Page 19 of Curious Hearts (The Healing Hearts #2)

Jessica looked at the transformation of her living room, and a thought occurred to her.

The shelves weren’t just functional additions for the cats; they were her willingness to make changes, to acknowledge that perhaps this house might be more than just a six-month obligation.

She closed her eyes, allowing the associated emotions to resonate through her body, but was she really ready for this? An uneasiness settled in her stomach.

“I’d call this a successful installation,” Ali said, settling onto the sofa. “They’ve fully embraced their new vertical territory.”

“Thank you, again.” Jessica sat beside her, aware of the careful few inches she maintained between them. “Not just for this, but for Saturday too. The dinner would have been much worse without you there.”

“Happy to help. Though I’m not sure how much help after Mr. Darcy’s great escape.”

“Still, you made it bearable.” Jessica hesitated, then added, “My mother called you ‘refreshingly genuine’ afterward, which from her is practically a declaration of adoration.”

“Really? I got the impression she thought I was some kind of cat-whispering bohemian who might lead you astray.”

“That too,” Jessica admitted with a smile. “But she was impressed by your knowledge. And the fact that you didn’t back down when my father was being dismissive about non-profit work.”

“I’ve dealt with worse than James Taylor.” Ali shrugged. “No offense.”

“None taken. He can be challenging.”

They sat quietly. Jessica was acutely aware of Ali’s proximity on the sofa, the subtle fresh scent of her shampoo, and the way the evening light caught a slight redness to her hair she’d never noticed before.

She found herself fighting the urge to reach out and touch one of those strands, to see if it felt as soft as it looked.

“I should probably head out soon,” Ali said, though she made no move to get up. “Early appointment tomorrow.”

“Of course.” Jessica nodded but didn’t move, enjoying what seemed like anticipation in the air between them, or perhaps maybe just wishful thinking on Jessica’s part.

But then that beat of silence was followed by another and their eyes met, causing her stomach to flip as though she’d driven over a bump at speed, the earth falling away beneath the wheels.

Should she lean in? It had been so long since she’d found herself in this situation.

“Jessica,” Ali said breaking the quiet. “I’ve been wondering?—”

Jessica’s heart quickened, her mouth suddenly dry. What was Ali wondering? If this dinner had been more than just a thank-you? If the way Jessica sometimes caught herself staring at Ali meant something? If this, whatever it was between them might be something more?

She was interrupted by a soft thump as Empress suddenly appeared on the coffee table between them. The calico surveyed them both with intense amber eyes, her tail switching slowly.

“Well, hello,” Ali said. “I was wondering if we’d see you tonight.”

Empress blinked, first at Ali, then at Jessica, before settling on the table.

“She’s been watching me,” Jessica explained. “From a distance mostly, but yesterday she sat on my desk for almost an hour.”

“That’s solid progress. She’s deciding whether you’re trustworthy.”

“I’m waiting on the verdict.”

As if in response, Empress stood, stretched leisurely, and then, to both women’s astonishment, stepped delicately from the table onto Jessica’s lap. She turned in a precise circle, kneaded the fabric of Jessica’s jeans for a moment, and then settled down, curling into a perfect circle.

Jessica froze, afraid to move lest she scare her off.

“Wow,” Ali whispered. “Vivian said it took over three years before Empress would sit on her lap.”

“What should I do?” Jessica whispered back.

“Just be still. Let her set the terms.”

They sat in silence, both watching as the calico’s eyes slowly drifted closed, her breathing deepening into sleep. After a few minutes, Jessica cautiously, tentatively, rested one hand on Empress’s back. The cat didn’t stir.

“I think you’ve been officially adopted,” Ali said. “You’re part of her family now.”

Something about those words, about the entire moment, meant more than just the simple act of a cat choosing a lap. Jessica met Ali’s eyes. The warmth and pride that reflected back made Jessica’s skin tingle.

“I should go,” Ali said with what Jessica thought was an edge of regret. “Let you two have your moment.”

“You don’t have to,” Jessica heard herself say, and she meant it. She didn’t want Ali to leave, not now. Not when… “I mean... it’s still early.”

Ali’s smile was gentle but resolute. “Early appointments, remember? Besides, this is important. Empress choosing you, it’s a big step.”

Jessica watched as Ali gathered her tools and bags, pinned in place by the sleeping cat. A mixture of disappointment and relief washed through her—relief that they wouldn’t have to address the tension which had been building between them all evening, disappointment for the exact same reason.

“I’ll walk you out,” she offered, but Ali shook her head.

“Stay put. I know the way.” She paused at the edge of the sofa, then, in a gesture that seemed impulsive, leaned down and squeezed Jessica’s shoulder lightly.

The warmth of Ali’s hand seeped through Jessica’s button-down, sending a shiver down her spine. The contact was brief but charged, leaving her entire body tingling even after Ali’s hand was gone.

“I enjoyed this. We should maybe do it again?” Ali’s cheeks flushed, her eyes holding Jessica’s for a second before darting away, as though gathering her bags took all her attention.

“I’d like that.”

At the doorway, Ali turned back with a smile. “Goodnight, Jessica. Sweet dreams to you and Her Majesty.”

“Night, Ali.”

After the door closed, Jessica sat rigid in the deepening twilight, one hand mechanically stroking Empress’s soft fur. The cat’s purr thrummed against her palm, but she barely registered it through the restless energy coursing through her body.

This place, these creatures, and that woman—Christ, that woman—had her unraveling at the seams.

The house wrapped around her in unfamiliar comfort, and the realization sent heat flooding through her chest. Not the pleasant warmth of belonging, but something urgent and unsettling. Because feeling at home meant staying. Home meant putting down roots. Home meant vulnerability.

And Jessica Taylor had spent the better part of her adult life avoiding all three.

Yet here she was, her lap claimed by a cat who understood wariness better than most humans, in a house that had belonged to the family eccentric, feeling raw and exposed and desperately, achingly aroused.

The memory of Ali’s touch on her shoulder burned through her shirt.

She could still smell the faint scent of sawdust and Ali’s shampoo lingering in the air.

What the hell had Ali been about to ask before Empress interrupted? The possibilities of what that unfinished question might have been made Jessica’s skin prickle with frustrated anticipation.

“What am I doing, Empress?” she whispered to the sleeping cat.