Page 35

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

LITTLE VIXEN

PENN

I’m barely through the door when Jezebel launches at me like a naked demon from the pits of hell.

“Ahh!” I yell, stumbling backward as I try to avoid a full-frontal assault from the hairless cat of my nightmares. Who the hell thinks these things are cute?

I jump as she slinks her body along my legs and try to stand as still as possible.

“Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm,” I tell myself.

She does one more swipe of her skin along my legs before walking to the couch. Once she’s perched on the back of the couch, she stares at me with those beady alien eyes, her tail whipping behind her like a weapon. The wrinkles on her body glisten in the sunlight. My head tilts. She looks…fuller.

“Hey!” Addy comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my waist, kissing the back of my neck. “Welcome home.”

I turn and kiss her. “God, it’s good to see you.”

She grins up at me and gives me another kiss. “It’s good to see you too.”

I feel eyes on me and glance at the cat. “Why do I feel like she’s flashing me?” I squint at her. “And what’s with her…boobs?”

Addy chokes back a laugh. “Penn,” she wheezes.

“I’m serious!” I gesture helplessly toward the cat, who stretches out and somehow makes the whole situation worse. “They’re huge!” I lean closer and instantly regret it. “And saggy.”

Addy snorts. “Don’t be hating on my girl’s saggy breasts!”

She approaches the couch, crouching down to inspect Jezebel. The cat meows and starts licking her shoulder, completely oblivious to the fact that she’s scarring my retinas.

Addy turns to look at me, her eyes wide. “You know…they do look bigger and saggier than when we got her.” She tilts her head. “And so does her stomach.”

We stare at each other in horror.

“Oh, hell no,” I say.

“You don’t think she’s…”

“No, no, no,” I cut in.

Jezebel blinks slowly at me.

“So help me if Jerry didn’t tell us this little vixen is about to have offspring,” I yell.

Addy bursts out laughing and scoops her off the couch, nuzzling into her.

“I don’t understand how you can cuddle with that thing, but you do you,” I tell her.

“The kids will be home soon and I’m about to start dinner, but…maybe I should run her to the vet really quick.”

“Do we have to know today?” I ask, following her into the kitchen.

“No, but…wouldn’t you rather know what we’re dealing with?”

“I’m not sure,” I admit.

Addy checks the oven. “It’s easy to get in and out of Pet Galaxy, right? As long as Dr. Amber isn’t too backed up? It used to be anyway.”

“I have no idea. I’ve never had a pregnant naked pet before.”

Addy laughs again and shakes her head. “You’re hilarious.” She leans up to kiss me. “Sorry to leave as soon as you’re getting home, but I’ll hurry.”

“I’ll come with you,” I sigh. “I was hoping we could bury ourselves under the covers before the kids got home, but…”

“Responsibilities,” she finishes.

“Right.”

Addy hustles around the kitchen and then the laundry room to get the ridiculous little cat carrier.

“This is unacceptable, Jezebel. We don’t condone teenage pregnancy!”

Addy can hardly get Jezebel in the carrier for laughing. “You are too much.”

Jezebel yowls like she’s wounded once she’s in the carrier. I lean down and lock eyes with her.

“I’m judging you,” I tell her.

She swipes at the air with her wrinkly paws.

I point at her. “Exactly.”

An hour later, we’re back from Pet Galaxy. Addy’s still laughing. I drop the keys on the counter, and Addy and I look at each other.

“You ready to be a grandpa?” she asks.

“There is no part of that sentence that I’m ready for!”

“At least Jerry offered to take the kittens off our hands once they’re old enough.” She lets Jezebel out of the carrier and Jezebel skulks off, miffed that she was inconvenienced.

“Really generous of Jerry.”

Addy giggles and slides her arms around my waist. “We’ll figure it out.”

I sigh and pull her close. “Was it good for you to be home this weekend?”

She smiles against my chest. “I loved it. I really needed that. I even got to catch up with Goldie. She says hello, by the way.”

“Hello to Goldie. Tell her to come back and visit longer. And I’m so glad you had a good weekend. You seem…happier.”

