Snowed In at the Cat Café by Rachel Rowlands

Author:Rachel Rowlands [Rowlands, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Chapter 9

Emmie was rooted to the spot, unable to move, her fingers tight and her nails cutting tiny crescents into her palms – making her bad wrist throb with pain. She relaxed, breathing through the stabbing pain. Megan was on the verge of tears, but Emmie had no idea what to say. She’d found herself not only snowed in with Jared, someone she was very clearly attracted to . . . but also his ex, and she was now playing piggy-in-the-middle. This situation was so ridiculous she almost laughed, but she held back because Megan was clearly upset. And so was Jared.

‘Let’s go into the Cat Lounge,’ she told Megan, who was stroking the ragdoll’s soft head.

Megan nodded mechanically. Could this situation get any more awkward? Emmie almost wished she was snowed in by herself.

They headed into the Cat Lounge, and Emmie set to work building up the fire. It was soon crackling, turning the walls orange and throwing a soft light across the furniture and the cats curled around the room, illuminating Kitty’s lovely Bengal colouring and Baron’s brown and orange hues. The dancing light flickered off the windowpanes, making Binx sit up to watch, tail lashing. Thomas’s eyes glowed from the darkened alcove in the cat tower. It seemed the cats had grown bored of waiting for scraps of pre-cooked Christmas dinner.

‘I wonder how many other people are snowed in?’ Emmie mused, for something to say. Megan had hardly said a word. ‘I’ve never been snowed in before. Have you?’

Megan shook her head. ‘No, I haven’t.’

‘I always wanted more snow. Manchester always seemed to get everyone else’s dregs.’ She knelt down beside the armchair, stroking Salem’s head. ‘Are you okay, little guy?’ she said softly. The cat opened its eyes and blinked at her slowly. Emmie stroked the white diamond-shaped patch of fur on his forehead, then gave it a kiss. ‘He’s been off-colour,’ she told Megan.

‘Oh no,’ said Megan, moving closer to them and leaning over to peer at Salem. ‘I hope he’s okay.’

‘Me too. I hope the stray is too . . .’ When Megan looked at her curiously, she explained about the cat they’d been feeding, and that she’d been trying to coax inside.

‘Poor cat,’ said Megan.

There was a long pause. Binx wandered over to them and brushed up against Megan’s legs; she stroked along the ridge of his back.

‘I’m sorry if I’ve made things awkward,’ Megan said. She straightened up and crossed to the sofa, taking a seat in the middle and hooking her legs up onto the edge. Binx followed, hopping up beside her. ‘I honestly didn’t know he worked here.’ She drew in a shuddering breath and shook her head, looking at her hands, interlinked in her lap. ‘I know why he thinks I’d be that vindictive, though. I hurt him. I made a huge mistake. Maybe I shouldn’t have come here, not at Christmas.’

Emmie had heard every word. You should go back to your fiancé, Jared had said. And earlier, he’d said his ex-girlfriend had cheated on him.

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