; she wore them on her sleeve, even when she wasn’t trying to.
I decided to let it drop for now. I was taking her out on an actual date and didn’t want to sour the mood. There would be plenty of time to figure out what was bothering her after. Perhaps this little outing would even loosen her up.
Kiley looked around in confusion as she stepped out of the car. “Where are we?” she asked.
I couldn’t blame her for her reaction since this did look a little sketchy. We were downtown, which was known for its hills and hidden shops, most of them tucked away and not visible from the street. The location of this place made it that much easier to surprise Kiley.
I just took her hand, leading her down the hill. “Trust me,” I said.
Kiley nodded and I was surprised to see determination cross her features as she followed me down a narrow alley.
When we emerged out the other end, we were met by a crowd waiting in front of a colorful door made of stained glass. Upon closer inspection, we could see that the patterns on the door were in the shapes of different animals.
Kiley searched for a sign but found none. “Are we going in there?” she asked, gesturing at the long line of people waiting to get in.
“Yes,” I replied, grinning, and I took her hand before pulling her to the front of the line.
A young woman gave us an annoyed look. “The end of the line is back there,” she griped, gesturing behind us.
“My name is Simon Vale,” I said.
The girl’s eyes immediately widened, her jaw dropping. “My apologies, Dr. Vale,” she said, ducking her head. “Right this way.”
I kept my eyes on Kiley’s face as we entered, wanting to take in her reaction. This was a new animal cafe that opened up just a few weeks ago. It wasn’t just themed around animals, though. Here, you could enjoy a fine meal while watching animals in their enclosures. There were cats, dogs, rabbits, and even someless common pets like adorable little hedgehogs, playful ferrets and chinchillas, tropical birds, and reptiles.
Kiley looked around in awe, pausing when a fluffy orange cat came up and rubbed against her leg, purring up a storm.
“You can pet him if you want,” the hostess said with a grin at Kiley. “Most of our pets love being petted and cuddled.”
I had made our reservation for the cat room, where fluffy felines roamed free while guests ate their meals.
“They are all pretty well-behaved for the most part,” the young woman told us as we sat down at a booth. “But if one of them is a bit pushy and tries to get at your food, just let one of us know and we’ll boot them off for you. We just ask that you use hand wipes before and after petting them while you’re eating.”
“Thank you,” I said.
She nodded, set down a large container of wipes, and left us to peruse the menu.
I looked up to find that Kiley was absolutely glowing as she looked around the large room, a beatific smile spread wide across her face. She wasted no time in bending down to stroke one of the cats that had taken a liking to her, winding its way between and around her ankles.
I smiled at her. “You already have to wipe your hands,” I told her, thoroughly amused.
Kiley looked sheepish but then grinned cheekily. “I just can’t help myself,” she laughed, plucking a wipe from the package. “I was like this as a kid too. If I went to a birthday party, I spent more time with any pet that was present than I did with the other children.”
“I can imagine that pretty easily,” I told her.
I found myself watching Kiley throughout our time at the cafe. She could hardly sit still long enough to take a few bites before she was leaping out of her chair to go pet another cat. The dominant in me wanted to grab her and order her to finish her food first but I couldn’t bring myself to do that.
This was the first time for me to see Kiley completely carefree and unguarded. I could feel my chest warming as I watched the way her bright green eyes shimmered and she seemed to dance as she skipped around the cafe.
“I had so much fun,” Kiley exclaimed as we were leaving.
“I did too,” I told her sincerely. “I was never much of a cat person but they kind of grew on me today.”
Kiley laughed but then nodded seriously. “Cats are so misunderstood,” she said before grinning up at me. “They honestly kind of remind me of myself. I can be shy and guarded sometimes, but if you’re nice and gentle with me, I can be friendly.”
That took me by surprise. “I would have to disagree,” I replied.
Kiley looked affronted. “How come?” she asked, a slight tone of demand in her voice.
