sex life than you do?â
She shot him an exasperated look. âOh, Manny, do you have to be so...so...â
âThe word is truthful,â he supplied. He plucked a piece of paper from the counter and waved it in front of her. âIt gets worse. This was under our door when I got up this morning.â
Ellie reached for the paper and gasped at the words in large print across the top of the page. âEviction notice? Why?â She began reading the sheet in earnest, but Manny cut in.
âItâs the cat, El. She got out one too many times and someone complained. According to the notice, we have one week to find a home for her or weâll have to find a new home for ourselves.â
âIâll find someone to take her in,â she said, gently setting Esmerelda on the floor, then reaching for the phone.
Two hours later Ellie had called every person in both her address book and Mannyâs, but no one could shelter her precious cat. She sighed, explaining to Manny, âDenise has a new baby, the Worths have a dog, and Robin just bought a bird. Everyone else already has too many cats or kids, or lives in a no-pet unit.â Ellie pulled Esmerelda to her and relished the deep purr of the mother-to-be. âWhat am I going to do?â
Â
âYOUR MOTHER CALLED TWICE,â Monica said, handing Mark the message sheets. âShe asked me to tell you to call her back as soon as you get a minute.â
Mark nodded absently and laid the notes aside.
Looking over his shoulder, Monica asked, âWhatâs so important about Saturday?â
Mark glanced up at her and frowned in confusion.
She pointed to his calendar. âItâs circled. Do I need to add something to my schedule?â
Mark realized with a start heâd circled the day while thinking about Ellie. âNo,â he said quickly, then added, âjust another sitting for the portrait.â
Monicaâs left eyebrow rose a fraction and she smiled. âOh, yes, the cute little painter. Are sparks still flying between the two of you?â
He feigned innocence. âWhat do you mean?â
Monica brought her steno pad to her chest and crossed her arms. âWhat I mean is, when she came to meet you that first day, you were at each otherâs throats. I havenât mentioned it, but you two have got me curious.â
Mark felt his neck grow moist beneath his collar. âA simple misunderstanding in a delicatessen, thatâs all.â
His assistant leaned forward slightly, as if eager for more details, but Mark picked up a memo on his desk and began reading to signal an end to the subject. Monica took the hint and walked toward the door.
âHey,â his partner Patrick said as he strolled in after a perfunctory knock.
âHey, yourself.â
âClear your calendar Friday evening.â
âOkay. Mind telling me why?â
âLucyâs organizing a dinner party and my instructions are to make sure you come.â He grinned at Mark apologetically. âCan you scrounge up a date? Ivan will be there, too,â he added in explanation.
Ellieâs face rose to float in Markâs mind, but he squashed down the image. âIs an escort mandatory?â
Patrick shrugged. âI have my orders.â He turned to leave Markâs office and added over his shoulder, âCome stag at your own risk.â
âIt might be safer than the alternative,â Mark muttered as Ellieâs face stubbornly reappeared to taunt him. Absurdly happy for a reason to call her, his fingers itched to punch her number. Then, furious with himself, he deliberately dialed Valerieâs work number instead. Heâd managed to keep from getting emotionally involved with a woman for this long, and he wasnât about to start with someone who was obviously so wrong for him.
But when Valerie responded with such clinging enthusiasm at the sound of his voice, he winced and manufactured a vague
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