She looks up at me, and her hands wind through my hair. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a mess. I’m gonna try to do better.”

I push her hair back and look at her intently.

“There is not a single thing you need to do any better, Addy. This is not on you. I want to talk to your dad tonight about ways I can be home more too. There’s not much I can do if I stay with the team, but I’ve played long enough now that I don’t have to be at as much training in the summer…

I can streamline the things that I volunteer for…

there are tweaks I can make with workouts and such, which would help with being here when the kids are home from school.

We’ll keep working on this, but it’s not on your shoulders.

” I lean closer, tilting her chin up. “Okay?”

She nods. “Okay.”

She kisses me then and lifts up on her tiptoes to get closer. When she pulls away minutes later, breathless, she whispers in my ear, “I think we have time before the kids get home, if we’re fast.”

“Oh, I will be so fucking fast,” I promise, already lifting her over my shoulder. “And so fucking thorough,” I add, bolting for the stairs.

The sounds of our laughter fill up the house.

Damn, it’s good to be home.

Later that night, Addy is in full domestic goddess mode. She’s got an elaborate meal spread out for the six of us. It smells amazing.

“This looks stunning, Adeline,” her mom says. “What is that salad?”

“Thanks, Mom. I’m so excited you’re here. So, we have a pear and gorgonzola salad with candied walnuts. And we have salmon with a lemon-dill yogurt sauce, garlic-roasted Brussels sprouts, and quinoa with sweet potatoes and kale.”

“And she made dessert too!” Sam adds happily. “What did you call it?”

“Passionfruit Pavlova,” I say, grinning at him.

“Do the two of you eat all this fancy food?” Danielle asks Sam and Winnie.

“Addy is the best cook ever,” Sam says.

“Best cook ever,” Winnie repeats. “I love Addy’s food so much.”

“Me too.” Sam nods.

“Well, you are both remarkable,” Danielle says. “Addy always loved any kind of food too.” She laughs and looks at Addy fondly. “There were no chicken fingers for you…you were my grilled shrimp and filet mignon child. Expensive tastes.”

“I love chicken fingers and shrimp and steak,” Winnie says.

We all laugh, and the conversation flows into Sam’s game over the weekend and our win in Florida. Coach is actually talking to me. Real, genuine conversation, not the awkward grunt-based communication we’ve had for years.

When pressed, Addy talks a little about how crazy everything’s been lately, but she keeps it light while Sam and Winnie are at the table. Winnie ends up on Danielle’s lap, and it’s evident that both Rex and Danielle are smitten with the kids.

After the kids go to bed, the conversation shifts.

“So…” Rex studies Addy carefully. “How are you really doing?”

She sets down her wine glass. “A little better. A weekend at home helped. I want to keep figuring it out with Lorelai.” She glances at me and then back at her dad.

“It was actually a lot of fun working on her projects while she was gone. And talking with her today...I think she had even more fun than I did, traveling with the team again.”

“You think that’s something you’d both consider doing more regularly?” he asks.

“It seems like she’s open, which I really appreciate.”

He nods. “It sounds like you’re finding your rhythm. Let me know if I can do anything to help.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“She’s a badass,” I say proudly, and Addy gives me a sweet smile.

Danielle reaches out and takes Addy’s hand. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. Proud of both of you.” She looks at me fondly. I’ve always liked Danielle a lot. She’s been kind to me since I first signed with the team. “Those kids are so happy. They’re absolutely thriving. It’s truly remarkable.”

“Thanks, Mama,” Addy says softly. “I didn’t know I could love them so much.”

Her eyes meet mine and I see the love shining there. I take her hand, needing to touch her desperately. This woman. How did she become my everything?

When we crawl into bed that night, she snuggles up against me, her hand resting on my chest.

“I think your dad might kind of like me now,” I say, chuckling.

“I think you’re right. His turnaround is actually shocking. I’m proud of him…and you.”

I kiss the top of her head. “Even though our little alien is about to become a single mom?”

She laughs. “Nobody’s perfect, Preacher Man.”

“No one but you.”