Jilted Jock - Rebecca Jenshak Page 0,16

but that wasn’t the cat’s fault.

I wondered if he had any idea what the sight of him with that kitten did to women everywhere. I bet I could snap a photo and it’d be reposted a million times by morning. Heck, I could probably sell it and pay rent for a month.

“You really never had a pet before?”

A small shake of his head. “No. We lived in a small place growing up. Wasn’t a lot of room and my parents both worked long hours.”

“Siblings?”

Another shake of his head and this time he stood and removed his hat. “Is it okay if I leave the boxes there until…” He ran a hand through his hair and looked weary.

“Yeah, of course. It’ll be like an obstacle course every time I come and go.”

One side of his mouth pulled into a smile. “’Night.”

“Good night, Finn.”

The next morning, I was only slightly disappointed when Finn didn’t appear in the kitchen while I poured my coffee and wrote out my gratitude list. I didn’t write down men with kittens, though I thought it, but I decided to write out some possible names for kitty. If Finn didn’t read the list then no big deal, but if he did, then maybe it’d spark an idea for him.

Spot

Lola

Princess

Diamond

Striker

The last one was my least favorite, but I was playing to Finn’s love of soccer. Maybe if the kitty had a name that reminded him of something he loved, he’d transfer some of that love to her.

After work I’d made plans to go out dancing with Aubrey and Bobbi. About six months ago Aubrey had demanded we stop acting like old ladies and get out more. I’d been skeptical at first. Girls night usually meant sipping wine, dance clubs or concerts where cheap beer coated the floor and getting drugs was as easy as knowing which guy to grind against on the dance floor. But Bobbi knew all the good spots. I had no doubt that she and Aubrey had spent a lot of energy on researching places they thought I’d be comfortable. That was just the type of friends they were.

Tonight, we were at a small restaurant on the beach that had a DJ after ten o’clock. No one except us was dancing, but that didn’t bother us. We danced through several songs, singing the lyrics at an obnoxious level, and generally having a fabulous time. When Bobbi broke our circle to go to the bathroom, Aubrey and I took a seat at our abandoned table for a breather.

“How are things at home?” The lift of her eyebrow made what she was really asking crystal clear, but I played dumb.

“Good. Richard is coming in next weekend.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Aubrey insisted. “No changing the subject. How are you doing with Finn freaking McCash sleeping under the same roof?”

“It’s really not that big of a deal. We’re almost never there at the same time. I work all day and he goes out at night.”

“What’s Richard say about it?”

“He doesn’t love the idea, but it helps that you and Chance let him stay with you. He trusts your guys’ judgment.”

“More than he trusts yours?”

“No, it’s just…” But I couldn’t finish that statement. I wondered if my past made Richard question my judgment in ways he might not if I’d had a less rocky history.

“Are we grilling her about Finn now?” Bobbi asked when she returned. I’d dodged her questions all week. The truth was, it felt like a betrayal to talk about Finn. I knew from the girls that he’d gone silent on social media and hadn’t made any media statements. In his absence, they’d turned to showcasing his ex-fiancée and her new boyfriend on what should have been her and Finn’s honeymoon.

Aubrey nodded. “How is he? Does he still seem sad?”

“I don’t know. I think so, but I don’t really know what he was like before, so it’s sort of hard to compare.”

“Well, from what Chance has told me, Finn was the life of the party. He dated Cindy forever, so I don’t think he was much of a playboy, but he’s definitely used to being out and in the public’s eye. Oh, and apparently he once streaked across the soccer field after a big game.”

“He got fined pretty good for that,” Bobbi added. We’re quiet for a few moments and then Bobbi’s voice was soft when she asked, “I wonder what happened between him and Cindy.”

They both looked at me.

“I have no idea. He hasn’t mentioned her at