Page 108 of Extra Dirty
Cat
I’m still getting used to being responsible for getting another human up and moving in the morning. Every day is a mad rush to shower, get dressed, make sure Chloe’s dressed, pack lunches, and somehow find time to gulp down a liberal dose of caffeine before we’re out the door. I don’t know how anyone does this with more than one child. Or smaller children.
I’m still blow drying my hair five minutes before we have to leave to get her on the bus. She rushes into the bathroom, iPod in hand, shrieking, but I can’t understand a word because of the hair dryer.
With a toothbrush in her mouth, she pushes it toward me. “He sent me a song” is what I think she says.
Turning the hair dryer off, I give her my attention. “Oh yeah?”
She presses one earbud into my ear and the other into hers and hits Play. Looking down at the iPod screen, she narrows her gaze. “Elton John?”
Smiling, with tears in my eyes, I take her hand and watch as she listens to the words of “Your Song.”
* * *
Sophie appearsat my door at nine a.m. with two cups of coffee in hand. Holding one high, she struts inside, her eyes glittering with excitement. “This is all yours if you spill how last night went.”
Huffing a laugh, I hold out a hand, motioning to the chair opposite my desk.
She slides one cup of coffee onto my desk and plops down, bouncing in anticipation.
I, on the other hand, take a long sip before replying, enjoying the way she surveys me while she waits for the details.
When she lets out an exaggerated sigh and taps an imaginary watch on her wrist, I laugh.
“It was good.”
“Girl, I did not get up early and take my fat ass to your favorite coffee shop only to hear thatit was good.” She gives me a withering look. “Tell meeverything.”
“So dramatic.” I giggle.
Her eyes bulge and her chin dips in exasperation.
“It was…” I sigh, remembering the way Jay and Chloe got on yesterday. The way he held me in the kitchen. The way he kissed me against the door. How he affirmed my role as a mother and told me he’s obsessed with me, that one day he hopes our home will be his. “Perfect.”
Sophie wears a knowing smile. “Oh, you are so falling for him again.”
I push my tongue against my teeth, but my smile can’t be hidden. “Shut up.”
“You’re falling for your future husband.”
“I should fucking hope so,” Jay rasps from the door. The cocky grin he sports when my eyes snap to him has me full-on beaming.
“Morning,” I say, hiding behind my coffee cup and drinking up the delicious way he looks today.
He watches my perusal of him, smiling like the smug bastard he is.
He’s in a navy blue suit today. The color makes his eyes glow, and that blond hair that drives me wild is already falling forward. He makes his way into my office with two take-out boxes in hand. “Thought maybe we could have breakfast together,” he says, pressing a soft kiss against my lips. The way he approaches me, as if he has every right to, as if this is the new normal, makes my heart skip a beat.
My eyes find his as he pulls back, and I savor his soft smile. “Good morning.”
The skin around his eyes crinkles. “It’s a great morning if I start it like this, beautiful.” He kisses me softly again and only pulls away when Sophie clears her throat.
“I’ll give you two some privacy,” she teases. “But you owe me lunch, Cat.” She points at me and stands, smoothing her skirt as she does.
“Sounds good. Thanks for the coffee,” I add, holding it up.
“Oh,” she says, turning in the doorway, “do you want Dexter to pick up Chloe from school and bring her right to our house so you don’t have to go back and forth before your date?”