Patchworked Hearts {SAMPLE}

Chapter 7

His expression shifted into the one she loved—a gentle smile and bright eyes—and his spine relaxed until he was leaning back in his seat, still watching her closely. "I suppose we all have something," he returned easily, reaching up one hand to scratch at his stubbled jaw thoughtfully. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?"

Helen bit back a sudden rushing of panic.

It's Pat, she reminded herself fervently. Just Pat.

"Not today," she decided, glad when he didn't seem hurt. "But . . . someday." Yes, someday. If this relationship went where she hoped, then it would be appropriate to share more of herself with him. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't curious about his own backstory, but if he could wait for hers, then she could wait for his.

"I can do 'someday,'" he nodded, his smile turning crooked and adorable. "'Someday' it is, Helena. Now, dinner?"

Hoping she didn't look too lovestruck, Helen nodded keenly.

"Dinner."

***

They both liked pepperoni on their pizza, which was perfect since picking up a pizza was all either one of them was willing to do.

It smelled amazing, too, and Helen couldn't wait to eat it.

"If you keep looking at it like that," Pat teased, his voice coated with humor, "it's going to run away."

Helen pulled a classic five-year-old move and stuck her tongue out at him over the pizza box she was clutching in her hands. "Hush, Patterson, and let me smell my meal."

"And here I thought that I paid for it." Pat rolled his eyes good-naturedly as he led her up the small flight of stairs and to the front door of his home.

Helen hadn't previously put much thought into where he lived, but a quant, two-story house just outside the city with a limited number of neighbors seemed more than fitting for the man. It was painted a dusty gray, with black shutters and a bright red door that made Helen grin.

"I like the pop of color," she announced as he unlocked the front door.

Pushing it open, he shook his head at her. "Courtesy of the sisters, but thank you." He stepped aside and took the pizza from her before gesturing her into the house with his chin.

Sucking in a steadying breath, she reminded herself not to have a teenage-girl-squealing-over-her-crush meltdown and then stepped across the threshold and—

Bent over with laughter.

She hadn't even seen the interior of the house, since her eyes immediately went to the stairs that rested several feet from the door. It wasn't the stairs themselves that had caught her off-guard though; rather, it was the absolutely massive cat settled on the bottom step that sent her into hysterics.

Helen's chortles only grew worse when the dark tabby hopped off the steps and wandered straight to her, his belly swinging with each step. He nuzzled up right against her, and she crouched down to pet him even as her giggles persisted.

"I should be upset, probably," Pat mused as he walked by her and down the hall towards what she assumed was the kitchen, "but I sometimes have the same reaction."

"He's so sweet!" Helen cooed, scratching the cat under his chin and grinning when he nuzzled her knee eagerly. "Can we introduce him to Ginger?"

Pat's voice was muffled from his new location, but she still heard the twinging of amusement in his words when he called back, "You don't even actually have her yet, and you're trying to set her up on a date with my cat?"