Free Until She Met Daniel by Callie Endicott

largely operated out of motivated self-interest, but she
had
been calm and sweet most of the time.
    Mandy appeared to do things purely out of emotion, and it made him uncomfortable.
    He glanced around her patio. It was cozy, with cushioned outdoor furniture and pots of flowers scattered about. And while the house wasn’t as grandly built as the Victorian, the two buildings had a similar appearance.
    â€œI wonder if the same builder did both of our houses,” he speculated as he scratched the cat’s neck.
    â€œProbably. They told me this was originally a guest cottage for the Victorian.”
    â€œSo what brought you to this part of California...besides the urge to wander?”
    â€œMy Volkswagen.”
    Her smile flashed, so he figured her sense of humor was in action rather than literalism.
    â€œAnd why did your VW bring you to Willow’s Eve?” he said, trying to play along.
    â€œMy itchy feet. I was in Arizona for a few months and decided to head farther west.”
    â€œMaybe your VW has itchy wheels, instead of your feet.”
    Mandy looked surprised at the comment, then laughed. “Maybe it’s both.”
    â€œSo you didn’t grow up in Arizona either?”
    â€œNope. That was in Connecticut, but I’ve lived all over for the past eight years.”
    â€œThat sounds...interesting.”
    She shrugged, which drew Daniel’s unwilling attention to the tight T-shirt over her breasts, reminding him he’d been celibate since he and Celia separated. And even before the end, they’d barely touched each other. After the divorce his male friends had urged him to go wild for a while with a variety of women, but even if he
had
been the type, he wouldn’t have done it in case Celia decided to use his behavior to get custody of Samantha.
    â€œYou seem to like cats,” Mandy said, gesturing at Mr. Spock, who was draped over his arms.
    â€œActually, it’s the first time I’ve ever held one.” He’d been surprised by his choice to pick up the animal. At first, he’d planned to simply shoo him out the back door, but there’d been something in the feline’s eyes that had made him feel guilty at the thought.
    â€œYou must have the touch,” Mandy told him. “He’s perfectly happy.”
    Daniel glanced down at his right hand, busily rubbing behind the cat’s ears. “I guess I’ve seen people do this.”
    She grinned. “Perhaps he’s exercising mind control to make you do what he wants. I’ve often wondered if cats can do that.”
    â€œYes, well...” Daniel gently disengaged Mr. Spock’s claws from his sleeve and placed him on the patio flagstones. The enormous animal stretched and strolled to Mandy’s chair, meowing imperiously until she grabbed an old towel from under the chair and draped it over her legs. Mr. Spock leaped onto her lap. “He seems to be overcoming his time of neglect.”
    â€œYeah, he’s eating like a lion. Poor baby, I think someone abandoned him.” She cocked her head. “That’s a mean thing to do. I doubt it was anyone in Willow’s Eve, but it could have been someone traveling or from another town. I’ve checked the newspaper, both here and in Vicksville, and with the veterinarians in the area to see if anyone is looking for him, but it’s a no-go.”
    Daniel stared at the feline. Mr. Spock had begun licking his paw and rubbing his face with it, then behind his ear in a rhythmic pattern. “What’s he doing?”
    â€œYou really haven’t been around cats much, have you? He’s giving himself a bath.”
    Fascinated, Daniel watched as Mr. Spock scrubbed his nose and again behind his ears. He’d known that cats bathed themselves, had even seen it once or twice on television, but it was different watching the process in person. And the animal was using its paw like a washcloth, which