Courting the Cat Whisperer
Page 14
“How are you, Mr. Harrison?” the sheriff asked.
“I’d be better if you’d call me Sawyer.” Although he was still getting used to the name, he liked it better than Harry.
“Deal. And you can call me RJ. I wanted to update you on the investigation.”
Sawyer sat on the wingback chair. “Okay.”
“Boris Komisky was transferred to the county jail. The DA interviewed him there. He admitted to being in Nocturne Falls last week. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t own up to breaking into your house or truck there, or the one where Jordan was staying. But we’ve got him on several other charges, including assault and aggravated battery. Suffice it to say that Mr. Komisky will be a guest of the state for many years.”
“Glad to hear it, Sheriff. What about my dear old aunt?”
“Thanks to Gladys, we’re charging Angelica with attempted murder and embezzlement. She’ll be locked away even longer than Komisky. If Parnell Jespers were still alive, he’d be locked up, too.”
Relief coursed through him. He was finally free to go on with his life.
“Can I suggest something?” the sheriff asked.
“Sure.”
“You’ve been through a lot. But you’ll have control of all your assets back very soon. Take some time off to process and heal.”
The idea of an extended vacation appealed to him. But if he couldn’t talk Jordan into joining him, it wouldn’t be very enjoyable. “Thanks for the advice, Sheriff.”
“I hope we’ll see you in Cat’s Paw Cove soon. I ran into your cousin, Martine yesterday. She’s hoping you’ll move back here. And Luna over at Cove Cat Café said something about trying to lure Jordan here to work with the cats.”
“I’ll let you know. Thanks again.”
Jordan came through the back door, her cheeks pink from the sun, and her feet bare. She held up the lavender. “Aren’t these beautiful? Smell.”
He sniffed the flowers. “Absolutely gorgeous.”Although he was referring to her, not the purple blooms. “I just spoke to Sheriff Higgins.”
“What’s up?” She set a tall glass vase in the sink and turned on the faucet to fill it.
He told her the news then sat at the kitchen table. “I’ve been thinking.”
Jordan placed the vase in the middle of the table and joined him. “Okay.”
“I’d like to move back to Cat’s Paw Cove.”
Her face was blank. He’d been hoping for her to be excited by his decision, and that she’d tell him she wanted to go, too. When she didn’t say anything, he continued. “I’m going to relocate my business there. I have several relatives in the town, not just Martine. Apparently, the local veterinarian, Zane Anderson is another cousin, and there are others.”
“That’s…great.”
He reached across the table and took her hand. “Would you ever consider moving there?”
A wry grin settled on her lips. “I was hoping you’d ask. Luna offered me a lot more than I’m earning here to manage the cat rescue. Honestly, it’s my dream job.”
He held his breath. This was too good to be true. But he didn’t want her to have any regrets. “What about Mallory?”
Jordan pushed out of her seat and moved between his thighs, hooking her hands around his neck. “I’m hoping that after she and Cyrus tie the knot, they might think about relocating. She’d be a lot closer to Miami there. And since I happen to know that she wants kids, being four hours away from them would be a lot better than being a full day’s drive, right? Who knows? I’ve got to live my own life regardless of what my sister decides.”
“I must be dreaming.” Sawyer reeled her in for a slow, sensual kiss. She tasted like fresh air and mint. He wasn’t falling in love with her—he was already there.
Epilogue
Four months later…
Jordan fanned her fingernails to help the polish dry faster. Treating herself to weekly manicures felt so indulgent, but she’d been earning a decent amount of money for the past three months at the cat café. And in just a few days, Mallory would be moving to Cat’s Paw Cove for her new job at Claws-N-Coifs salon.
“I can’t wait until your twin sister gets here.” Martine wiped down her nail table. “It’s going to be awesome having a nail tech who also does tarot readings.”
Martine had become more than just Jordan’s manicurist—they were friends. Things had been going so well between Jordan and Sawyer, that someday, perhaps she and Martine would be related by marriage.
“Your haircut looks great, by the way,” Martine commented. “Georgi is amazing.”
Jordan nodded her agreement. Mallory had lamented that she’d miss the Hair Scare in Nocturne Falls, but Jordan had been right about her sister wanting to get pregnant soon. The newlyweds were already oohing an ahhing over every baby they saw. And Jordan was sure that Mallory would come to love this salon, and the rest of Cat’s Paw Cove as well.
Martine glanced past Jordan and waved at someone. “She’s ready for you, cuz.”
Sawyer kissed the back of her neck. “And even more beautiful than she was a couple of hours ago.”
Jordan’s heart fluttered, as it did every single time Sawyer touched her. “Why, thank you.”
“I’m taking this gorgeous creature out for lunch,” he told Martine. “Want to join us?”
Martine rolled her eyes. “No thanks. Pardon me for saying, but you two are as nauseating as ten tons of lollipops.”
Jordan chuckled. “I bet that Leo is looking for a date for the Valentine’s Day Ball next week. Want me to tell him you’re available?”
Martine held up her palms. “Heck no. Leo’s a sweet guy, but I’m completely not interested in dating anyone, even him.”
Jordan had noticed how Leo looked at Martine when she came into the café every morning for coffee, how he got all tongue-tied around her. Martine could deny that she liked Leo all she wanted. Jordan could spot a woman with a crush a mile away. “Whatever you say.” She kissed Martine’s cheek then waited as Sawyer gave his cousin a hug.
Taking Sawyer’s hand, she waved goodbye to the rest of her new friends at the salon. “See you soon.”
They walked to Purry’s Burgers for lunch. The moment they went inside, Jordan inhaled the smell of the best burgers in town. Her stomach growled in response as they sat in their usual booth.
“So, speaking of the Valentine’s Day Ball,” Sawyer started.
Jordan set aside her menu. “Yes?”
“Mayor Watson asked me if you and I would join her at her table for the ball.”
“Really? That sounds like quite an honor.”
“I think it is.”
Their waitress arrived with a tuxedo milkshake and two straws. “Do y’all want your usuals?”
Jordan nodded. “Thanks, Charlene.”
After Charlene left, Sawyer eyed Jordan. “So what do you say? Should I tell Mayor Watson we accept her invitation?”
At first, when Sawyer had taken on a renovation project at the pretty redhead’s home, Jordan had been the teensiest bit jealous. But after Sawyer had introduced her, and Jordan learned that the mayor was yet another of Sawyer’s cousins, she’d relaxed.
“I’d love to,” she told Sawyer.
“Good.” He slid closer to her on the seat. “It’s going to be a special night. And since your sister and brother-in-law will be here in a few days, I bought tickets to the ball for them.”
“How exciting. I can’t wait.” Jordan could hardly sit still, and she suspected that was not only from the huge amount of sugar in the milkshake but also because Sawyer was planning something special for Valentine’s Day.
He pressed a chocolate-flavored kiss to her lips. “It’ll be a night to remember.”
Her heart pounded. Sawyer had made her every dream come true, and the best part was that he said many times that she’d done the same for him.
Join Wynter Daniels and Catherine Kean in 2019 in
; CAT’S PAW COVE
About the Author
Wynter Daniels has authored more than three dozen romances, including contemporary, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance books for several publishers including Entangled Publishing and Carina Press, as well as for Kristen Painter’s Nocturne Falls Universe. Along with author Catherine Kean, she will launch the Cat’s Paw Cove series in 2019. She lives in sunny Florida with her family and a very spoiled cat named Chloe. After careers in marketing and the salon industry, Wynter’s wicked prose begged to be set free. You can find her on the web on Facebook, Twitter and her website.
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