Page 63 of Rewrite the Rules

I’m relieved that it’s Cody standing next to me. If Joel were here this would be borderline inappropriate—in the realm of romantic.

“Where is—aaaarghh.”

Something furry torpedoes into the back of my knee causing my leg to buckle. I ungracefully collapse to the ground. I’m suddenly on my back looking into a pair of giant yellow eyes. They blink at me as if to say, ‘your move’.

“Damn cat!” Cody shouts but stays as still as a statue.

“Well, you’re awfully forward, aren’t you?” I whisper to the rather large feline…that I’m talking to. Seems about right.A part of me knew I’d always end up a crazy cat lady.

A rough sandpaper tongue drags across my face. He curls up and makes himself right at home on top of my breasts and stomach. He begins to purr so aggressively it’s like I’m holding a vibrating massage pad from Sharper Image.

I mumble in a warm tenor as I stroke his furry head. “You didn’t have to tackle me. All you had to do was ask and I would’ve pet you.” My head knocks against the hard floor and I rest my gaze on the trickling stars above me as my furry new blanket burrows into me.

“Why are you on the floor?” A familiar voice fills the room.

Cody responds on my behalf. “Addie may be concussed because your demon steed attacked her from behind.”

“Off, boy!” Joel commands. “Attacked?” His voice softens as he addresses me. Joel holds his hand out and flashes that charming smirk. The five o’clock shadow he wears makes my stomach flit. I love how his scruff feels brushing against my cheek.

“He was just playing. I lost my footing.” I stand up and adjust my sweater and bra. Accident or not, a cat just got to second base with me. “He’s a sweetie. What’s his name?”

“Sweetie?” Cody scoffs.

“Felices,” Joel answers. He pronounces it slowly—Fell-ee-sees.

Hmm, Felices…Felices…why is that familiar? Felices…Felix Felices…Felix the Cat…I mumble incoherently to myself as Joel and Cody watch me in concern.

“Got it!” I exclaim at the end of my detective work. I turn to Joel triumphantly. He did mention that as a kid he read the entireHarry Potterseries about four times through. “You named your cat Felix Felices after theHarry Potterluck potion? That’s pretty awesome.”

Joel smiles warmly. No, proudly. “I’m impressed, Baby Spice.”

Cody looks at me, then Joel, and shakes his head with bewilderment. “Marry her, bro,” he mutters. “She’s the only woman on the planet who thinks that’s awesome. Promise you.”

* * *

Much to Joel’s annoyance, Cody joins us for dinner. He pulls two bottles out of the fridge and hands one to me. I almost thank him until I see the red label.

“What?” he asks. “Not a beer kind of girl?”

“Cody-cakes, I realize you are a new resident of this great mountain state so I will forgive you just this once, but moving forward, you can leave your Clydesdales at the state line, my friend. You are officially in Coors country now.”

Joel’s hearty laughter sounds from the kitchen. The butterflies in my chest are flapping wildly but after months of these delicious nerves, I’m used to it. I steal glances at Joel’s body whenever his head is turned. He’s dressed in sexual-casual this evening, wearing dark gray athletic pants paired with a black t-shirt that slightly hugs the washboard sitting below his broad chest. He looks misplaced in this fancy penthouse which only makes him more appealing to me.

Joel joins Cody and me in the living room. He holds out a bottle with the correct label with the icy blue mountains. He winks at me before turning to Cody. “I told you she’s a beer snob.”

“I’m not a beer snob, I’m a brand loyalist. Two totally different things.”

Joel isn’t wasting time with space tonight. He sits right next to me on his oversized leather couch which is so deep and wide it can easily double as a bed. My feet don’t touch the floor if I sit all the way back, so I press my knees together and tuck my legs to the side, ensuring the soles of my shoes don’t scuff up the leather couch. Joel spreads his legs into a wide V so his thigh lines mine, warming me. He lightly traces the long zipper of my boot with his fingertips. Up then down. Like he’s trying to decide between off or on.

“Cody, weren’t you going out tonight?” Joel juts his head to the door and gives Cody an obvious look.

“No. I thought we were all going to hang out, eat some ’za, maybe catch up onThis Is Us.I’m still on season three and am in the mood for a series binge. It could takeallnight. Addie-cakes, you down?”

“Sure am. But I warn you, I’m on season five and I’m a total commentator. You’ll hear more of my voice than theshow.” I don’t mind having Cody around for a while. It takes some of the pressure off.

“Cody, leave. Now,” Joel barks.

Cody retreats, laughing heavily as he swipes his keys off the kitchen island. I’m assuming his intentions were always to leave us alone, he just wanted to provoke Joel first.

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