“Your X-ray looks good.” Doctor Nick shows me the image on his computer screen. “How is your pain?”

“Not too bad to be honest,” I reply, leaning back in the seat and hoping like hell I can get this brace off.

“Good.” He clicks on his keyboard before twirling around in his chair and pushing closer to me. “Let’s get this brace off you.”

I can already hear my boobage screaming, “No!” at the thought they have to be put back into a bra, but I outwardly grin and shout, “Awesome!”

He smiles gently, his dark-brown hair flopping over his forehead as he nods. “Do you think this year could be a better year? Maybe only one or two trips to the ER?”

I chuckle. “I’ll try.” Shrugging—thank the good Lord it doesn’t hurt now—I stand up. “I can’t promise anything though. We all know what a nightmare I am.”

He stands with me and we both move behind the curtained-off area in his office. “All you can do is try.” I hear the laughter in his voice, but I know there’s concern behind it. “At least you went to a different hospital for this one.”

“True… although they still mentioned the amount of times I’ve been to the ER.”

He washes his hands in a small sink and steps toward me. “They have to cover their bases.”

“I know,” I reply, cringing at the thought of taking my top off. I don’t exactly look the best, but that’s what ten days of vegging out and minimal showers does to you.

I’m coming out the other end now though, I even did some drawing last night. It may have been an Axe in Axel’s head with blood spurting everywhere, but I’m drawing again so who cares what it was of?

Lifting up my t-shirt, I turn around so he can get to the buckle. He undoes it and I let it drop off my arms before rolling my shoulders back. The freedom is unreal, I want to jump up and down but I know it wouldn’t be a good idea; the chances of falling over are high. So I keep my feet firmly planted to the floor.

“God, that feels so good.”

“I imagine it does.”

I put my t-shirt back on, turning and grinning at him. “Thanks, Doctor Nick.”

He pushes the curtain back and shakes his head. “I still don’t know why you call me that.”

I huff out a breath. “I tell you every time!” I huff, planting my hands on my hips. “It’s from The Simpsons!”

He chuckles lightly as he makes his way back to his desk and I collect my purse. “Never watched it.”

My eyes widen, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. “You... what?”

His lips lift up into a grin. “I’m not into cartoons.”

“Oh man, you’re seriously missing out! Watch an episode and when I have my next disaster you can tell me what you think.”

He chuckles. “Deal… as long as you try and leave at least three months before the next ‘disaster.’”

“Deal!” I shake his hand, but I know for a fact I’ll be back before that. It’s inevitable really.

“You’re a one-of-a-kind patient.”

“I’m a one-of-a-kind person, Doc.” I grin wider before spinning around on my heels and heading to the door, throwing, “See you soon,” over my shoulder.

Saying my goodbyes to the receptionists as I leave, I head out the doors, soaking in the L.A. heat. I have a love-hate relationship with the sun here. Some days I want it to seep into my skin and other days I wish it was cold and raining so I could curl up on my sofa. Not that I don’t do it anyway, but you get the idea.

Spinning around, I start walking back toward my apartment. Today is a good day. I had my veg fest but it’s time to get back to my life. And the first thing on my list is to get some proper cat food. I can’t keep feeding Colonel Fourpaws tins of tuna; it’s costing a bomb!

I search on my cell for the nearest pet store and find one a couple of blocks from my apartment.

Throwing on my sunglasses, I push my cell into my purse and head toward it, surprised when I see the small front. I always imagined pet stores to be these giant places, but from the outside it looks like it’s tiny.

A bell rings as I push the door open, signaling a customer. My nose wrinkles up as soon as I step inside, the smell of pet food and hay hitting me full force. I look left and right, not seeing anyone around so decide to go exploring.

The cages toward the back gain my attention and before I know it I have several whining puppies sounding around me in unison.

“Awwww!” I scurry toward them, my hands doing grabby motions wanting to pick them all up. Can a girl get inside one of these cages with them and hang out?

“This breed is perfect for single humans.”

