Kiss Me in the Summer - Barbara Dunlop Page 0,50

charging them for our cat-referee services.”

Madeline grinned. “Nothing like a hit in the pocketbook to focus the mind.” She looked at Josh. “No animal injuries, I hope.”

“No injuries,” he said, “Nothing like that. Becky got a day pass, so she and Ben came over to watch.”

Josh’s words were in no way an explanation for why he was here in the middle of the day, but Madeline didn’t seem to notice.

“You heard Max is teaching for the next two weeks?” Madeline asked me.

I nodded. “Becky told me. I can stay for—”

“Well, I came by to give you this,” Madeline said.

She held out an envelope for me.

“What is it?” I asked, puzzled as I took it from her.

My first thought was a reference letter for my job search, but she barely knew me. She hadn’t seen any meaningful legal work from me. There was absolutely nothing she could say to a future employer on my behalf.

“Your paycheck,” she said.

“My what?” I nearly dropped the envelope. Then I emphatically shook my head. “You’re not paying me.”

“Sure, I’m paying you. You’re working, aren’t you?”

“I’m working for room and board.” I pushed the envelope back at her. “I’m paying you back for putting me up all this time.”

She waved away my words. “Don’t be ridiculous. The guest room is just sitting there. And you barely eat anything.”

“We did drink that bottle of Chateau Quentin,” Josh said.

Madeline hit him with a mock glare. “You are not helping.”

“Yes,” I said. “The Chateau Quentin. Which was absolutely wonderful, by the way.”

“It was just an old bottle we had hanging around.”

Josh laughed at that.

Madeline waggled her finger at him. “I’ve had just about enough help from you.”

“You have to admit, it’s the perfect solution,” Josh said to me. “You stick around for a while where you’re needed, and Madeline pays you for your time and services. New York’s not going anywhere. Your immediate problem is paying the rent, right?”

Madeline nodded to the envelope that was still in my hand. “That’ll pay the rent.”

“I never intended for you to pay me.”

“You put in billable hours, young lady. You’ll take the payment.”

“The perfect solution,” Josh repeated. To Madeline he said, “Laila is afraid of dogs. I’m going to help her get over that.”

I spread my hands in a gesture of disbelief that he’d so readily outed me.

Madeline didn’t seem shocked, surprised, or remotely judgmental. “Cats too?”

“No. I’m fine with cats.”

“Well, thank goodness for that. I’d hate to think I’d scarred you for life or anything. I mean, Mumu’s a bit unpredictable. But Buffy can’t move all that fast, of course.”

“Buffy does fine,” Josh said, sounding like he felt obligated to defend the cat. “I’m not sure she even knows she has three legs.”

“Wait,” I said, realizing I’d let myself get distracted. “We’re still arguing about my paycheck.”

“No, we’re not, dear,” Madeline said in a placating voice. “That’s all been settled.”

“She’s right,” Josh said. “I don’t know how you missed it.”

Chapter Ten

Storm clouds gathered in the afternoon, and they seemed serious. They’d blocked out the sun. The blue sky had shrunk down to a tiny patch in the distance and thunder rumbled above Rutter’s Point.

I was beginning to regret my decision to walk from the law office to the shelter after work. Gerry had finished fixing my car, so I could easily have driven over and made sure I stayed dry. But Rutter’s Point wasn’t a driving kind of town. Maybe I should invest in an umbrella.

I had four blocks to go when the raindrops started. They were fat as they splatted on my head. But they were also scattered and far between, so I hoped I wouldn’t get too wet. Then the thunder rumbled more ominously. The black clouds were directly overhead now, and the rain grew heavier, falling faster and faster.

I started to trot along the sidewalk, over the cross streets, and then down the alley to the shelter. I made it there fast. Another win for the seafoam shoes.

Even so, my hair was soaked and my blouse clung to my skin. I flung open the shelter door and rushed inside.

Both Victoria and Josh looked up at my arrival.

“Laila!” There was a warning in Josh’s voice.

Before I could react, Butch bounded toward me. I flattened myself against the door, scrunching my eyes shut and preparing to be attacked.

But nothing happened.

The room turned silent except for the rattle of a cage and a little, distant growl that had to be from Pooh-Pooh.

I opened one eye.

Butch was right there, dead center in