Page 12 of One Bossy Date

“Usually, they tire out if you play with them for a while. Their toys should be around the living area. Otherwise, they become real clowns and ruin the place when they’re alone.”

“Oh! They’re very active then?” I asked, taking a sip of coffee.

“Yes, actually. They are quite young, two and a half years, or at least not much older.” With the corner of her mouth pulling up thoughtfully, she eyed my dress and silk tights. “You might not want to wear delicate clothing. Even heels—it could become a disaster if they get under your feet.”

Wow. I’d never received requests like this before. They must be true to their nicknames—rascals! “Oh, don’t worry,” I said. “I’m used to fur-babies. I work with them every day.”

“Perfect.”

“By the way, what are their names?” I asked, arching a brow in question.

An indefinable expression flitted over Caroline’s features, but she smiled through it. “They’re Ares and Hades. You’ll see who’s who by their collars.”

What?Ares and Hades?

That was so weird. The Greek God of War and Greek God of the Underworld?

Who gave their cats such rough and tough names? I mean, I’d heard a lot of odd cat names since I’d gotten into the pet business. Sweet names like Bella, Charlie, Willow, Lucy were pretty much the norm. The more unique cat names I encountered were Meatball and Catsby (C instead of G, which was at least funny and original). But “Ares” and “Hades” somehow made me think of murderous monster-cats. Then again, I once had a cat in my care named Angel, whose appropriate name would’ve been Demon.

The good impression I’d initially had of Mr. Windham had definitely cracked a little. I wondered momentarily if the poor kitties had spiked collars. “All right, no problem,” I said, trying to play it cool. After all, it was none of my business what my clients named their pets.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Windham’s in a meeting now, but I’m sure you’ll get to meet him soon.” After a few more minutes of small talk, Caroline scanned my dress again. “I just can’t get over how beautiful this dress is. May I?” She reached forward to touch the small flowers.

“Please, go ahead. I thought it was pretty cute, the little yellow flowers.”

“They really are, and they suit that yellow nail polish of yours. Even the pretty yellow hair clips you’re wearing.”

I’d worn my hair up in a sleek ponytail today but added the cute little clips around the base to keep my thick hair from drooping.

“You know what?” I asked. “I think you’d look fantastic in a strong mustard kind of yellow. It would suit your auburn hair perfectly.”

“Oh, no, Icouldn’t.” She subconsciously straightened her black dress over her thighs as she spoke. “I’m expected to only wear neutral colors at work. You know, gray, black, cream.”

Hmm. It sounded like Mr. Windham was way,waybossier than I’d expected. I was glad I’d decided to wear what I had this morning.

“All right, then how about when you go out?” I asked. “You could add a chunky—”

She shook her head, looking like she wanted to laugh. “Zoe, I don’t go out. Even if I had the energy, I just don’t have the time. With a boss like Mr. Anderson Windham, there’snospare time.”

Ooo-kay.

This Anderson guy must be a douche, after all.

“Mr. Windham sounds very…strict,” I said, careful not to overstep.

“Thathe is,” Caroline responded without even blinking.

“Aw.” I felt sad on her behalf. “But you are happy here?” The more I thought about it, the more horrible this guy sounded. Like right out of a nightmare. I was glad I hadn’t met him, and I hoped I would never have to.

“Oh, yes. He’s strict and demanding, but fair. The business runs well because of that, so I don’t mind putting in the extra time.”

“That’s good to hear.”

A look of admiration clouded her eyes. “He absolutely loves his pets. And his family. He’ll always jump if they need help.”

Realizing she was rambling a bit, she brightened with a smile and asked if I had any more questions about the job.

I didn’t, and she handed over a spare key, along with the address. “You start in two days.”

---