Number Neighbors - Emma Hart Page 0,10
to do.”
“You did the right thing. Come in.” He stepped aside for me to enter, and even through my worry about the kitten, it took everything I had not to stare too much at his gray sweatpants.
Seriously.
They needed to be made illegal, especially on a man as hot as he was.
“Bring it into the living room. What’s wrong?” He led me into the gray and white living room and motioned for me to take a seat on the L-shaped sofa.
He took the kitten from me and sat it between us.
“It’s been snotty for a few days, but it threw up twice today. I don’t think it’s kept any food down.”
“Shit, okay.” He gently unbundled the blanket. “Hello,” he said softly, when Lucifer opened its big blue eyes. Isaac picked it up and turned it around, then reached between its back legs.
I raised my eyebrows.
His lips curved into an amused half-smile. “I’m checking for balls.”
Oh.
“Are there any balls?” I asked.
His smile gave way to a low chuckle. “Two balls. Congratulations, it’s a boy.”
Yippee.
“Well, at least his name won’t have to change now.”
“And you can stop referring to him like he’s a member of the Addams family.”
“That, too.”
Isaac grinned. “Give me a second. I keep some stuff in the kitchen, then I can check him over properly.”
I nodded, reaching out to smooth Lucifer. So. It was a boy. While I didn’t care either way, it was nice to know.
Because, you know.
Not. My. Cat.
Isaac came back in with a small black bag. He sat back down on the other side of the sofa and unzipped the bag before pulling out a few things. He used the stethoscope to check his heart, then gave Lucifer’s face a once over, checking his eyes, ears, and teeth.
Then he shoved a thermometer up his ass.
Well, he didn’t shove it. He actually inserted it very gently, but saying it like that doesn’t add any drama, does it?
I did like a bit of drama.
Damn it. I was turning into Grandma Jen.
“His temperature is fine, his heart is beating how it should be, and his teeth all look good,” Isaac said after a moment. “He is snotty and his eyes are a little gunky. It’s probably just cat flu. You said he hasn’t had any injections, didn’t you?”
I bit my lip and nodded.
“It’s okay.” He reached over and touched my upper arm reassuringly. “He’s around nine to ten weeks old, so he’s only just old enough for them anyway. Even if he had them already, he’d probably still be unwell because chances are, he picked this up before he found you.”
Weirdly, that made me feel a little better.
“Can he have the shots now, then?”
He shook his head. “Not while he’s ill. I’d prefer him to be over the worst of it before he gets the vaccines. If you want to leave him with me tonight, I can take him in and get the medicine he needs.”
“Is he really sick?”
“I can check him over better at work, but the flu is probably just making him feel too unwell to digest the food. Is he drinking fine?”
“Yeah, and he hasn’t thrown that up as far as I know.”
“There you go, then. I’ll take him in and get him some decongestant and some anti-inflammatory meds.”
“Now? I can take him tomorrow. It’s fine.”
“Ah, but if I say he’s mine, you won’t have to pay right now.” He winked, grinned, and scratched Lucifer under the chin.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“You’re right, I don’t, but unless you have a spare hundred or so dollars hanging around right now…”
I grimaced. “Understood.”
He laughed and wrapped Lucifer in the blanket. “It won’t take me long. I’ll give you my number, so call in the morning and I’ll let you know how he’s doing. Do you have your phone?”
All right, so it wasn’t the way I’d ever planned on getting his number, but I’d take it.
“Not with me, no. Thank you. I really appreciate it.” I stood when he did.
He smiled and scribbled his number on the back of a Target receipt from the coffee table. “It’s my job.”
“Well, thank you anyway.” I returned his smile and took his number. “What time should I call?”
“Whenever. I’m in work at eight, so if I don’t answer, leave a message and I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
“Okay.” I swallowed and said goodbye to Lucifer, smoothing around his ears the way the little demon liked.
Isaac walked me to the door. “He’ll be fine. He’s just going to need a