Beneath the Scars (Masters of the Shadowlands #13)(95)

My Josie. He’d claimed her. Even though Josie kept pulling away, Holt was claiming her in public. She didn’t know what to say. Couldn’t seem to breathe past the huge thickness in her throat.

“Oh.” Di pouted. “I was sure you’d take longer to get over Nadia.”

“I realized fast enough that everything worked out for the best.” Holt grinned. “Since you can’t have me, can I suggest a good-looking feline?” He motioned to a green-eyed cat in one of the show cages.

The blonde laughed. “Nice try. Unfortunately, my dog hates cats and so do I. I’d better get his dog treats and get back.”

“It was good to see you. Stay safe.”

As Di moved off, Josie let out a long breath. “I wish I could handle people as smoothly as he does,” she muttered to Gabi.

Gabi laughed. “I’ve seen you working the bar, and you’re…almost…as tactful as he is. Just almost—because I’m not sure anyone has skills quite up to his.”

“Ladies, did you enjoy the show?” Holt was suddenly beside Josie and bent down to give her a firm kiss. “Were you taking bets on how quickly I could extract myself?”

Gabi laughed. “Actually, we were admiring your skill. Not even Marcus is as charming.”

Holt glanced over to where Marcus was helping an older man fill out adoption papers. “That’s because Marcus is a lawyer—they’re all about the winning. I’m a firefighter, paramedic, and nurse. We’re all about the helping.”

“You really are.” Josie stared at him. Her heart had that crazy overstuffed feeling again, like when she’d watched him during Anne’s labor. He was just so…astonishing.

And as he looked down at her, his eyes were warm and tender and the most incredible blue-gray. Hearing Gabi give a small laugh, Josie realized she’d gotten trapped in his gaze. Again.

Forcing herself to look away, she noticed Carson was watching. From the sulky scowl aimed at Holt, her son had heard Holt laying claim to Josie.

Closing her eyes, she pulled in a breath.

Every day, she fell harder for Holt. It was time to stop pretending and have a talk with Carson about grownups and dating and…and stuff.

*

Home from the adoption event, Carson set the cat carrier down in his room and opened the door. “Hey, Poe. C’mon out.”

Yellow-green eyes studied him, and Carson held completely still. Please like it here. Please like me.

Slowly, Poe rose. Stopped at the door. Looked at the room. Looked at Carson. Took two steps.

Carson held out his fingers.

Poe sniffed him and considered before butting his furry black head against Carson’s hand.

Tears prickled Carson’s eyes. The cat still liked him. “I guess we’re gonna do okay.” It was hard not to pull Poe into his lap for a hug, for petting, but that would be like…like Holt yanking him into a hug.

Maybe it’d be kind of nice, but it wouldn’t be cool.

Carson growled under his breath. Not cool at all because the guy was hitting on Mom. He was a neighbor and had the hots for Mom. That wasn’t right.

And Mom liked Holt back. She…watched him, and he watched her. She leaned against him on the couch. And Holt kissed her sometimes.

Carson’s chest felt funny. She was Mom.

And then Poe ambled onto his lap, its tail brushing his chin. Slowly, Carson stroked down the black fur. I have a cat.

Carson let out a breath. Holt’d been the one who took them to the adoption event. And when Carson had asked Mom if he could bring Poe home, Holt had winked at him and helped the lady Mom had been assisting. He’d given Carson a chance to talk Mom into adopting Poe.

And he’d helped Carson with the new phone and helped put cool stuff on it. He’d even added his phone number into the contacts list. Holt really was an okay guy.

Why couldn’t he just stay a neighbor…and leave Mom alone?

A tap on the door sounded. “Permission to enter, captain?”

Carson rolled his eyes and half-grinned. Sometimes his mom was so weird. “Come.”

Carrying a grocery sack, she walked in, saw Poe, and closed the door behind her. “I see he’s found a good place to sit while he checks out the accommodations.”

Poe had settled down, draped over Carson’s lap.

Mom set the sack down. “Here’s the litter box and litter, food and dishes. You can put the litter box in that empty spot in your bathroom. We’ll keep Poe in your room for a couple of days so he knows that’s his spot, then he can have the run of the house.”

“Okay.”

She took a step toward the door and hesitated. “About… Um…”

“What?”

“Carson, even mothers like to…well, have friends. Grownup friends.”

“You have friends.”

“Mothers who aren’t married also go out with men. Sometimes. Like dating.”

His teeth made a funny grinding noise. “Yeah. So?”

“So, I know you like Holt. He’s…well, we’re seeing each other. He asked me to go out with him on New Year’s Eve.”

Shit-buckets. Carson scowled. They’d always spent New Year’s Eve together and now Holt was ruining it. Ruining everything. “Uh-huh.”

“Carson?”