Face-Off at the Altar
Page 17

“Jerk,” she muttered.
“Bitch,” he said with a wink, and she grinned. It was their little thing from all the hours they spent with Avery watching Supernatural. It was silly, but it brought her a little closer to Jace, which was nice since Avery believed he hung the stars, moon, and hell, the whole solar system. “Okay, see you in a bit.”
“Bye,” she said, walking toward the door to shut it and lock it. “Bye, baby Ashlyn.”
Ashlyn giggled as her little legs kicked before Mekena shut the door and leaned into it, glancing back down at the pile of stuff. It made her uneasy, almost like she knew whom it belonged to, but she was pretty sure that was a completely irrational thought. Shaking her head free of the thought, she looked over to the couch where Mr. Right’s hind legs were hanging out of the carrier.
“Don’t you want to come out, smooches?” she asked, coming to the carrier and trying to reach for him, but he batted her away, blocking the exit with his ass. “Asshole,” she muttered before standing and picking up the carrier. He groaned very loudly as she carried him to the back bedroom that had an awesome garden tub. Putting the carrier at the end of the bed, she then went for her suitcase, doing the same before she unpacked very carefully. Call her OCD, but she had a system. She always unpacked when she went somewhere. She couldn’t stand living out of a suitcase; she just couldn’t sleep. This way, she was guaranteed a good night’s sleep.
When her phone sounded, she paused, looking around the room for it. Then she remembered it was in her purse. Reaching for it, she found a text from Aunt Libby.
Libby: I might just kill Skylar for you.
Mekena scoffed.
Mekena: Don’t do that. Mom would be upset.
Libby: I don’t care. She’s over here bad-mouthing you like it’s your fault she slept with your boyfriend.
Libby: Jesus, she’s turning me into a middle school girl.
Mekena: She brings out the bad in everyone.
Libby: She does. Did you get settled? How’s the cow enjoying his new digs?
Looking down at the carrier, all she saw was Mr. Right’s long tail, whipping around. Not in the least bit of a hurry to do anything but sit there.
Mekena: I am, and Mr. Right is doing just fine. Running around, playing with the curtains. Being a cat.
Libby: You’re a damn liar. He probably can’t even get out of the carrier ’cause you won’t accept that he’s fat and get a dog carrier instead of a cat one.
Mekena: You don’t know our life.
Throwing the phone down, even though it sounded once more, she groaned.
“Everyone is so mean to my love bug,” she said, getting down to his level and looking into the carrier. “I feel that if you get out, you’ll be happier.”
He gave her a look that said he didn’t agree. She knew what she was about to say was the reason her cat was so overweight, yet she sang, “I’ll give ya a treat, treat.”
Mr. Right’s ears perked up, a little meow leaving his lips before he started to turn and waddle to her. Picking up her baby, she cuddled him to her chest. “We need to discuss this issue we have, mister.”
His tail whipped against her waist, surely getting cat hair all over her black dress pants, but then he nuzzled her chin, and she didn’t care. Reaching into the bag, she grabbed a treat and ripped it in half before offering it to him. But he turned his head.
“Mr. Right. Really? Take it.”
She offered again, but as before, he turned his head, his little muzzle going up in the air as his tail stopped whipping.
“You can’t have the whole thing. Take it or leave it, buddy.”
He looked up at her, his eyes getting wider and silently begging her for the rest of the treat. It was pathetic. She knew this, and she knew she shouldn’t give it to him. He was fat! But then he meowed ever so softly, so pitifully, and just like that, she caved. Like a house of cards. When she reached for a full piece of treat, he purred happily before taking the whole thing in his mouth. Placing him on the bed, she felt like a bad cat mom. But he looked so happy lying there, his tail swishing, his eyes bright. He was her baby. She couldn’t deprive him.
He was going to give her an ulcer.
Deciding that she was a pushover, she went to work unpacking as Mr. Right snored contentedly. When she was done, she looked at herself in the full-length mirror and wondered if she should change. The tight black dress pants that flared at the bottom went great with her sheer white shirt that draped to her elbows. Her hair wasn’t her idea. It was Libby’s. She had convinced her to get a dark balayage done, and now Mekena’s dark hair faded into a beautiful caramel color. At first, she’d hated it, but now she loved it. It looked amazing all curled around her face with her dark-rimmed glasses. She looked so adult, and more than that, she felt pretty. That didn’t happen a lot. But today, today she felt it.
Which was really weird.
Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was close to the time Avery said to meet them at the bar. Everyone was getting together to chat and enjoy some drinks. Not that she’d be drinking, but it would be nice to hang with everyone. She loved Jace’s mom, Autumn, and also enjoyed talking with Claire, Jace’s brother’s wife. Reaching for her jacket, she tucked her phone into her pocket before picking up her clutch off the bed and looking to Mr. Right.
“I’ll be back later. Your litter box is in the bathroom. Don’t go wild, we aren’t paying for this place.”
Opening one eye, he let out a long breath and then reclosed it, his tail lying flat against the bed. Mekena rolled her eyes; she swore it was like living with an old man with this guy. Opening the door, she shut it behind her so Mr. Right couldn’t leave—not that she thought he would, but just in case. She glanced at the stuff by the door, and it made her nervous all over again that it was there.
Was the killer going to break in and kill Mr. Right?
Maybe she should stay home?
Maybe she should put it outside?
She was crazy, that was the only answer. It was probably the person who stayed here before her, and they forgot their stuff. She was being silly, yet she gave the items a wide berth, acting as if they would pop out and bite her, before opening the door, locking it, and heading to the main house where the bar was. The grounds were quiet, the sounds of crickets and other woodland animals the only thing she heard. The lights in the main cabin were bright, glowing out over most of the other cabins except hers since it was so far back in the woods. When she finally reached the door, it opened and Benji was standing in the doorway.