Yule Be Magical (Familiar Kitten Mysteries Book 8), Sara Bourgeois [popular romance novels .txt] 📗

worked at the grocery store. I assumed she got a pretty significant discount, so she was able to buy as much as she wanted or needed.

When I decided there was nothing more to see, I collected Meri and headed over to Josh’s apartment so he could lock the place back up again. I raised my hand to knock on his door, but he opened it before I could.

“All done?” he asked.

“Were you waiting there for me?” I asked. He’d startled me when he opened the door, but I hoped I hadn’t sounded rude when I asked him that. “I’m sorry, you just surprised me.”

“Sorry,” he said and blushed. “I was getting some tea and heard you walk down the hall. The walls around here are a bit thin.”

“It’s all right,” I said. “I’m all done at Pepper’s place for now. You can lock up again.”

“When are you coming back?” he asked and stepped into the hall so abruptly that I had to step back. “Excuse me,” he said and blushed even more furiously.

At first, I’d thought he was unusual, but I started to think he just struggled with relating and communicating with people. I chastised myself and swore to cut the guy some slack. It was obvious he was doing his best, and he must have been struggling with Pepper’s loss as well, if they were close enough friends that he had a key.

Were they just friends, though?

I’d heard rumors about her that perhaps she was stringing along more than one man. Maybe Josh was one of them.

“You and Pepper must have been close if she gave you a key,” I said as casually as I could.

“She had a cat,” he said, and on cue, a fat gray cat showed up at the door. “Go back, Snuffles,” he said and shut the door.

“Oh, you have her cat,” I said. “That’s sweet of you.”

“No one ever came to get him. She wouldn’t have wanted him to be alone and starving in there. You don’t think I’ll get in trouble, do you?”

“No, I think it’s a really good thing you did,” I said. “So you had the key to help her with Snuffles?”

“Yeah, so I could check on him if she had to work a double shift. Sometimes she went out of town and I’d feed him and tend to his litter box.”

“Well, you’re a good friend, Josh,” I said.

“So, when are you coming back? To pack up her apartment? I could help,” he offered.

“I, uh… I appreciate the offer, but I think I’m going to hire someone to do it,” I said. “I’m going to send in a professional crew to pack everything up for her family.”

“Oh,” his voice dripped with disappointment.

“But you can help me out by letting them in. I still don’t have a key. Could you lock up the place when they’re done?” I asked.

That seemed to brighten him some. “Sure. I can do that.”

“And keep taking care of Snuffles if you can. I already have a cat and a dog, or I’d offer,” I said but then thought better of it. “But if you can’t, I’ll take him.”

“No, that’s okay. Snuffles and I get along just fine. I don’t mind. I think she would have wanted him with me,” Josh said.

“Okay, well, thank you so much, Josh. Keep an eye out for that moving crew. I’ll send them your way,” I said. “Do you have specific hours you’re available?”

“No. I work at home on my computer. I’m always here,” he said.

After that, I told him goodbye and headed out to my car. On my way, I got a call from Viv.

“Sorry to bother you if you’re busy,” she said when I picked up and said hello.

“I’ve always got time for you,” I responded.

“Well, I hate to bother you with this, but I figure it’s going to make its way back to you one way or another anyway,” she said.

“What is it?” I asked.

“The woman who works as a housekeeper for the Bootique Bed & Breakfast said that the owner is looking to talk to you,” Viv said.

“Me? Why?” I asked.

“Well, apparently, Azriel was staying there for a few days before he crashed your wedding,” Viv said.

“He’d been in town for a few days? And he waited to crash my wedding?” I asked, but it was more rhetorical than anything.

I’d assumed he’d just shown up at the last minute. If he’d been in Coventry for days, hiding out at the bed and breakfast, he could have come talk to me sooner. Crashing the wedding must have been for his own amusement. For the first time, I really felt myself let him go. Perhaps before, a tiny part of me had been hanging on to him, but it was gone. I felt any love I’d had for him evaporate right then and there.

“He did,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, it’s over now. Thanks for telling me,” I said.

“That’s not all,” Viv said. “The reason I called is because the owner of the bed and breakfast has got it in her head that perhaps you’ll pay for his room. I guess she went to charge his card after he got arrested and it declined. He’d only paid for one night up front.”

“Me?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Viv answered.

“I was married to the guy for one day, and now I’m supposed to pay his debts,” I sighed.

“I don’t think anyone really expects you to,” Viv said. “But that doesn’t mean she won’t try. I think with the tourist season coming to an end when this weather does, she’s trying to make sure she has enough money to get through the winter. Every little bit, you know?”

I sighed again. “Yeah, I get that. I’ll go pay it.”

“Kinsley, I wasn’t trying to guilt you into paying it,” Viv protested. “I just thought you might understand where she’s coming from.”

“You didn’t,” I said. “It’s the right thing to do. I’ve got the money, and helping out a fellow Coventry business is important to me.”

“I’m proud to have