The Bluff (Graham Brothers, #2)(101)

“Just relax. He’s checking you out.”

“No offense, but you’re a lot scarier than me.”

Big Mo chuckles. “Yes, but I’m not the one who’s been terrorizing him and trying to trap him in a cage.”

Touché. Trap him in a cage, trap him in a bag, shoot him with a tranquilizer dart—which was totally Collin’s idea. It ended with Pat shooting Collin in the leg with the gun, which didn’t knock him out, but did make him loopy—and also strangely good at chess—for a few hours.

He ended up spending a few days here, taking the first break from his gym since he opened years back. We all sat down and had a conversation about Dark Horse, and everything felt … lighter. As though just telling them all what I’d been holding inside for so long loosened something in me.

I don’t look forward to dealing with my family more, but with the addition of Kyoko—one more instance of Winnie pushing in the best way—I think it will be fine. I almost keeled over when Kyoko showed up for an interview that I hadn’t scheduled for a position I didn’t plan to fill. But within five minutes of being in the space and talking to me, she suggested a glass wall between the brewing tanks and the bar. It will still give people a full view of the process, but it will allow me to brew in peace.

I hired Kyoko on the spot.

“You’ve got to earn back trust,” Mo says, drawing me back into the moment. I don’t point out that I never had the cat’s trust to begin with. I’m not sure Mo is still talking about the cat. “It starts with you taking initiative, putting yourself out there. Then, sometimes there’s a lot of waiting.”

The Orange Cyclops delicately takes a bite of the raw meat in my hand. His whiskers tickle my palm, and I do my best to stay very, very still until he’s finished. His rough tongue licks my hand clean. It’s a weird feeling, but surprisingly, I don’t mind.

Instead of backtracking like I expect, the OC stands in front of me, sniffing the air and staring with that one yellow eye. I’m wholly shocked when Big Mo swoops in, grabbing the cat by the scruff of his neck. The cat goes limp.

“What was all that about earning trust?” I say, getting to my feet as Mo secures the cat in the carrier I purchased earlier this week. He hands it to me.

“Wasn’t talking about the cat.”

I glance in the carrier and the thing hisses at me. “What do I do now? The thing hates me.”

Big Mo chuckles, getting his empty liver container and heading for the door. “Rome didn’t fall in a day. It’s going to take more than one bite of liver to endear him to you.”

Is it going to take more than a groveling apology, a declaration of love, and a one-eyed cat to endear Winnie back to me?

“Any other advice?” I clear my throat. “About cats.”

“Baby steps,” Mo says. “Patience and discipline.”

“I don’t want her to think I’m ignoring her.”

“So, don’t ignore her,” Mo says, and I feel like a total punk kid being schooled by Mr. Miyagi. Mo meets my eyes again. “Baby steps,” he repeats.

And when he’s gone, leaving me alone with a hissing cat in a carrier, I slide my phone out of my pocket and spend way too long composing way too dumb of a text to Winnie.

Baby steps.





TEXT THREAD





James: Hey

Winnie: Seriously? You’re gonna lead with hey?

James: Greetings

James: Hello

James: Aloha

Winnie: You forgot hi.

James: Hi

Winnie: gif of Stanley from the Office rolling his eyes Winnie: Hi.

James: How have you been?

Winnie: I’m sure you don’t need to ask. There was a whole Neighborly thread on my emotional well-being or lack thereof. The poll is 50/50 on who broke whose heart.

James: There’s a poll?

Winnie: There was until I deleted the thread.

James: Well, I don’t believe the rumors. I’d rather hear from the source.

James: So, how are you?

Winnie: Is this your weird version of an apology? Because it kind of sucks.

James: No. An apology will be made in person at a date as yet to be determined Winnie: Okayyyy

Winnie: Be sure to send me an evite so I can clear my very busy schedule.

James: Oh, you won’t miss the apology. Trust me Winnie: Now I’m scared.

James: Speaking of Neighborly, congratulations on the big sale Winnie: Thanks. I think.

James: How do you feel about it?

Winnie: Since you asked, Dr. Freud, I’m feeling a lot richer.

Winnie: And I negotiated to keep control of the Sheet Cake part of the app.

James: You are an excellent negotiator James: But you really WANT to keep moderating this town’s gossip?

Winnie: No. But I don’t want a stranger doing it either.

James: Control freak

Winnie: If I’m the pot, you’re the kettle. Or vice versa.

James: Ready for your question of the day?

Winnie: That deal expired when you fired me the second time.

James: Sorry about that

Winnie: I thought you were giving me an apology at a later date? That was a little underwhelming.

James: I owe you multiple apologies. Consider that a teaser James: How about a new deal?