“I don’t have much choice,” I tell her. “If I don’t show up, my mom will lose it. It’s really important to her.”
Sometimes, I still wonder why I care. I’m eighteen now. I’m an adult. I don’t live at home. I could never speak to her again, and it’d be perfectly legit.
“Have you asked Bass about the Mustang again?”
“Yeah.” I pull my gloves on, sighing. “Honestly? He’s being kind of weird about it. He says it’s almost ready, but that there’s no way I can take it on the road yet. Whatever the fuck that means. I just need it to be drivable.”
“Hmm,” Georgia says, wrapping a scarf around her neck. “Are you going to ask him to go with you? I mean, I’m still happy to loan you my car for the day if you need it.”
I give her a tight smile. “Thanks. Let’s see what the weather does first. I should have a better idea this afternoon.”
As we step outside, the cold, blustery air slaps against my cheeks, and I feel the first droplets of precipitation. “Jesus,” Georgia gasps, pulling her scarf over her mouth. “I’m going to run to the library and get the books I need for my exam next week. See you later, okay?”
I wave as she runs off, ready to get out of the cold myself. I trek across campus, head ducked low against the wind and rain. Running up the steps of the main building, I slam right into a hard body. Two hands steady me and I look up, prepared for an impromptu meltdown at some random guy clutching my arms.
The panic flares and dies so suddenly that my head spins a bit. “Oh. Hey.”
Bass’s blue eyes peek out from under a black stocking cap. It’s my first time seeing him since we departed last night, on the steps of my dorm, Sebastian giving me a slow, lingering kiss before watching me disappear into the building. From the way he watches me, eyes softening, I suspect he’s remembering the same thing.
I think I’m falling in love with you.
A bitter chill of wind cuts between us, breaking the moment. “I was just coming to find you,” he says, guiding me out of the way of a few classmates walking up the steps. Forehead wrinkled with a frown, he glances toward the dining hall. “I went to check on the cats this morning. Give them fresh water and a few snacks. I’m actually sort of worried about Abby, though.”
From Bass’s calculations, she’s already been pregnant for almost three months—the amount of time it takes for kittens to gestate. “Did you see her?”
He shakes his head. “That’s what’s got me worried. She hasn’t been shy about coming around lately. If she goes into labor and that ice storm hits…” He rips off his cap to rake his hair back, then instantly shoves it back over his head. It’s a useless, fidgety gesture. There aren’t a lot of soft edges to Sebastian Wilcox, but this is one of them.
“Come on,” I say, taking his hand. “Let’s go look for her.”
He glances at the building. “What about Dr. Ross?”
“She’ll get over it.” I pull him forward. “Or, fuck it, right? We’ll pay for it later, but I’m willing to take that risk.”
He shoots me a sharp grin, following me quickly cross the quad, looping around to the back of the dining hall. The air smells like bacon and burned toast, and as soon as we arrive, Lucy and Hades make an appearance. I get the treats out of my satchel and hand them each a few, just to keep them occupied. I make a clicking noise with my tongue, calling out for Abby, but Bass is right. She’s not coming. We wait there, calling and clicking, even shaking the bag of treats as loudly as possible, but even though Lucy and Hades are practically dancing to get more, there’s no sign of her.
Bass ducks behind the dumpster and emerges a moment later with a blue cat carrier.
“Where did you get that?”
“The other night on the way back from the garage, I stopped at the pet store for some extra food. I grabbed it.”
“Good thinking.”
We split up, each of us searching a different part of the area. I comb the tree line, holding out treats and hoping I’m not just spooking her off. Bass searches around the building, the ducts, the gutters, looking under the dumpster.
“Sugar,” he calls softly, fingers snapping in my direction. He nods down at an area between the recycling bins. I quietly walk over, pulling a few treats out of the bag. When I get close enough, I finally see her, tucked between the blue containers. Sebastian shifts anxiously. “Do you think you can get to her?”
“Maybe?” I bend down and tentatively hold out the treats. She’s warmed up to me a little lately but she’s still timid. The fact that she doesn’t even flinch or hiss makes me worry most of all. She’s not in a good place. She sniffs the treat but doesn’t eat it. “Hey, sweet Abby girl, we’re going to get you somewhere warm and safe, okay?”
I know cats don’t like it when you come at them from the front, but from this position there’s no other option. I glance up at Bass. “I think if you move that container you can grab her from behind. I’ll block this side so she can’t run.”
“Good idea.” The rain starts coming down harder now, and from the sound of it hitting the concrete and grass, little plinks instead of drops, it’s already beginning to ice over. I get the cat carrier and move it to the area we need Abby to go. He looks down at me and asks, “You ready?”
“Yep.” I wipe a cold drop off my cheek. She’s not going to give us more than one chance, and once she’s exposed to the ice coming down, she’s going to bolt and go god knows where.
Bass carefully shifts the bin, closing up one entrance and making another. He then pushes it forward, forcing Abby to move or get crushed between them. It’s enough of a threat to get her moving, and she stands, backing her swollen body toward the carrier. When she gets close enough, I grab her gently and push her inside, slamming and latching the door quickly.
I exhale and look up at Bass’s grinning face. “Good shit.”
“So,” I reply, standing, “what do we do now?”
Abby makes a low meowing sound, and I peek inside. We may have caught her just in time.
Bass grimaces and says, “I’m not sure.”
“Your room?”
“Have you been around a cat giving birth?” he asks. I shake my head. “Well, it’s probably loud and I’m pretty sure even with a suite, my neighbors would hear.” He scratches the back of his neck. “Don’t you have your family thing tomorrow?”
“I’m supposed to, but with the weather and not having my car back yet…”
He nods, brows knitting together in contemplation. “I think we can solve that. We can take Abby back to my house, which will put you closer to the Briar Cliffs. I can drive you up there tomorrow.” He watches me closely. “If you’re okay with that.”
I’m struck with surprise that he so willingly wants to take me to his home. That he so willingly wants me to take him to mine. I’d been determined not to have Sebastian meet my family, particularly Doug, but the time for stressing over either has passed. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
As if on cue, Abby gives another long howl. Whatever I think about tomorrow, right now she needs to get somewhere safe, and Sebastian can provide it.