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My eyes widen as I can’t help but smile. “Seriously? You want me to—”
“Yeah. Cover the President’s campaign till Fred’s back on his feet. Of course that means being on the road for weeks at a time.”
Suddenly it hits me.
The kittens.
My face drops a bit and he notices. “I thought you’d be doing cartwheels, Madison.”
“I, uh … well, I have some personal obligations. I would, uh, have to make some arrangements.”
“Something with your family? Everyone okay?”
Hell, I can’t tell the guy I might blow off the plum assignment of a career to take care of a bunch of kittens. “Yeah, it’s … well, it’s personal.”
“I hope you’re okay, Madison.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Listen, Barry, can I let you know on Monday?”
“Sure. But I can’t wait any longer. I need a yes or no first thing Monday morning, and if it’s a no I have to give the assignment to Jennifer.”
He just made the decision even harder.
Chapter Four (#ulink_341b8984-72c0-53a3-9a8a-ac73dea660d1)
It’s Friday night and I’m waiting for Kelly so I can go out and have a drink with my friends.
I need their input on this very difficult decision I have to make. Actually, the most difficult career decision I’ve ever made.
The doorbell rings as I’m staring at the ball of fur asleep in the box. When I get up and open the door I don’t find my cat sitter, but my next door neighbor the veterinarian. “Hi Jeff, I didn’t know you were back. How was your vacation?”
“Wonderful. How was the Hamptons? I hear it’s spectacular.”
“Didn’t go. Long story. I don’t wanna tell it and trust me, you don’t wanna hear it.”
“Oh. Anyway, I just got back and I thought I’d see where the kittens ended up. So, since you didn’t take them with you on your trip did you find a shelter to take them?”
“Nope. They’re still here. I never bothered to look for a shelter. C’mon in and check ‘em out.”
He moves inside, crouches down next to the box and starts to examine the kittens. “They look very well fed. And clean. You’re doing a really good job with them. I’m impressed. If you ever want a job as my assistant, let me know.”
“I cannot take all the credit. Rory runs kitten day care for me while I’m at work.”
“Now that’s a true friend.” He reaches into the box and pulls out a kitten. “Let me give them a quick check. This one looks good.” He picks up each one and nods. “They look fine, Madison. Bring ‘em by the clinic next week and I’ll give them a thorough exam. No charge.”
“That would be nice. Thank you.”
He stands up and smiles. “I must say, I never expected this from you.”
“I never expected this from me either. But I got attached to them really quick.”
“And they can get attached to you. When you get kittens that young, they can imprint on you.”
“Huh?”
“Imprinting. That means they think you’re their mother.”
I stir my drink, not really looking at it but deep in thought.
Presidential campaign.
Leaving kittens who think I’m their mother. Would it break their little hearts?
Don’t answer that.
“Earth to Madison …”
I look up and see my three friends staring at me. “I’m sorry. I’ve never been in a position where I have absolutely no idea what to do. It’s the assignment every reporter dreams about, and it should be a no-brainer. But … damn, I just don’t know.”
Rory reaches over and pats my hand. “Whatever you decide, we’ll support you. You know that.”
A.J. sips her drink. “You leanin’ one way or the other?”
“It changes every five minutes. Of course it doesn’t help that if I turn it down the queen bitch of the newsroom will get the assignment. And she would find a way to rub it in my face every day till the election.”
“Don’t even take that into consideration,” says Tish. “I know you, and I know you want someone else to make this decision for you. That ain’t happenin’. This one you’ve got to figure out for yourself.”
“I know. At least I’ve got till Monday morning. Dammit! Why does this have to happen now?”
“Because sometimes life gets in the way of our plans.” Like I said, Tish is the most logical. “Perfect timing is a rare thing.”
A waiter interrupts the conversation as he slides a drink in front of me. “From the man at the end of the bar, near the door.”
I look up and see a short, bald guy with a goatee in a leather jacket and a spider web tattoo on his neck. Totally out of place in a classy bar like this one. He shoots me a smile while chewing on a toothpick. Not remotely my type. I shake my head. “Not now.” I hand the drink back to the waiter. “Tell him thank you but I have a boyfriend.”
“Sure thing.” He heads back to the bar as I turn to my friends. “Didn’t need the kittens to eliminate that one.”
