about anything. Yes, he was attracted to Chloe but his cynical side needed to know more information about her first; like, had she ever been arrested? He shook his head. Damn, he was a suspicious son of a gun.
“Chloe is one of a kind. She’s generous to a fault and has a unique sense of humor as you witnessed.”
“You sound like you’re trying to convince me to adopt her. How did you two meet?” Mitch thought that was a logical question, but Roy burst into laughter.
After Roy regained control, he plopped himself down on his soda-shop style stool behind the counter. “My long-time friend Tegan met Chloe at some single’s function at The Que Syrah Syrah wine shop. I guess my name came up as being single too. Chloe showed up here with a couple coffee’s from Cup of Joes Coffee Shop and we’ve been friends ever since.”
Things weren’t adding up in Mitch’s mind. He needed more information. “What? Was it a crappy first date?”
“No, we had a great time. There was a carnival in town and we spent the evening line-dancing, riding the roller coaster, and ate way too much junk food.”
“And?”
“We make great friends. Let’s leave it at that.”
There was obviously more to the story than that but Mitch liked his privacy and respected it in others, too.
“Okay,” Mitch said as he grabbed a bag of kitten food off the shelf, a couple stuffed mice filled with catnip, and several small fleece blankets. He looked around at the selection of cat toys for sale. “Do I need anything else? I’ve never had a kitten before.”
“Zeke should nurse and take care of her kittens, but plan on having her spayed about eight to nine weeks from now. I know a couple of great vets in the area I trust with my animals. Most importantly, keep her inside because Zeke could go into heat, and even become pregnant while she’s still nursing.”
“I’ll make an appointment now. I’m not taking any chances of Zeke having another litter.”
Roy handed him two business cards for veterinary clinics. “Here you go. They’ll want to give Zeke all her shots too. There’s no way to know if she’s been vaccinated. And it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“I better buy a carrier too. God, I have no idea if Zeke’s ever been in a car before.”
“You’ll all do fine.” Roy punched him in the arm then rang up his purchases and tucked them in the carrier.
“You know…Chloe owns a day spa called The Grape Vine Spa. It’s right down the street, next to the Que Syrah Syrah wine shop. After this stressful ordeal you need a massage. You should call her and make an appointment.”
“Vine Grove has a day spa and a wine shop?” Mitch ignored the reference to Chloe. He knew Roy was trying his hand at matchmaking.
“Yes. And I bet Chloe would be willing to help find homes for your kittens. Why don’t you go by her shop and ask her?”
If he decided he wanted to ask her out, the kittens would make a good excuse for getting to know her.
“I might do that. Where’s her shop again? I’ve never seen a spa or wine shop around here.”
“More and more great new shops are opening up every day. Vine Grove is thriving, mostly due to the wineries that have opened up over the last few years. Both businesses are two blocks south of here. You can’t miss them; they both have vine-covered, lavender awnings.”
“Geez, where have I been?” Mitch muttered to himself.
“I don’t know how you could’ve missed the changes around here. They’ve even refurbished the old drive-in on the outskirts of town. They’re playing all the old classics on Friday and Saturday nights.”
“Yeah, well. That’s what my ex-wife said about our marriage. I’m not the most observant guy when it comes to my personal life. Case in point, I wrongly assumed my cat was male and now I have a litter of kittens.”
Chapter Two
Three weeks earlier
Chloe and her friends Tegan, Becca, and Laura, sat around a small, antique table in Tegan’s Que
“Chloe is one of a kind. She’s generous to a fault and has a unique sense of humor as you witnessed.”
“You sound like you’re trying to convince me to adopt her. How did you two meet?” Mitch thought that was a logical question, but Roy burst into laughter.
After Roy regained control, he plopped himself down on his soda-shop style stool behind the counter. “My long-time friend Tegan met Chloe at some single’s function at The Que Syrah Syrah wine shop. I guess my name came up as being single too. Chloe showed up here with a couple coffee’s from Cup of Joes Coffee Shop and we’ve been friends ever since.”
Things weren’t adding up in Mitch’s mind. He needed more information. “What? Was it a crappy first date?”
“No, we had a great time. There was a carnival in town and we spent the evening line-dancing, riding the roller coaster, and ate way too much junk food.”
“And?”
“We make great friends. Let’s leave it at that.”
There was obviously more to the story than that but Mitch liked his privacy and respected it in others, too.
“Okay,” Mitch said as he grabbed a bag of kitten food off the shelf, a couple stuffed mice filled with catnip, and several small fleece blankets. He looked around at the selection of cat toys for sale. “Do I need anything else? I’ve never had a kitten before.”
“Zeke should nurse and take care of her kittens, but plan on having her spayed about eight to nine weeks from now. I know a couple of great vets in the area I trust with my animals. Most importantly, keep her inside because Zeke could go into heat, and even become pregnant while she’s still nursing.”
“I’ll make an appointment now. I’m not taking any chances of Zeke having another litter.”
Roy handed him two business cards for veterinary clinics. “Here you go. They’ll want to give Zeke all her shots too. There’s no way to know if she’s been vaccinated. And it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“I better buy a carrier too. God, I have no idea if Zeke’s ever been in a car before.”
“You’ll all do fine.” Roy punched him in the arm then rang up his purchases and tucked them in the carrier.
“You know…Chloe owns a day spa called The Grape Vine Spa. It’s right down the street, next to the Que Syrah Syrah wine shop. After this stressful ordeal you need a massage. You should call her and make an appointment.”
“Vine Grove has a day spa and a wine shop?” Mitch ignored the reference to Chloe. He knew Roy was trying his hand at matchmaking.
“Yes. And I bet Chloe would be willing to help find homes for your kittens. Why don’t you go by her shop and ask her?”
If he decided he wanted to ask her out, the kittens would make a good excuse for getting to know her.
“I might do that. Where’s her shop again? I’ve never seen a spa or wine shop around here.”
“More and more great new shops are opening up every day. Vine Grove is thriving, mostly due to the wineries that have opened up over the last few years. Both businesses are two blocks south of here. You can’t miss them; they both have vine-covered, lavender awnings.”
“Geez, where have I been?” Mitch muttered to himself.
“I don’t know how you could’ve missed the changes around here. They’ve even refurbished the old drive-in on the outskirts of town. They’re playing all the old classics on Friday and Saturday nights.”
“Yeah, well. That’s what my ex-wife said about our marriage. I’m not the most observant guy when it comes to my personal life. Case in point, I wrongly assumed my cat was male and now I have a litter of kittens.”
Chapter Two
Three weeks earlier
Chloe and her friends Tegan, Becca, and Laura, sat around a small, antique table in Tegan’s Que
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