Page 106 of Say You Remember Me
“Mom, what are you looking at?” Grant’s voice pulled me back to the moment as he plopped onto the couch beside me.
“Ian has a new cat,” I said, turning the screen toward him. “Look.”
Grant’s eyes lit up as he leaned in. “Oh, he’s so cuuute!”
“I know, right?” I said, sharing a conspiratorial smile with my son.
Grant looked at me. “Can we get a cat? I really want a cat.”
I sighed, already knowing where this was going. “I know, buddy. I want one, too. But we need to find a place to live first—one that allows pets.”
“You always say that.” Grant folded his arms with a pout, his lower lip sticking out dramatically.
“Because it’s true,” I said with a shrug, trying not to laugh at his theatrics.
“If your mom lets you,” Ian said, his voice cutting in, “you can totally come see my cat sometime. I know it’s not the same, but Satan would love to play with someone besides me.”
“Wait…what did you just say?” My heart stuttered, and I blinked at the screen. “Did you just call your catSatan?”
“I thought it fit.” Ian’s expression faltered only momentarily before he nodded. “He’s been a little devil.”
I stared at him, my mind racing. This couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? My suspicion that Ian was the guy from the beach had been growing for weeks, but this…this was just too much.
Grant, oblivious to my internal spiral, turned to me with wide eyes. “Isn’t that so silly, Mom? Ian has a cat named Satan, and you always said if we got a cat, we’d name it Satan.”
I opened my mouth but no words came out. Instead, I glanced back at Ian on the screen, searching his face for any sign that he was putting the pieces together. But he just chuckled like Grant, apparently finding it all a funny coincidence.
“That’s hilarious,” Ian said, shaking his head. “Looks like you really do need to come see my cat when you’re back. Maybe you can even take him for a walk.”
“You can’t take cats on walks.” Grant burst into giggles. “They aren’t like dogs!”
Ian feigned a sheepish look. “Oops. Guess that explains why he was so mad at me when I tried to last night.”
Grant giggled harder, and I couldn’t help but smile. Ian’s easy way of talking to my son warmed something deep in my chest. I’d never pictured him being so good with kids, but he’d surprised me—again.
The kitten climbed onto Ian’s shoulder, looking ready to make its way to his head. Ian winced, flinching slightly as tiny claws dug into his skin. “Okay, buddy,” he said, lifting the cat down. “You’re a busy little devil, aren’t you?”
Grant leaned against me, his eyes glued to the screen. “Your cat is so silly.”
Ian grinned, his gaze flicking to me. “He’s been keeping things interesting, that’s for sure.”
I cleared my throat, glancing at the time. “We better let you go. We’ve got to head to the store. I’m making heart-healthy lasagna for dinner tonight.”
“Sounds delicious.”
“I hope so,” I said. “Trying to find some good, easy recipes that go along with my dad’s new eating plan.”
“That’s sweet of you to do that for him,” Ian said, his voice warm and steady. “He’s lucky to have you.”
The way he looked at me, his deep brown eyes soft with sincerity, made my chest flutter. How was I supposed to keep my guard up when he said things like that?
“Anyway…” Ian cleared his throat, his tone shifting slightly. “Have fun with your grocery shopping.”
“We’ll try.”
For a second, I considered making a joke about how no shopping trip would ever compare to the one we’d shared, but I held back.
Before we could hang up, Ian asked, “A-are you still coming back in a week? No plans to come back a little sooner?” His tonewas casual, but there was a faint edge of hope that tugged at my heart.
