Page 204 of The Night Shift
“I’ll show you flattery.” I grab his good arm and drag him down the corridor, out the side door toward the back lawn, where the altar’s already set.
His façade of a laugh fades the second we’re outside.
“Before you go off on me,” he says, casually slipping my underwear back into his blazer pocket, “— just know I took those a while ago.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” I let go of his arm.
He shrugs. “I guess?”
“It does not.”
“Oh.” He frowns like this is actually disappointing. He pulls the underwear back out of his pocket and holds them toward me. “Do you want them back?”
I just stare at him.
He puts them away again. “Any leads on the text?”
“What do you think?”
“About that dress? I don’t think I can say it out loud.”
I smack his head. He pouts.
“Has Parker asked about Dog yet?”
Theo nods. “He did. And I came up with a plan.”
“We already have a plan.”
“Had,” Theo corrects. “I made a better one.”
“Oh god, what have you done?”
“I got a replacement.”
“For your brain?”
“For thecat. Same breed. Same color. Looks just like Dog if you squint and don’t ask questions.”
I just blink at him.What the fuck?“Where is it?”
“In my bathroom. I gave him some cat food and a cushion to nap on.”
I open my mouth. “You — did youstealsomeone’s cat?”
“Steal is a very ugly word. I just borrowed it. He’s going back after the ceremony. It’s not like Parker’s planning on taking his cat on his honeymoon.”
I honestly wouldn’t put it past him. “Does it even know how to walk down an aisle?”
“Of course, Holly. Do you think I’m an amateur at this?”
“At stealingcats? Yes, I would hope so.”
“I suppose you can call me Mr. Cat Burglar now,” he says, grinning ear to ear.
I want to smack him again.
Not because the joke is bad — though it is — but because he’s doing that thing again. The thing where he makes jokes instead of admitting he’s scared too. Scared of Parker finding out the truth. I don't like seeing him scared. I'm not sure why.
