Page 60 of The Catch

“I’d like to keep it that way, sir. She makes me happy too.”

It was Carlos’s turn to nod, as he tapped his glass to Josh’s and took a sip. “Well then, I think you and I will get along just fine, Josh.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He brought his glass to his lips, allowing the fire from the whiskey to burn in his throat as he breathed a sigh of relief.

“You’re looking awfully sophisticated today, Catia.” Maria was perched at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, scanning Cat from head to toe over her glass of wine. “That top is a little low-cut, but I like the pearls.”

“Thank you, Maria.” Cat’s blood pressure was beginning to rise already and dinner hadn’t even begun. She wanted to escape this 1950’s holiday card and go and hang out with Josh, but her father hadn’t invited her for a reason. Hopefully, he was ingratiating him to the men in the other room while they shared that drink. Those who married into the Roday family were a tight-knit clan of their own, and the introduction wouldn’t go by without a little hazing.

“And it’s nice to see you with such a handsome, successful man beside you,” Maria continued. “So when are we getting babies?”

“You know I’m about to take the bar exam right, Maria? I’m not thinking about babies.”

“Yes, of course, I know that. We are all very proud of you.” Maria crossed her legs and set her glass on the counter so she could gesture with her hand as she spoke. “I’m just hoping that maybe you’re finally starting to think about your life in the long term. Emma just got married, and Sonya is not far behind. You’re not getting any younger.”

Olivia waddled toward them from her spot by the oven, wrapping an arm around Cat’s waist as she joined the conversation. “How was the wedding?” she asked. “Was Emma as beautiful as ever?”

“Of course.” Cat turned her attention to her kinder sister, wrapping her arms around Olivia’s baby bump and leaning her head on her shoulder. “She and Adam both looked great.”

“Emma has always had a good head on her shoulders,” Maria said. “Now see, she has a good career and now a husband and soon a family. She didn’t let her job get in the way of settling down.”

“She wanted to settle down.”

“And you don’t?”

Cat gulped her wine. She still hadn’t really thought about what all the happiness she’d found with Josh meant in future terms. She’d been busting her ass trying to get back what Micah took from her. She had other goals at the moment, and she sure as hell wasn’t looking to put them on the line again. “I like my life the way it is, Maria.”

“Does Josh know this? Because with the way he looks at you, I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten down on one knee already.”

Here we go.“It hasn’t even been six months.” Cat sighed.

“Yes, but he’s older, right?”

“Five years. It’s not like we’re from different generations.”

Maria continued on as if Cat hadn’t spoken. “Men have a longer window, but still, if he wants kids, a family of his own, he’s at an age where he is going to be thinking of these things.”

Josh’s easy suggestion about their future after Emma’s wedding played like a movie in Cat’s mind. He was being cheeky, goofing around.Right?“You don’t even know him,” she said, feeling her cheeks begin to warm under Maria’s gaze. “How could you possibly know what he wants?”

“I know men, Catia. You’re not dealing with a little boy like you were with Micah. Let me guess, he opens doors and picks up the tab everywhere you go? He calls you instead of firing off a text. You’re dating a grown-up. Grown-ups want grown-up things.”

She had to admit, Josh did seem decidedly more adult than the men she’d dated in the past, but he didn’t seem to have a problem with the way things were. They both had busy lives, and it made the time they did have together all the more special. And by special, she meant filled with amazing sex and laughing more than she could ever remember. It had probably been years since either of her sisters had gotten laid like that. She straightened her posture, taking another sip of her wine to hide the smirk on her face at the thought.

“Oh, Cat,” Olivia said, squeezing her waist. “He does seem to adore you. This is a good thing for you.”

“And you’re quite smitten too,” Maria added. “It’s all over your face. You’ll see, soon you’re going to realize you’ve outgrown these long hours and your tiny little apartment in the city, and you’ll want more. There are worse things than letting a man take care of you, Cat.”

Cat bit the inside of her lip to keep from snarling. She didn’t need anyone to take care of her, and Micah was the one who wanted her to make a choice for him. Josh hadn’t asked her to give up anything. Yet.

Laughter erupted from the room where Josh had disappeared to. At least he was having a good time. Cat fingered the neckline of her blouse, her skin prickling with the urge to escape. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Maria,” she said. “Just because that’s the choice you and Olivia and mom made, doesn’t mean I have to follow in your footsteps.” She hated to lump Olivia in her rebuttal, but sacrifices had to be made. She would understand. “Everything I have, I gave myself. My life is just fine.”

“All right, Cat. There’s no need to get upset.” Maria took a sip of her wine and hopped off the stool, crossing the room. “I only want you to be happy. You know that, right?”

“Si, Maria.”

Maria joined the hug Cat and Olivia were sharing, and just like that Cat was back in the ten-year-old version of herself, awkwardly caught between wanting to impress her big sisters and being a source of amusement to them. Her life had always seemed trite in the wake of whatever phase they were living through. Silly and naive Cat. A perpetual little girl. She was an adult now; she didn’t need them to tell her what to do or judge her choices.

“I’m going to find Josh,” she said, extricating herself from their embrace. “Dad is probably torturing him with bad jokes.”

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