Page 93 of The Catch

Cat raised a suspicious-looking eyebrow at him. “Why do you say that?”

“She knew I had it. When we started talking about getting married, she made a point of letting me know she wanted something that was only hers.”

“You’re kidding.” Cat studied him as she took in the story, looking as if she was waiting for a punchline.

“I wish I was. First time I ever went into debt for something. I was twenty-four; I had no business buying a diamond ring, or this house for that matter, but at least I’m getting better use out of the house.”

Cat nodded, tracing the band of the ring, and then his hand. “I think it’s gorgeous.”

“Yeah?” he asked. “It’s something you’d wear?” It still felt risky to ask the question, but he wanted to know.

“I’d wear anything you gave me.”

His mind went tumbling from that image to a lifetime of complimenting ones before he could stop it. He dared to fantasize a little bit further, picturing her in a long white gown, her hair swept away from her neck. He handed the box back to her and cupped her cheek. “I want that one day,” he said. “Does that scare you?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Good. There is something in that closet for you, actually.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Your Christmas present.”

“Oh! I actually have yours too. It’s in my car.” She jumped up and ran to the door, slipping her winter coat over her pajamas.

When she returned, she was holding a red envelope, and he handed her a box wrapped in silver paper. She took it and sat down on the sheetless bed, tearing through the wrapping. When she got to the sturdy cardboard box filled with tissue paper, she waded through the crinkly mess until her eyes flew open wide. “Josh! How on earth?”

“I tried to get the buyer to keep them intact,” he said, “but they had their mind made up about ripping them all out. I figured this was the next best thing. Jim cut it down for me.”

She reached into the box and pulled out the wooden angel statue that had hung on the wall at the Abbott Building for a century. He’d taken it to one of the carpenters he worked with and had it affixed to a wooden base with a little gold plaque that listed the date it was built.

“This is—” Her sentence caught in her throat. “Thank you.”

He kissed the top of her head, taking the seat beside her. “You’re welcome.”

She handed him the envelope. “They’re baseball tickets. Right behind home plate. Your team is playing my dad’s team. He wants to go with you, and I thought you might like that. The game’s in June.” Her eyes were still on the statue, and she was tracing the wooden details with her thumb. She didn’t see the way he had to press his thumbs into his eyes to keep them from watering. A game with her dad, six months into the future—had she even realized what that meant when she bought them?

“Cat.” She finally looked up at him, grinning. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She laughed when he pulled her into him and squeezed hard.

Thirty-eight

6 months later

“Congratulations!” Minnie set a trayof brownies on the kitchen island and gave Cat a hug. “I’m so happy for you. How’s it feel?”

“Um, not so different yet.” Cat laughed. It had only been a few weeks since she found out she passed the bar exam, and it was all still sinking in. She’d insisted on waiting until she was actually promoted at work before letting Josh throw this party, still somewhat leery of jinxing anything. Somehow, though, even if it was years late according to her original plan, she still had the overwhelming feeling that she needed to become the person she was now before any of her success would mean this much.

“Well, thanks for letting us celebrate with you. The house looks amazing, by the way. You really put your mark on it.”

“Just a little. Josh always had good taste.”

“Still, it needed some color. It looks happier.”

She handed Minnie a glass of wine and gestured for her to head out to the yard. They passed through the sunroom—the only place where Cat had made any real changes. Josh had given her carte blanche on decorating when she moved in, but she wasn’t just being kind, she loved his house from the minute she saw it. This room, though, she liked to think she’d rescued from neglect. She’d replaced the old wooden patio set that Josh had furnished it with with the couch from her condo, and keeping with the understated boat-house thing he had going on in the rest of the house, she’d added some nautical lanterns for mood lighting and a pallet and glass coffee table that was currently covered with her laptop and case files. She hadn’t taken him up on sharing his office space, preferring the bright, natural light the sunroom offered. The wooden statue from the Abbott Building sat on a bookshelf, along with a few other mementos. It was her favorite spot, and if the night hadn’t have been so warm, she might have crammed everyone in there for dinner.

Josh liked being outside, though, so they kept walking through the screen door and down the concrete steps to the backyard. Josh, Dylan, and Adam were standing around the grill, while Shawn and Mattie tossed a football in the grass. Josh caught her eye as she crossed the small patio to the fire pit, smiling at her.

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