Page 57 of The P*ssy Next Door

“Yeah, but everything is a competition in my family, including who’s the center of attention. You'll see.” She winked at me. “Later.”

I didn't know what that meant but the Mustangs scored their first touchdown of the day, a pass from Chris to Everett, and the crowd and the box went wild, so I didn't get the chance to ask. It was a really intense game, especially when Hayes got tackled really hard and it took him a second longer to get up. Ooph. I didn't like that.

I had to leave a few minutes early to make sure the coffee shop was set up for the small event tonight. So I sent a text to Hayes to tell him how great he was and that I'd see him later, and I called an Uber so my dad could stay for the whole game.

As I hurried through the quiet streets of Thornminster, my mind buzzed with plans and ideas. This event could be a good test for the shop, a chance to see if I could cross that red line into the black with after-hours events like this.

I was so lost in thought that I almost didn't notice the figure huddled by the front door of the shop until I was nearly on top of them.

“Xander?” I frowned, taking in the cardboard box at his feet and the distressed look on his face. “What are you doing here?”

He stood up, running a hand through his hair. “Willa, thank god. I need your help.”

A muffled mewling sound emanated from the box, and my eyes widened. “Are those... kittens?”

Xander nodded, his expression pained. “I took Mom to the shelter today, thought she might like a cat for Christmas. You know, after seeing how much fun you had with the adoption event.”

I raised an eyebrow, a sinking feeling in my gut. “Let me guess. She wasn't thrilled with the idea.”

“That's an understatement,” he muttered, kicking at the ground. “But that's not the worst part. When we were leaving, there was this woman in the parking lot, crying her eyes out. She had this box of kittens and was freaking out about the shelter euthanizing them.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, a headache beginning to throb behind my eyes. “Xan, the shelter is a no-kill facility. They wouldn't have euthanized them.”

He threw his hands up, his face flushing. “Well, I know that now. But in the moment, I just... I couldn't leave them there. So I said I'd take them.”

“And now you're here,” I finished, my tone flat. “Xander, I can't take a box of kittens right now. I have an event starting in...” I checked my watch, my stomach dropping, “less than thirty minutes.”

His eyes pleaded with me, his bottom lip jutting out in a pout that had always worked on me when we were kids. “Willa, please. I can't take them back to the dorm, and the shelter's closed now. I don't know what else to do.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. I wouldn't just leave the kittens to fend for themselves, but I also couldn't have them running around the shop during the event. It would be chaos.

But as I looked at my brother, at the genuine desperation and fear in his eyes, I knew I couldn't turn him away. Not after all the bridges we'd started to rebuild.

“Fine,” I sighed, my shoulders slumping in defeat. “Leave them here. I'll figure something out.”

Relief washed over his face, and he pulled me into a quick, tight hug. “Thank you, Willa. I owe you one.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled, pushing him away. “Just go, before I change my mind.”

He flashed me a grateful smile before jogging off, leaving me alone with a box of mewling kittens and a rapidly approaching deadline.

I carried the box inside, my mind whirling with possibilities. Maybe I could set up a play area in the back room or...

The jingle of the bell above the door interrupted my spiraling thoughts, and I spun around, ready to apologize to my early guests.

But the words died on my tongue as I took in the sight before me. The entire Kingman clan, from Bridger to Jules, even Trixie, Kelsey, and Penelope, were piling into the shop, their arms laden with board games and weirdly embroidered pillows.

“Surprise!” Jules called out, her grin wide and mischievous. “I'm the one who booked the coffee shop for family game night. We do not fit into the living room anymore now that there's a girls’ team, and we needed a bigger space. I figured this way, we could support your business and get you to join us.”

I gaped at her, my heart swelling with a mixture of gratitude and overwhelming affection. “Jules, this is... I don't even know what to say.”

She shrugged, her eyes twinkling. “You're almost family, Willa. And family looks out for each other.”

As the Kingmans began to set up, chattering and laughing and filling the space with warmth and love, I felt a lump form in my throat.

This. This was what I'd been missing, what I'd been searching for all these years. A sense of belonging, of unconditional acceptance.

And as I watched Hayes walk through the door, his eyes finding mine across the room, I knew I'd finally found it.