Page 67 of The Marriage Deal
“Amend the rules?”
She snorts as she bobs her head in an exaggerated nod. “What do they call married people who get each other off?”
I swallow my laughter. “Happy?”
Her eyes cut to me. “I’m serious. Like friends with benefits, but we’re married. What’s the term for that?” She curses into her palms again. “Oh, my God, I’m going to fuck my fake husband, I just know it.”
“I’m pretty sure they just call it marriage, baby.”
She groans, shooting me a glare that dips to the bulge and back up again. She’s exquisite when she blushes like this.
Her words are quieter, a little breathless. “You know what I mean.”
Sensing that she’s not ready for more, I stand. “I’m going to take a shower.”
She swallows hard and bobs her head. “Okay. I’ll—um—make breakfast.”
I’m grinning the whole walk back to my room where I strip down and take care of what my little lunatic of a fiancée isn’t quite brave enough to take care of—yet.
26
HALF MAD BY NOW
LILAH
“Ohmigawwwd! He’s sooooo cute!” I’m obviously not the only one who thinks this of the little black kitten with its tiny back arched, kitten fur all puffed up. He spits big warnings from his itty-bitty body as Senior noses him, entirely unfazed by the little paw that swings to smack at his snout.
“Hey, little spookers,” I scold the scared kitten with a tone that sounds more like a coo as I pull Senior’s curious snout gently toward me.
I could have left Senior home, but why would I when he loves spending his days with me? And, really, most of my days are spent with flowers around town where passerby’s give him all the loving. Besides, it’s nice to have someone to chitchat to. Senior might not reply, but I know he listens.
Madelyn chuckles as she lifts the still spitting kitten. “This one is a fighter.”
“Where’d you find him?”
Something dark crosses her expression. “A lady from Summerland called. Said her son found a box of them in the ditch on her property when he came to mow. Her husband passed a couple months ago, and the ditch was overgrown, easy for passersby to miss.” She sighs with a heavy shake of her head as she gives the kitten a little squeeze. “This little guy was the only one to survive. Heat and lack of water got to them.”
“My God.” I massage the tips of my fingers into my aching heart. “I hate people. So much sometimes.”
“Me too.” She drops a kiss to the kitten’s head. “With patience and a bit of outreach, there are better ways. At the very least, drop them where you know they’ll be found quickly. Don’t leave them to die in a hot ditch.” Madelyn lets out a string of curses as emotion gets the better of her.
“I’m sorry, Mad.”
“Me too. We’re part of the problem. Vets, I mean.”
I frown. “How so?”
“Our prices are out of control.” I know I’ve really gotten her on a rant when she says, “People say, oh, well, don’t get pets if you can’t afford them. But it’s not that simple. Pets are wonderful companions, and don’t even get me started on the benefits of having a pet during child development. Besides, just because you can affordthem when you get them doesn’t mean you’re not going to fall on hard times. Everyone falls on hard times. I just had a woman call for a spay quote today because the clinic in her town quoted her nine hundred dollars to spay her small dog. Nine hundred dollars!”
“Jeez.”
“That doesn’t even account for the rounds of vaccines and dewormer I know the pup has had. Which round up to another thousand dollars.” Her eyes are big and passionate. “Then there’s the poor people who live out of town who constantly suffer the dumping of cats. They provide food and shelter but getting them spayed and neutered at the cost of some of these vets is unsustainable, which only adds to the influx of births—of strain on rescues. Because when people are desperate, they do desperate things. Clearly.” She sighs, shakes her head and mutters, “Sorry. I just remember very clearly a time when pet care was semi affordable.”
“The whole country is unaffordable right now.” I know it’s not a comfort, but I add, “And you’re doing what you can. You offer a whole month every spring of seriously discounted cat spay and neuters. You do all you can to help the ones in need. You’re part of the solution, Mad. Even if it doesn’t feel like it.”
She gives the kitten a small head pet. His mouth is open like he is going to hiss, but nothing sounds. Progress.
“I realize we have to make a living too, but I’m a vetand I think we’re overpricing basic care.” When I give her a small smile of sympathy, she looses another sigh. “Sorry. I just needed to vent. Days like these are hard.”
