Read Online Enchanting Lily by Anjali Banerjee - Free Book Online
Authors: Anjali Banerjee
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self-importance.
“Ben Cole,” he said in a gruff voice, almost like a bark. Perhaps he spent too much time around dogs. He reached out to shake her hand. She bristled, giving his fingers only a perfunctory squeeze. His hand felt warm, solid, and damp. Stubble formed a shadow on his jaw, and his eyes were pale gray, nearly colorless. His nose had a slight bump, as if someone had punched him a long time ago. Not surprising, she thought, considering his utter lack of regard for his clients’ time.
“Lily Byrne.” She pulled back her hand and wiped off the dampness on her jeans. His gaze lingered on her face, and then he bent and peered into the box. The cat let out a tiny meow. He straightened, frowning. “You need a carrier, not a cardboard box.”
Now he was giving her advice? “The box worked fine.The cat doesn’t belong to me. Bish said you might take her.”
“She told you that? If I had to take in every animal—”
“But I can’t keep this cat.”
He said nothing, but at least he didn’t press her for a reason. What would she tell him? That she feared the cat would ruin her shop? She couldn’t take care of another fragile living creature. She felt fragile enough already.
The room seemed to shrink around her, her pulse pounding in her ears. The hospital sounds faded into a faraway hum as the doctor reached into the box and expertly picked up the cat. Lily felt inept as she watched him arrange the kitty on his lap and examine her. She purred and squinted up at him, and he squinted back. Was this some form of secret feline communication?
This is his job. He’s supposed to be good at it,
Lily thought, but she wondered what she herself was truly good at. She’d managed to keep Josh’s design business running from the back office, but adding up columns of numbers had not prepared her for this solitary life, her own shop, or the possibility of failure. Now there was this cat, a small creature but to Lily, a huge intrusion. Was this what it meant to grieve? Was it normal for every small thing to feel immense?
What would she say to this vet if he were to walk intoher shop, looking for something to wear? Would she point him to a Ralph Lauren turtleneck or a flannel plaid shirt? Or would she be tongue-tied?
As she watched him work, so calm and sure, she wanted his boldness, his confidence, maybe even a little of his inflated ego.
“She’s an odd-eyed cat,” he said. “It’s a feline form of complete heterochromia.”
“Hetero-what?”
“Lack of pigment in one eye. In this case, in her green eye. Some white cats are deaf as well, but she has a sharp sense of hearing. She’s been out there a while, but she’s calm and pretty tame.”
“Calm? She wasn’t like this in my shop. She was running all over the place, chasing a moth. She damaged my wedding dress.” She hadn’t meant to say that last part about the dress. She didn’t want to reveal anything about herself, but now she felt as if her entire history was written on her face.
He looked at her. “Cats bring us down to earth, force us to reevaluate our priorities.”
She had no idea how to respond. He knew nothing about her except that she owned a clothing store and a damaged wedding dress. Who was he to judge her? “Mypriorities are just fine, thank you. Can we hurry this up? I need to get back.”
He opened the cat’s mouth and checked her teeth. “She’s older than she looks. Maybe nine, maybe ten. She’s a senior cat.”
“A senior, great.” The poor thing could die at any moment, and didn’t old cats have all kinds of health issues?
“She grooms herself well but long-haired cats need extra help. They need regular brushing.”
“Tell that to her owner.” Lily knew she sounded rude, but the doctor’s attitude chafed her. She hadn’t anticipated a full medical workup for the cat. She hadn’t planned to be here at all. She had no time to brush an animal. She could barely remember to brush her own hair.
He put the cat
“Ben Cole,” he said in a gruff voice, almost like a bark. Perhaps he spent too much time around dogs. He reached out to shake her hand. She bristled, giving his fingers only a perfunctory squeeze. His hand felt warm, solid, and damp. Stubble formed a shadow on his jaw, and his eyes were pale gray, nearly colorless. His nose had a slight bump, as if someone had punched him a long time ago. Not surprising, she thought, considering his utter lack of regard for his clients’ time.
“Lily Byrne.” She pulled back her hand and wiped off the dampness on her jeans. His gaze lingered on her face, and then he bent and peered into the box. The cat let out a tiny meow. He straightened, frowning. “You need a carrier, not a cardboard box.”
Now he was giving her advice? “The box worked fine.The cat doesn’t belong to me. Bish said you might take her.”
“She told you that? If I had to take in every animal—”
“But I can’t keep this cat.”
He said nothing, but at least he didn’t press her for a reason. What would she tell him? That she feared the cat would ruin her shop? She couldn’t take care of another fragile living creature. She felt fragile enough already.
The room seemed to shrink around her, her pulse pounding in her ears. The hospital sounds faded into a faraway hum as the doctor reached into the box and expertly picked up the cat. Lily felt inept as she watched him arrange the kitty on his lap and examine her. She purred and squinted up at him, and he squinted back. Was this some form of secret feline communication?
This is his job. He’s supposed to be good at it,
Lily thought, but she wondered what she herself was truly good at. She’d managed to keep Josh’s design business running from the back office, but adding up columns of numbers had not prepared her for this solitary life, her own shop, or the possibility of failure. Now there was this cat, a small creature but to Lily, a huge intrusion. Was this what it meant to grieve? Was it normal for every small thing to feel immense?
What would she say to this vet if he were to walk intoher shop, looking for something to wear? Would she point him to a Ralph Lauren turtleneck or a flannel plaid shirt? Or would she be tongue-tied?
As she watched him work, so calm and sure, she wanted his boldness, his confidence, maybe even a little of his inflated ego.
“She’s an odd-eyed cat,” he said. “It’s a feline form of complete heterochromia.”
“Hetero-what?”
“Lack of pigment in one eye. In this case, in her green eye. Some white cats are deaf as well, but she has a sharp sense of hearing. She’s been out there a while, but she’s calm and pretty tame.”
“Calm? She wasn’t like this in my shop. She was running all over the place, chasing a moth. She damaged my wedding dress.” She hadn’t meant to say that last part about the dress. She didn’t want to reveal anything about herself, but now she felt as if her entire history was written on her face.
He looked at her. “Cats bring us down to earth, force us to reevaluate our priorities.”
She had no idea how to respond. He knew nothing about her except that she owned a clothing store and a damaged wedding dress. Who was he to judge her? “Mypriorities are just fine, thank you. Can we hurry this up? I need to get back.”
He opened the cat’s mouth and checked her teeth. “She’s older than she looks. Maybe nine, maybe ten. She’s a senior cat.”
“A senior, great.” The poor thing could die at any moment, and didn’t old cats have all kinds of health issues?
“She grooms herself well but long-haired cats need extra help. They need regular brushing.”
“Tell that to her owner.” Lily knew she sounded rude, but the doctor’s attitude chafed her. She hadn’t anticipated a full medical workup for the cat. She hadn’t planned to be here at all. She had no time to brush an animal. She could barely remember to brush her own hair.
He put the cat
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