My head whips around at the deep voice, coming face-to-face with a guy a foot taller than me, glasses on his thin face and a polo shirt with a badge saying “I’m Jeffery, how can I help you today?” pinned on his chest.

“Single humans? As opposed to single… aliens?”

He shuffles on the spot, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Aliens wouldn’t have pet dogs, they’d have—”

I chuckle, cutting him off. “I’m just messing, J.”

He watches me for a beat, his eyes narrowing as he scans my face. “You have pretty eyes.”

“I… thanks?”

“You’re welcome.” He nods to himself before moving closer and patting one of the puppies on the head. “What do you want today?”

“Erm…” What did I come in here for? “Cat food!”

“Do you own a cat?” he asks as he walks away.

I follow him. “No, I wanted to try it and see what it tastes like.”

“You won’t like it.” He comes to a stop at the end of the second aisle. “Cat food is there.”

“Okay, thanks.” I step around him, frowning and turning around. “I didn’t really mean I’d eat it.”

He shrugs. “Some people like it, I don’t.”

“Right.” I tilt my head to the side, staring at him and seeing the completely serious look in his eyes. “Well, I own a cat. His name is Colonel Fourpaws.”

He nods in reply but doesn’t say anything else so I spin around, crashing into the end display. I try to catch it but all the cat treats scatter along the floor, the cardboard unit wobbling before it falls to the left.

“Oh shit!” I scramble down to the floor, trying to pick them all up. “I didn’t see it.”

“Because you weren’t looking,” Jeffery tells me. “You should look where you’re going or you could get hurt.”

“Son?” a deep voice calls. “You okay?”

Footsteps near as we pick up the treats, Jeffery making a neat pile while I lean forward and pull as many as I can toward me in one big swipe. A shadow falls over us, and when I look up, I’m seeing an older version of Jeffery.

“Yes, Dad. She wasn’t looking where she was going and destroyed my display.”

My brows fly up my forehead and I’m about to open my mouth to reply when his dad says, “I’m sure she didn’t do it on purpose. Remember what I said about accidents?”

His dad smiles kindly at him and then me before running his hand through his sandy-blond hair.

“But—”

“Why don’t you organize your display again and I’ll help this lady find what she wants.”

Jeffery side eyes me with an arm full of cat treats. “Fine. She wants cat food.”

“Okay then.” His dad walks past us. “I’ll show you what we have.”

“I…” I hand the treats to Jeffery before standing up. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be, it’s not kind to destroy people’s hard work.”

My face heats at his honesty and I back away slowly, turning around and looking where I’m going.

“I really didn’t mean to,” I tell his dad when I come to a stop next to him.

“It’s okay, Jeffery doesn’t understand social situations. You’re fine.”

“Oh… I…”

“So, cat food?” His kind green eyes meet mine.

“Right, yeah. So this cat kind of turned up and won’t leave. I think he was a stray but I don’t know what to feed him.”

He starts to explain all the different kinds of cat food and I decide to go with pouches.

“You’re better off buying a big box of them; more for your money.”

“I’ll do that then,” I reply as he picks one up off the shelf and starts walking out of the aisle.

I stand awkwardly at the counter, pulling my cell out as I wait for him to ring me up. Swiping off yet another message from Axel—the third one today—I let out a long breath. I don’t give a rat’s ass what he has to say, he betrayed me; had this been in the days of Vikings he’d have his head chopped off. Mmmm Vikings…

Shaking the sexy Viking images from my head, I click out of the message app, heading into settings and blocking his number. There! That’ll teach the poobrain.

Grinning wide, I click on an email from an address I don’t recognize, frowning as I read it.

She didn’t. She wouldn’t have.

...We would love to see more of your designs. Please email with examples so we can review them and discuss if you would be a good fit at FGT Publishing.

SHE TOTALLY DID!

I’m going to kill her—slowly—and watch with a grin on my face! Why the hell would she do this to me?

“That’s fifteen dollars.”

I startle at the voice, my cell slipping out of my hand and crashing to the floor.

“You really need to be more careful,” Jeffery says from behind me.

