The next afternoon I came home from work to find Jordan watching something on the floor intently. At first I assumed it was just a bug, but then I saw a shot of lime green and Jordan running after it. “Jordan!” I cried, although why I didn’t know. “How did a lizard get in here?” She gave me a brief glance that said she didn’t know but had every intent of making it pay. I grabbed a shoebox lying out and joined her in the hunt. When I finally caught it a half hour later I opened the door wide, without thinking, and before I could toss it outside Jordan took off. I dropped the box and took off after her. She was heading right for the neighbor’s yard.
“Jordan! Jordan, come back!” I called, running as fast as I could. I could still see her for a minute, but then she ducked into some foliage and I lost her.
“Jordan! Come out, Jordan, come here!”
I slowed as I neared where I’d seen her disappear. I hadn’t even met this neighbor, I certainly didn’t feel comfortable roaming his grounds looking for my cat. I crouched down, scanning the ground and repeatedly calling Jordan’s name. I didn’t see her at all and wasn’t sure what to do. Looking around and seeing no one, I tiptoed into the foliage myself and began searching more intently. After another half hour I found myself in the middle of the yard with no cat. I sighed desperately.
“Come on, baby, come here...I’ll give you treats, lots of them, just come here,” I tried. I heard laughter behind me and nearly suffered a heart attack as I spun around. There stood that same blonde guy from the restaurant, holding Jordan against his chest.
“Well if there are treats involved count me in, sweetie,” he said, his blue eyes twinkling. “That’s what she said, at least.” I put a hand against my own chest in a relatively vain attempt to steady my breathing. He laughed again and put a hand on my arm. “You OK there?”
“Yes,” I breathed, “you just scared me, sorry. Here, I’ll take her.” I held my arms out but he continued holding Jordan, who looked quite happy cuddled against his chest. I couldn’t altogether blame her.
“But we’re getting along so well.” I smiled, but I was still nervous and startled so I couldn’t think of anything to say back. He noticed. “You working on getting your breath back, then I’ll give her back. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“What can I call her?”
“Jordan.”
“Nice to meet you, Jordan,” he greeted my cat, holding her up. She nuzzled against his face. “And what can I call you?” He was still smiling, which again made me smile.
“I’m Carra.” He held a hand out.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Nick.”
“Hi Nick. Sorry I was running all over your property like that,” I apologized as I shook his hand. He shook his head.
“No need to apologize, it’s not my property.”
“Oh.” I looked toward the house, then back at Nick. “Then who does live here?”
“My friend Brian. I was just shootin’ some hoops. My court’s getting repainted.”
His court? Was I the only not-wealthy person in Florida? “Cool,” I said. “Was it just my imagination, or was it you I saw yesterday at lunch?”
“Nope, that was me too. Thanks for finally smiling. I thought I’d offended you.” He gave me a grin and I shook my head.
“Not at all.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Good.” It was then I realized that he looked familiar beyond that, but before I had the chance to think more about it I spotted a young man jogging over from the house. I pointed at him.
“Is that Brian?”
Nick turned and nodded. “Sure is,” he said, then waved. “Whassup, man?”
“Nothing. How are you?” He glanced at me and smiled. He was a good six or seven inches shorter than Nick, I now realized, and had shocking blue eyes - not shocking in size, but in color. His hair was dishwater blonde and curled just slightly at the ends. He was dressed...well, not at all as I would’ve pictured the man that owned that house; he was in a polo shirt and khaki shorts. He too looked familiar, but from where I was still clueless. Nick gave him a friendly smack on the back and nodded at me.
“Not bad. Brian, this is Carra. She’s your neighbor.” He held up the cat. “So’s Jordan, although I think she was trying to move in with you.”
I laughed as Brian and I shook hands. “Hi Carra. Nice to meet you. You too, Jordan,” he added, petting Jordan’s head. “You guys live in the cottage?”
I was amused by his description but nodded. “Sure do.”
“Carra and I were just talking about how I was checking her out at lunch yesterday,” Nick told him, and I felt my cheeks blush. Brian’s brow furrowed.
“You two had lunch together?” he wondered.
“No, I was having lunch with my cousin Lily and her fiance,” I explained.
“I saw her across the room,” Nick supplied.
Brian looked at me closely. “You have a cousin Lily that lives here?” I nodded. “Can I ask her last name? Just out of curiosity?” he asked casually.
“It’s Waye, same as me. Soon to be Cunningham, though,” I said.
“From Kentucky?” I nodded, surprised. I saw a pale wash over his face and Nick looked at him quickly. He collected himself after a few seconds and smiled.
“What a weird coincidence. I went to high school with her.” Now Nick was giving him a funny look - not one of confusion, but something deeper.
“Really? You’re from Kentucky too?”
“Yeah,” Brian answered, sounding strangely distant. Nick put a hand on his shoulder and he shook his head. He gave me an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Caught in memories for a second.”
“That’s OK.” We looked at each other for a moment - well, I looked at them and they looked at each other. Finally Brian gave me another smile.
“We should probably get in. It was good meeting you, Carra-”
“Very good,” Nick piped in, winking. I blushed again.
“If you need anything,” Brian continued, “don’t hesitate to ask, OK?”
“Sure, thank you,” I replied, then held out my arms to Nick. “I’ll take her now.”
“Bye bye, Jordan, come back anytime,” he murmured, holding Jordan to his face again. Once again she nuzzled against him and mewed in protest as he lowered her. He raised his eyebrows at me. “I think it’s love,” he whispered.
I laughed again as I took her. He was quite cute, there was no denying that. “See you guys later,” I said as I turned and started walking.
“Wait, Carra?” I turned back in surprise. “I’m having a get together over here tomorrow night, I’d love it if you stopped by,” Brian invited. I was even more surprised - here was a man that hadn’t come and introduced himself before now, and ten minutes after I meet him by chance he invites me to a party. I wondered quickly if this was a “get together” like he’d held two Fridays ago. It had been huge; who knew how many people had attended. There’d been a band and lights and decorations and more food than I’d ever seen...and that was only counting what I could see from across the lawn.
“Thank you, I’d love to come,” I replied, grinning. He smiled too, and Nick’s smile was even bigger.
“Great. Just come on over when you hear people arriving.”
“All right. Thanks again.”
“Bye Carra - Bye Jordan!” Nick called. I held Jordan in front of my mouth.
“Bye everyone!” I squeaked. We laughed and we went our separate ways. I stroked Jordan as we walked back to the house. “You’re very bad, but I can’t be mad at you - after all, you managed to do in minutes what I haven’t been able to in three weeks,” I mused. “You make it look so easy, J - you’re just so darn irresistible.” Jordan mewed and I looked down into her green eyes. “Oh, I think someone has a crush.” Jordan continued peering up at me and I could’ve sworn her eyes narrowed a little. “I do not!” I protested, then thought back on Nick and found myself smiling. “OK,” I conceded, “maybe just a little one.”
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