Flashing them both a big grin, he nodded. “I need it.”

Heading out the back, he made it back to the cabin quickly. When he entered, though, Mr. Right was sitting on the windowsill howling. “Whoa, man. What’s up?”

Meoooooowwwwwwww, he wailed, with his mouth wide open as his hair stood on end.

“Bro, I don’t know what to say. I don’t speak your language. Are you singing? Do you want me to sing too? Meoooowwwwww,” he said, and Mr. Right looked back at him, almost with a glare. “We should add some beat to that and make a remix,” Markus joked as the cat wailed. Deciding that was a good idea, he pulled out his phone and started to beatbox as the cat wailed, recording it on his SnapChat. The cat must have realized what he was doing because he looked back, scowling, and Markus hid his phone. He didn’t want to admit it, but Mr. Right kind of freaked him out.

When the cat hissed at Markus, he held his palms up and sidestepped to his bedroom. “Okay, I’m going.”

Laughing once the door was shut, he went into the bathroom and quickly cleaned up, washing and then changing into some shorts and tee. He considered putting on a nice shirt and slacks, but he didn’t want to look like he was trying too hard. Maybe he should get some wine out? Have some candles? No, that was trying too hard. He had to just let it happen. Go with the flow. Pray to God that she’d give him a chance. He still couldn’t believe he said that to her. That he admitted to wanting it. To needing a chance. Now, he just hoped it wasn’t hot air wasted and something would happen.

Something great.

As he brushed his hair, his phone sounded and he looked down to see it was a text from Avery.

Avery: Mekena told Jace to go on, that she could walk herself to the cabin. I don’t doubt she can, but I thought maybe you’d want to be a gentleman and walk her home.

Markus: You rock. Thanks.

Rushing out of the bathroom, he slid his feet into his sneakers and reached for the door, pulling it open. But before he could go out, a big, thick being ran past him, almost knocking his leg out from underneath him. When he realized it was the cat, his stomach dropped.

“Shit! Mr. Right,” he yelled, chasing after the cat toward the wooded area. “Shit!” he yelled as he hit the flashlight on his phone and stared into the woods after the cat. The cat cut left and Markus slid to the ground, trying to catch him, but he went through his hands. Getting up, he started chasing him once more. “What the fuck? You are too fat to be this fast!”

“Markus?” he heard and he paused.

Fuck, it was Mekena.

“What’s wrong?” she asked just as Mr. Right took off past him, out of the woods.

“Shit,” he muttered, chasing back after the cat, scraping up his legs and tripping over sticks.

“Oh, no! Don’t chase him! He’ll tire out,” she cried from far away, and just like she said, the cat started to slow crawl, his body on the ground as his limbs tried to move quickly. Slowing down, Markus came up beside the cat and picked it up, cuddling it to his chest as his heart pounded to max capacity. He saw his chance being ripped away by a thirty-pound ball of fur. Mekena loved this cat, he knew that, and as she ran to him, her face full of horror, he was thankful that the fat little thing couldn’t get far.

“Man, he’s fast.”

“Yeah, but only for like five seconds. But if you chase him, he tries to go faster, and I’m always worried he’ll have a heart attack,” she cried, taking him from Markus and shaking her finger at him. “Now, you know better! What were you chasing? A bird? They’re faster than you.” Looking up to Markus, she smiled. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. I just didn’t want to lose him.”

“Thanks, he’s such a jerk. He did this earlier.”

“He was howling at the window, and I didn’t pay it any mind, but I guess he was telling the bird he was coming for him,” he joked.

“Yeah, and I bet the bird laughed at his big butt. Goodness,” she said, shaking her head and starting for the cabin. “You’re such a brat.”

“I didn’t think he was that fast. I’m highly impressed.”

She laughed, and God, he loved the sound. “I think he thinks he’s littler than he is and forgets that he can’t move that fast. I’ve tried putting him on a diet, but you’ve seen his eating habits.”

“Hey, I can’t hate. I’m the same way, I love food.”

She grinned over at him and nodded. “As am I, but our friend here doesn’t work out like we do.”

“Well, that needs to change.”

“You tell him that,” she said with a laugh, and he smiled as they reached the cabin

He opened the door for her, and she went in, placing Mr. Right on the couch before putting her stuff down too. Markus watched as she moved, her dress clinging to her body in all the right ways. Holding his breath, he bit into his lip as she moved to pull the scarf off and laid it on the table while the silence stretched between them. If he didn’t say something, he would either take her in his arms, or he was going to die. It was that damn simple.

Clearing his throat, he said, “How did the rest of rehearsal go?”

“It went really great. The wedding is going to be beautiful on Saturday.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

“I thought you were in the wedding.”

He shook his head. “Nope, at first I wasn’t supposed to come in until Friday, so I wouldn’t have been able to do all the rehearsals and stuff.”

Pulling out the chair that was beside the door, she sat down. “Because you were down with the Ninjas.”

“Yeah,” he said, coming around and sitting across from her. “I didn’t think I’d get called up.”

“Well, that’s silly, you’re great.”

“Eh, the last year or so, no. I’ve kinda sucked.”

“I’m sure that’s with good reason.”

“Yeah,” he said softly, shrugging.

“But still, you’re an awesome player, and I know Elli is excited to see you play.”

His heart warmed as he sent her a smile, and she smiled back. “Thanks.”

“It’s the truth,” she said, waving him off. He couldn’t stop himself, he reached for her hand. She seemed surprised, but then her fingers laced with his and everything inside him went hot as their eyes met.