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That brief interlude of sweetness I’d seen from her at the shelter had yet to make another appearance And I had no doubt that she’d soed my phone underneath there to spite me

"Listen, cat, I don’t knohy you hate me so much, but you must have missed the memo I rescued you" Flat onfor ot closer, she let out her now farowl

"Yeah, yeah, shut up"

I had to push half my body into the crevice between the furniture and the floor to reach etting in

2 roaned I should have just left it under the couch At that ain, for the third time I answered, "Hi Mom"

"Why didn’t you answer the first two ti okay?"

"I’m fine, Mom I just couldn’t find my phone"

"Oh, well, you should really have a spot that you put it every time you come home, that way you always knohere it is"

"I’ll keep that in anization is old news What else is happening in your life?" I swear, my mother was the only person in the world who didn’t think I was a neurotic control freak because she was infinitely worse She asked the inevitable question, "Have you otten aith face to face

"I’ot cast as a lead in a play"

"Oh, that’s nice," she saidinto theatre was a waste ofdeal"

"Of course it is honey You just kno your father and I worry We’d feel so much better if you had someone to take care of you financially"

There was a knock at the door, and I went to answer it as I spoke "First of all, financial security is not a good enough reason to get married, Mother, even if it uy to take care of me I can take care of myself" Garrick was on the other side of the door, alot to hear the tail end of , and if I could have reached through my phone to throttle o, Moroaned and said, "Goodbye"

Hanging up felt so good I was tempted to call her back and do it a second tilared at him "You’re early" I’d just pulledon straightening it before he ca under the couch, I was dusty, too

"Is that okay?"

It would probably be pretty rude to tell hio home and come back in an hour

"No, it’s fine You can watch TV or so roo how much improvement I could do in five minutes

I pulled the band out of my hair, and looked at the wavy, damp mess I had to ith There was no tihten it And if I dried it without straightening it, I’d have a fluff ball for hair I usedit up inthe curly look would do I worked a little bit of mousse into it, but that was all I had time for I put on a quick coat ofhe was okay with the au natural look

When I ca TV, and Haht ball on his chest I stood there in shock, certain I was drea "Hey, your hair is curly" I nodded I alht He said, "I like it"

I was still stuck on the fact that ic powers That was the only answer

"Co Haerly, a few feet away

I pointed at Hamlet, and said, "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Get her to let you hold her"

"It’s a her?" he asked

"Yes, and she hates everyone Especiallyout our issues"

He laughed "Maybe she’s ave her a boy’s name"

I reached out a hand to pet her, and as always, received a growl for ht Ha her, which ated to the opposite cushion because h That was so I didn’t want to think about I mean, obviously, it was a secret relationship, so it wasn’t like we necessarily needed labels, but I was curious What would happen when the year was up? Would we even last that long?

I got up to start dinner to distractI trusted myself not to screhen I was nervous And well… I was always nervous around Garrick He apparently had the opposite effect on Hamlet, as fast asleep in his lap

I sa of opportunity for what I’d been craving since he arrived

I left the food cooking on the stove, andup the moody one, but I placed a hand on his shoulder, and leaned down for a kiss Since his hands were trapped beneath Haot to control the kiss My hands found his hair, which was as addicting and soft as always, and the kiss deepened I kissed him hard, because I could, and he ht before that he’d refused to give me

I didn’t want to pull back, but I did have dinner on His eyes were dark e separated "I think you hed "Yes, I planned this all Haain"

He didn’t have to ask er The longer I knew him, the bolder I became I liked it… almost as much as I liked him

Someone knocked on the door, three loud raps, followed by three more only seconds later Our breath was still short from the kiss, and I wasn’t sure if the too-quick-thump ofsomeone?" he whispered

I shook h the door, "I know you’re here, Bliss! Open up!"