Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 96292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“Flynn”—she pecks at my lips and grins—“I love hearing about your passion and seeing the sparkle in your eyes when you talk about it. Passion is sexy.”
“It’s pretty dim in this room. You’re not seeing any sparkling.”
Her cheek brushes mine, and she whispers at my ear, “I see you.”
I close my eyes as her hair tickles my face, and I inhale her scent. “I have something I need to tell you.”
“What?” She kisses the shell of my ear.
I lace my hands behind her back. If she goes to run, I can hold her. Beg her to stay and listen to me.
She picks something off my shoulder. “Cat hair,” she murmurs. “Where is Loki? Not to interrupt you. But he wasn’t in the bedroom, was he? Should we be worried?”
I can’t think about the cat when I’m on the verge of telling her something that could end everything. But maybe I should find him, then she can hold him while I tell her. Who can get upset while holding a purring kitten?
“I’ll check on him,” I say.
June stands and holds out her hand to me.
“I’ll pull you down.”
“I’m stronger than you think,” she says.
God, I hope so.
I pretend to let her help me up.
We check in Callie’s bedroom. He’s not there. So we peek our heads in the other bedrooms, including Rupert’s, while calling, “Here, kitty, kitty.”
“I’ll check Rupert’s office,” I say. “You check the kitchen.”
“Okay,” June says at the bottom of the stairs.
I don’t reach Rupert’s office door before June calls my name. Spinning around, I head to the kitchen.
“Oh, dang …” I say, staring at multiple piles of vomit which look tinged with blood.
June is squatted by the fridge where Loki’s on his side.
“His breathing feels a little labored. You need to call Callie and Rupert.”
“Yeah,” I slowly nod, counting the areas of vomit while pulling my phone from my pocket. “I’ll text her first. In case she can’t answer her phone.”
Flynn: We found Loki in the kitchen. He’s vomited in multiple places and there’s blood in the vomit
My phone immediately buzzes with a call from Callie.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Where is he? How’s his breathing? How much vomit? Is there a little blood or a lot of blood? Are you sure it’s vomit and not diarrhea?”
“Uh … it looks like bile and stomach stuff more than poop, so I’m guessing it’s vomit. It’s not a lot in any one spot, just like five or six areas. Not a lot of blood, just like streaks. He’s on the floor by the fridge, and June thinks his breathing seems a little labored.”
“Okay. I haven’t taken him to our vet, but we have one from when we had Sally. He’s actually our neighbor’s son. I’ll call him right now and text you the address. Can you take him for us? We’re at a dedication, and I have to speak in a little bit. I’m so sorry to ask this of you.”
“It’s fine,” I say. “Just let me know what you find out.”
“Thank you so much. I really owe you.”
The couple who could send me to jail owe me? Hardly.
“No problem.” I slide my phone back into my pocket and pick up Loki. He gives me a weak “meow.”
June grabs the roll of paper towels and a bottle of cleaning spray.
“June. No. No. No. Leave it. Get up. I’ll clean it,” I say.
She lowers to her hands and knees. “It’s fine, Flynn.”
“Here, hold Loki. I’ll do it. Callie’s calling her vet. But I might need to take him somewhere to get checked out. Callie is getting ready to speak at their function, dedication, whatever. So she can’t come home right now. Here.” I hold out Loki.
She blows her hair out of her face as she stands and frowns. “You fixed my sink. I’m capable of cleaning cat vomit.” She takes Loki from me.
“I invited you to spend the evening with me. Not this. I’ll take you home.”
“I’m going to the vet with you.”
I glance up while wiping the vomit.
She kisses Loki’s head. “I want to be with you; I don’t care if it’s here or at the vet. And moral support is good. Have you taken a sick pet to the vet?”
I slowly shake my head, but I’m not thinking about sick pets. June wants to be with me, and she makes it sound so simple. Moral support. It’s all so new to me. I’m going to lose her, and it will feel like losing everything.
I sit back on my heels. “I haven’t taken a pet to the vet.”
“Well, I have. And help is good. One of us will soothe Loki, the other will keep a clear head to ask the vet the right questions.”
Nodding several times, I murmur, “We need to talk.”
She frowns. “You don’t think you need help. I’m not suggesting you’re not capable.”