Page 26 of Anyone But the Superstar

No wonder he prefers Bell.

I refocus on my brother. ‘When is he coming?’

He shrugs. ‘I’m not sure.’

‘Chase…’ I sound alarmingly like our mother.

‘I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.’ He lowers an unhappy Mike back to the floor. ‘And as much fun as this last-minute day trip to Houston has been, I better get going.’ He gestures for me to stand. ‘I have a wife to get back to and a company to run.’

Once I’m on my feet, Chase engulfs me in a big hug. ‘But if you’re good,’ he whispers, ‘I might be willing to give you a heads up on the family’s ETA.’

He steps back, petting my head like I’m a toddler.

I dodge him with a laugh. ‘Uh huh, sure.’ I learned my sarcasm from him.

It isn’t until he’s at the door that I notice what he’s left behind. ‘Um, aren’t you forgetting something?’

When he turns, I point to Mike.

‘Nope.’ Chase smooths down the front of his cat-carrier free shirt. ‘He’s all yours.’

All the good feelings from seeing my brother leave. ‘You’re kidding me, right?’

He smiles wider.

I hustle over and heft Mike into my arm. ‘You can’t leave Mike here. This isn’t my place. They probably don’t even allow pets.’

‘Actually, according to a woman named Emily, who your professor had a lovely chat with on my behalf, as long as it isn’t another cow or a goat, she doesn’t care what or who you bring into the condo.’

I frown, wondering if someone really tried to bring in a cow into the building.

But when Chase reaches for the doorknob, I quickly shake off the thought.

‘Bell will kill you if you come home without Mikey.’Marching over to him, I thrust the cat in his direction and go for the jugular. ‘She loves this cat more than you.’

I know I’ve hit a nerve when his eye twitches.

But instead of taking the bait,orthe cat, Chase tucks his hands into his shorts’ pockets. ‘Which is exactly why I’m leaving him here.’ He rocks back on the heels of his loafers. ‘A little couple-time with my wife wouldn’t be amiss.’

I glare and he smiles wider.

‘But if you don’t want Bell to worry and fly down here early, you better get better at communicating.’ He sighs as ifhe’sthe one being put out. ‘Because if Bell comes, then I’ll come, and of course Thomas will want to come and the next thing you know, we’llallbe here.’ He tilts his chin down, catching my eyes with his. ‘Interrupting whatever it is that you think you need to do all by yourself.’

I open my mouth to curse at my instigating brother, but Mike claws the air, not liking being held aloft. Curling him into my chest, I’m not hating how his saggy skin is warm against mine.

‘Oh.’ Chase, looking rather joyful at the turn of events, snaps his fingers. ‘Almost forgot.’ He walks back over to the baby carrier and slips something out of one of its pockets. ‘Here.’

I lower Mike to the floor and take yet another folded piece of paper from my brother. This one a?—

‘Emotional Support Animal Certificate?’ I blink at the professional,notarizedcertificate.

‘Yeah, so you can take Mikey to work.’

‘Wha—’ I look at Mike, who’s returned to basking in the sunlight and licking his balls, then down at the paper in my hands. ‘I can’t take him to work.’

‘Yep, you can.’ Chase looks positively gleeful. ‘Just another thing your professor took care of in the name of apologizing for the housing mix-up.’ Chase flutters his lashes, looking about asinnocent as kid with his hand in the cookie jar. ‘You know how Mikey gets when left alone.’

‘But I?—’

---