Page 67 of A Very Merry Mistake

“Thanks for coming out. Appreciate it,” he tells them. “Gonna get this old woman in the house.” He glances down at Tinsel. “You’re grounded.”

They load the ladder, give us a wave, and then they’re gone.

It’s like it never happened.

We go inside, and he still has Tinsel wrapped in his arms. Her claws dig into his sweater, and he peels her away. As soon as her paws are on the floor, she hisses, then trots away. “Someone’s got a cattitude. Too much attention?”

I can’t stop watching him. I feel like total shit. Jake moves closer and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me against him. “Have you had enough commotion for the day?”

“I think I’ve had enough for the rest of the month. I was so scared that something bad was going to happen. And it would have been my fault. Are you sure you’re not upset?”

“Not even an ounce, but I gotta say it’s cute that you cared so much about her furry butt that you were on the brink of tears.”

I playfully smack his arm. “It’s not funny. My thoughts were everywhere, and I knew if something happened to that cat on my watch, you’d hate me. She’s basically your child.”

He shakes his head. “I’d never hate you, CeCe. Accidents happen. Now, if you purposely put Tinsel outside, that would be different. Plus, she wouldn’t have gone too far. She acts brave but always comes back.”

“It wasn’t on purpose, I swear. I planned a trip to town to buy some ingredients to surprise you for dinner. Work on my domestic skills, considering I have zero.”

His expression softens as he studies my lips. “That’s sweet. What were you going to make?”

“Lasagna. I found a video on YouTube. I even made a list of everything to buy. But as I walked outside, Tinsel ran past me and trotted down the steps in front of your house. I tried to coax her to come to me. I even said all the magic words like food, treat, nap.”

He laughs. “And that didn’t work.”

“No, it didn’t. I chased her for nearly thirty minutes. Fell a few times. She’d bait me. Wait until I was close, then would bolt away. The final time, she darted up the tree but kept climbing. She was meowing like she was in pain and was begging me to help her. So I did what people on TV do and called the fire department. I’m actually shocked they came.”

“You could’ve called me,” he says, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

“I wanted to solve this problem alone so that you wouldn’t worry.”

He pulls away and rubs his thumb across my bottom lip, causing my breath to hitch. “That pride of yours is going to be your downfall, CeCe. If you ever need me, I’m there for you. If there’s a problem, we can solve it together.”

I swallow hard.

“I thought something bad had happened to you. I was worried.”

“I’m fine. Just have a bruised ego, but I’ll be okay if Tinsel is okay.”

He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear and glances at Tinsel. She’s cleaning her paw in front of the fire. “That cat gives no fucks about what happened.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “I can’t believe I cried.”

“Maybe you’ll end up turning into a softie on me.”

I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m sorry I messed up your surprise.”

He shakes his head. “It’s the thought that counts. Are you hungry?”

I slide my hands down his chest and fist his shirt, smelling his cologne mixed with sweat. “For you.”

With a brow popped, he smirks. “Mm. I need a shower first. Want to join me?”

“Yes, yes, I do.” I don’t care that I’ve already taken one today.

He chuckles, hooking his arm around my shoulder. “Good girl.”

Each time he says it, I nearly melt in his hand. “I like it when you say that.”

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