Bending down, I pick it up and laugh it off, catching the sign attached to the front of the counter as I do.

“You need help?” I ask, shooting back up into a standing position. “I mean… you’re looking for help?”

“We are,” his dad says, leaning his hands on the counter. “I’m Jeffery Senior and this is my store.”

“Can I get an application form?”

His brows lower. “Can you work a register?”

“I can.”

“Can you clean?” I nod. “Jeffery? What do you think?” I swing my gaze his way.

“She seems nice.” He shrugs. “She has pretty eyes.”

“You’re hired!”

“I am?” My eyes widen to epic proportions when I face Jeffery Senior.

“You are.” He smiles wide. “Jeffery, can you open the delivery that just arrived?”

“Okay.” Jeffery wanders off, leaving me and… Jeffery.

“My son works here a couple of days a week. As long as you don’t get offended by his brutal honesty and can learn to communicate with him on his level, then we can get you started as soon as possible.”

“Is he...” I bite my bottom lip, stopping myself from asking something I probably shouldn’t as I wave my hand in the air. “Never mind. I can start tomorrow?” My stomach flutters at the possibility of having a new job. It may only be a pet store but it’s more than I had this morning. Maybe the universe is on my side after all.

“We’ll see you tomorrow.” He pushes the cat food forward and I hand him a twenty. “Ten sound good?”

“Ten sounds awesome!” I yank the box off the side, heaving at the weight. “Keep the change and thank you so much, Jeffery!”

The grin on my face can’t be wiped off, not even when I knock another display over on my way out.

I hope they’re ready for the disaster that follows me.

* * *

“Finally!”

“Finally?” Ella sneers down the line. “You turn your cell off and don’t answer my calls or texts for two weeks and then send me a message in the middle of the night telling me you’re going to kill me and expect me to answer right away?”

I throw my arm out beside me, startling Colonel Fourpaws. “Well what do you expect when you send my drawings to a publishing company!”

“First off… I didn’t send them.”

I lift up off the bar stool. “Then who the hell did?” I start pacing across the small space between the living room and kitchen, Colonel Fourpaws’ head following my every movement like I’m his favorite TV show.

“My client.”

“What!”

“You need to chill out, Vi. You’ll give yourself a heart attack.”

“No… no, I don’t need to chill out. You have no right sending my drawings to your client! How the hell did you get ahold of them?”

There’s a beat of silence. “I took pictures of them.”

“Fuck me sideways.” I let my head drop. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me!”

“Wait!” I halt in my pacing. “If you’re pissed then it means they want to see more.” I stay silent, rolling my lips between my teeth. “They do, don’t they? They want to see more of your drawings! This is fantastic, Vi!”

“No, it’s not,” I whine.

“Hells yeah, it is!” I groan, flopping down onto the sofa. “I knew you’d be a hit! Have you sent more?”

“No.”

“Do itttt!”

“No.”

“Stop being a baby, Vi! Pull up those big-girl panties and send them.”

“I don’t want to.”

I stare at the wall, my eyes narrowed. It may have been my dream to draw when I was a kid but that notion isn’t feasible. People don’t earn a living from drawing unless they’re amazeballs.

“You have nothing to lose,” El says in a softer voice. “You send them and if they say you’re not for them then you haven’t lost anything, but what if they want you? Look at what you’d gain.”

I close my eyes. “They’re in New York,” I whisper.

“So?”

I blow out a breath. “I don’t want to run into him, El.”

“New York’s a pretty big place, Vi. Besides, Axel said—”

“Nope, not going there with you.” I sit up. “I’ve gotta go, I got a new job.”

“You did?”

“Yep, at a pet store. I went in for cat food and they offered me a job.”

“Cat food? Why the hell were you buying cat food?”

I look over at Colonel Fourpaws and roll my eyes. “Because I have a cat, duh.” I stand up. “Chat later.”

I press the end call button and run my palm over Colonel Fourpaws’ back. “I’ll see you later, dude, wish me luck on my first day.”