Number Neighbors - Emma Hart Page 0,57

so excited.” She scrunched her shoulders right up with a grin. “Now, Isaac, what cat do you want, dear? We have lots.”

I repeated my preferences to her.

“I think we have several that fit that, yes. As you know, adult cats are the hardest to get adopted, but I’m not surprised you want one. You’re a good egg, Isaac.” She patted my shoulder. “Come on through and we’ll take a look see.”

Hannah slipped her fingers through mine as we walked, lightly squeezing me. I wasn’t sure if it was a reassuring squeeze or one that said we were going to talk later, but I hoped it was a little bit of both.

I had no idea how to introduce her.

Thankfully, I think she knew that.

“This one is Horace. He’s four, fully vaccinated and neutered, and he’s a lovely old thing,” Audrey said. “He’s a total lap cat, but he’s blind in one eye.”

I released Hannah’s hand and stepped forward. He was beautiful—one hundred percent black with green eyes and a big fluffy tail that he currently had wrapped around his body to keep him warm.

“He’s beautiful,” I said.

“He is. Let me show you the others and we can circle back to any of them you like.” She shuffled us along a few cages. “This one is Spring. She’s around two years old, again spayed and vaccinated, but she has a few behavioral issues we’re working on.”

“Behavioral?” I asked, taking a step closer. She was almost pure white except for one black ear and the tip of her ear. Her blue eyes peered out of the cage at me and tugged at something deep inside. “What are her issues?”

“She’s a little vicious,” Audrey admitted. “Honestly, we found her with her litter of kittens. She had four we found them with her. They were all dead. She was still trying to nurse them and look after them.”

Hannah inhaled sharply, gripping hold of my arm.

“We think she’s grieving them,” Audrey said softly. “She’s a lovely thing, and I’m only showing you because you’ll know how old she is. I don’t think she’s ready to be rehomed yet until we’ve got her behavior sorted out.”

“I understand.” I reached over and squeezed Hannah’s hand.

“Let’s move on.” Audrey marched ahead, but it took me a good moment to unstick my feet from the floor.

Something in that cat’s eyes called to me, and I was afraid to look at any others, because I feared I already knew who was supposed to be mine.

Next, I met a big fluffy ginger tabby named Lightwood. He was eighteen months old, playful as hell, and the perfect candidate for what I was looking for. After him was Charge, another male. He was a little older and not quite as crazy as Lightwood, but we moved on and saw three more cats who fit my preferences before Audrey clapped her hands together.

“Well? What do you think? Anyone you want to open up and see?”

I glanced at Hannah and met Audrey’s eyes.

Audrey’s smile dropped. “Isaac—”

“Please,” I asked. “She’s beautiful, Audrey, and you know I could help her.”

She took in a deep breath so harshly that her nostrils flared. “Two minutes, and if anyone asks, you’re checking her over, understand?”

I nodded once.

Hannah bounced beside me. For someone who didn’t like cats until a week ago, she was all about Spring.

Audrey lead us back over and stopped in front of her cage. Spring was lying at the back, watching us intently. Reluctantly, Audrey undid the cage door and stepped aside so I could approach her.

“Hey, Spring,” I said softly, gently reaching my hand toward her. “Aren’t you a lovely thing?”

Audrey twitched as Spring moved.

“It’s okay.” I kept my voice low and my hand near the bottom of the cage. The last thing I wanted to do was spook her now. “Here. I’m a friend.”

I waited until she moved toward me. Every bit was tentative and it took her a few minutes of silence, but she stretched her neck and sniffed my hand. After she’d had a moment to do that, I moved my finger and gently smoothed the side of her face. She had a beautiful, fluffy neck ruff, and my finger glided over her thick fur.

“My goodness,” Audrey breathed.

Spring didn’t move, but she allowed me to take my finger from her neck to her ear, then to the top of her head. She didn’t move into me, but I didn’t expect her to. Distrust filled her eyes, and I was careful not to maintain eye contact