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