Page 51 of The Ruckup
“Probably a good choice, because these things are high maintenance.” She shoots me another grin. “They’re even worse than I am.”
When she turns back to the cage, Alexis seems to be staring at the giant, one-eyed lizard a little closer than before. She leans in and asks, “Are you okay, buddy?” When she tries to pet it, the reptile doesn’t really react. “Oh, no.” Alexis shakes her head. “You are not going to get sick and die on my watch.”
“Is he sick?” Moving closer, I peer in at the lizard. “He doesn’t look very good, does he?”
“Not at all.”
Alexis pulls her phone out and makes a call, pacing around while she talks to whoever’s on the other end of the line. After a few minutes of conversation, she hangs up and makes another call. Based on the questions she’s asking and the answers she’s giving, this one’s to a vet clinic.
After making an appointment for the lizard, she shoves her phone into one pocket and begins maneuvering the giant lizard out of its cage.
I want to offer to help, but I’m not sure I’ve got the balls to attempt to wrangle that thing. “You are way braver than I am.”
“I bet you would do this for Leo.” Alexis finally frees the reptile, carefully adjusting it in her arms.
Something twists inside me, tightening uncomfortably. “You’re right.” I swallow hard. “I would do anything for him.”
I care so much for Leo. He’s the best man I know, and he deserves to have a happy, simple life.
My life’s not simple, and a lot of the time it’s not happy.
“See?” Alexis walks past me into the hall. “Come on. You have to drive, because this thing is as big as I am.”
“ARE YOU SURE you can’t tell?” Alexis adjusts the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, tucking it tighter. “If the property manager sees this thing she’ll probably evict me on the spot.”
I decide not to tell her she’s likely right. I can only imagine what I would do if I saw one of my residents trying to smuggle in a giant lizard. Luckily, this isn’t my property, so Scary Terri is someone else’s problem to worry about.
For now. Honestly, based on what I’ve dealt with so far, there’s a good chance this exact scenario could be in my future.
“You just look bundled up.” I adjust the fleece blanket covering Alexis’s front then do a little side-to-side turn. “What about me?”
Alexis gives me a once-over, taking in the lumpy shape of the Cape Coral Swamp Cats hoodie I stole from Leo’s closet. “I can hardly tell you have a fat-ass hairless weirdo hidden under there.”
I look down. “You’re talking about the cat, right?”
“Did you just make a joke?” She seems surprised. “Super prouda you.”
Weirdly, so am I. I’m getting more comfortable around Alexis, and it’s nice having a girlfriend my own age. Someone I can confide in. Someone I can trust. “Thanks.”
The lump on my chest lets out a raspy meow and Alexis looks from side to side, like she’s making sure no one’s close enough to hear.
I was shocked when we got to the vet treating Scary Terri and discovered some jerk had dropped an overweight, hairless cat on their doorstep early this morning. The same exact day I decided Leo might need a pet. It was too coincidental, and I couldn’t make myself leave her behind. Not when I knew she would get more love than she could stand with the man I might accidentally be falling in love with myself.
Alexis crouches down a little, like it might make her less noticeable. “Come on, let’s get these girls inside.”
I snort as I follow her through the lot. “Gavin’s going to shit when he finds out Terri’s a chick.”
Alexis gives the lizard a peek. “And a loose one at that.”
“You don’t know she’s loose.” I manage to shift around the bags containing Terri’s medications and the free bag of cat food they gave us without dropping the feline hiding under my—Leo’s—hoodie. “They said iguanas lay eggs even if they haven’t gotten busy.”
Alexis scrunches up her nose. “That’s too depressing to consider, so I’m going to choose to believe she got something out of this besides a full hysterectomy.”
“Who knew iguanas could get egg-bound?” Since I’m not carrying a lizard as big as me, I hurry to open the door to Alexis’s building, holding it so she can go first.
“I guess we do now.” Alexis goes straight for the elevator. “Not that it matters since she doesn’t have any of her lady parts anymore.”
I follow Alexis into the elevator, pressing the button for her floor. “Are you sure we shouldn’t take her back to Gavin’s place?”