Rory laughs. “A man is the last thing you need tonight. Neither is a ride on a Harley.”
“I dunno,” says A.J. “It might clear her head.”
“The man or a ride?”
“Both, with or without the motorcycle.”
Just as she says that, the drink reappears in front of me, hand delivered by the guy. “I bought you a drink, least you could do is take it.”
I look up at him and lean back since the guy smells like an ashtray. “Look, I’m not available, so send it to some other girl.”
“C’mon, Red, lighten up.”
“I said I’m not interested.” I slide the drink away without looking at him.
A.J. glares at the guy and turns on the accent. “Get lawst, buddy.”
“Hey, I wasn’t talkin’ to you.”
“I’m counting my blessings.”
I feel his hand on my shoulder and whip my head toward him. “Get your hands off me.”
And then I see another hand grab the guy’s shirt collar and pull him away.
Officer Marino.
“You’re bothering these young ladies,” he says, now holding the guy’s arm behind his back. The cop is not in uniform, but dressed head to toe in black. “Did you not hear her say she wasn’t interested?”
The guy winces. “I was just talkin’ to her.”
“Bull. I heard the woman ask you to leave her alone.” He turns to me. “Do you want to have a drink with this guy?”
“Hell no.”
He looks at my friends. “Do any of you want a drink with this guy?”
“No!” A chorus from the girls.
The cop turns back to him. “Now, here’s a life skill for you to learn that applies to women. No means no. What part of no do you not understand, the N or the O?”
I can’t help but laugh at the line.
“Now apologize to the young ladies.”
“Sorry.”
“That didn’t sound terribly sincere.”
“I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“Good. Now we’re gonna take a little walk outside and I’m going to give you directions to the dive across town where I’m sure you’ll fit right in.” The cop turns and shoves the guy toward the door, following him out.
“Cute bouncer,” says A.J., watching him the whole way.
Rory smiles. “He’s a cop.”
Tish turns to her. “What, you know the guy?”
She nods and points at me. “The other night he pulled Freckles over in front of her house ‘cause she was speeding to get home to the kittens but he didn’t believe her story. So she invited him in to prove her case and he let her off with a warning after he saw the kittens. Of course, she gave him the Strawberry Shortcake look.”
Tish rolls her eyes. “Her trump card.”
“Hey, give me a break,” I say, stealing a quick look at the door. He still hasn’t returned. “He’s really nice.”
“Damn, a hot cop,” says A.J. “So invite him over to play stop and frisk. I’d jump on that if I were you.”
“You’d jump on anything,” says Rory.
A.J. waves her hand like she’s shooing a fly. “Pffft.”
“Anyway,” says Rory, “they had this big eye contact thing going and when he left he gave her his card, told her to call him if she needed anything. He’s definitely interested.”
I hear the door open and see Officer Marino come back inside and head toward our table. I slide my chair over to make room for him. “Thank you, kind sir. Appreciate the rescue from, as you put it, one of those ne’er-do-wells harassing me.”
“Not a problem.”
I pull an empty chair over from the next table and pat the seat. “Please, join us. I’m buying.”
“Sorry, I’m working. Hope that guy didn’t ruin your evening.”
“Thanks to you he didn’t.” I hear one of my friends clear her throat. “Oh, I’m being rude. Officer Marino, you already know Rory. That’s Tish and A.J.”
He nods at them. “Pleasure. We’ll if you guys are okay, I’d better get back to my duties.”
“So, you moonlight here?”
“Yeah, pick up some extra bucks. Saving up for a house. Well, see you around the neighborhood.”
“Sure. Thanks again.”
He starts to leave, then stops and turns back to me. “Oh, by the way, how are the kittens?”
“They’re doing fine. Fat and happy.”
He gives me a smile. “Good. Most people would have just dumped them at a shelter. It’s great that you didn’t abandon those little guys.”
Annddd … cue the guilt.
He heads back toward the bar while I turn back to my friends.
Rory locks eyes with me. “So … that clear things up a bit for ya?”
Kelly looks up from her textbook as I get home. “Have a nice time?”
“Yeah. Any problems?”
“Nope. They’re fed and cleaned up. All asleep but one.”
Suddenly I pick up the pace toward the box. “Something wrong?”
