Page 34 of Just A Little Magic

We argued in the aisle about which to buy, but Barrett let me win that round. Not-Lucifer was my cat, but she very much felt like a shared responsibility, and I liked the feeling of another tie between us. I realized too late that Barrett gave in far too easily on the food issue so he’d win the war at the register. I had well and truly lost.

When Barrett and I pulled up the driveway, Levi was working in his yard. With a friendly wave, he ambled over and opened my door. Barrett made an odd growly noise, but I was too focused on getting the cat freed from her box prison to ask about it at that moment.

“Hey all, glad you all made it home in one piece,” Levi said with a deadpan face. “I’ve heard bears are hard to come back from.”

“What have you heard about me?” Barrett chuckled.

His joke sent a pang directly into my gut. He was a muscle bear, but I was the only one allowed to call him Bear. Shit. Now wasn’t the time to get jealous over something I’d said ended when we left the caretaker’s room. I had no rights over him or to him, and I was the one who needed to remember that.

“I didn’t hear anything about you, but I’m happy to listen,” Levi purred.

Yet again, my hackles raised. Goddammit.Knock it off, Owen.

“Anyway, how’s the legal business?” I asked to distract Levi from flirting with Barrett.

I knew it didn’t mean anything, and Levi wasn’t Barrett’s type at all, but I didn’t like it. Not one little itty-bitty bit.

“Boring, but still well-paying, so not much to complain about. By the way, my mom called. She and your mom would very much like to know when we’ll be headed back home for a visit and preferably a permanent move,” Levi said with an exaggerated flourish.

“Uh, I hope you said no on the move and open question on the visit,” I said with finality. “It’s easier for me to move around my schedule than you, so let me know what works.”

Levi and I became next-door neighbors in high school when my family moved to central Washington. We were casual friends in school, but our mothers had always been close. Neither of us realized the other was gay until we ran into each other again after college at a kink dinner night at Quill. It was pure luck that my lease was up after Levi purchased his house with an in-law cottage in the back. I’d been here for several years, and it felt like a home.

“Yeah, I told her I’d double-check with you but let her know soon. Anyway, let’s see this gorgeous girl you were telling me about,” Levi said while he tried to peer into the cardboard box I clutched to my chest.

“Let’s bring her inside before you open that up,” Barrett suggested. “Levi, can you give me a hand with this stuff?”

Levi and Barrett pulled out all the items we’d purchased today and brought them inside the house.

I was antsy with excitement to let my girl out. Once everything was inside, I carefully disengaged the tabs and opened the lid. Not-Lucifer was sitting pretty on the towel. I reached in to pull her out, and she let me lift her out without a fuss.

“Hey, sweet girl, welcome home.”

I gave her a quick tour of the place while Barrett and Levi set everything up. When they were done, I showed her all the items we’d gotten her. She gave me a few meows and speculative looks. It was uncanny how it felt like we were having actual conversations.

“Babe, you’re going to need to think of a name soon, or Not-Lucifer is going to stick,” Barrett said from the other end of the couch.

The black cat was currently curled up on my lap, taking a nap while I scratched her ears.

“You’re right,” I agreed, “but I’m still not sure what sort of name she looks like.”

“Socks?”

“Snookums?”

“Kitty?”

“Lucy”

“Samantha?”

“Elizabeth?”

“Oh, that one makes you purr? Is that your name?” I askedthe cat who switched to engine purring mode. “I think that’s it. Hello, Elizabeth Howe.”

Barrett leaned over from his spot on the couch, and I desperately wished he was sitting right next to me so we could cuddle her together. Wishful thinking hadn’t fixed anything yet, and it was unlikely to do so now.

“Owen, Barrett, thanks for introducing the new addition. I’m going to get back to my yard work and files. What a charmed life I lead.”

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