Confessions of an Alli Cat (25 page)

She smiles again and she looks angelic. 

“Seriously, mom.  It’s fine. I’m happy for you. And I’m happy that Alex isn’t a dick like my dad. Or Vanessa.”

And she gives me a little hug and is trotting off down the hall before I can gather my wits.

“Don’t call your father a dick!” I shout to her.  And then I turn to Alex.

“Well, one child down,” I say limply.

“One child to go,” he says.  “But Colby will be fine.  I’m pretty sure of that.”

I’m already sure of that, but I don’t say anything.  Instead, I just smile and walk to the kitchen, pouring us each another glass of wine.

God, I love wine. 

********

Alex tells Colby the following week. 

Colby took it just fine, like I knew he would. In fact, he came into my office and congratulated me shortly afterward. 

“I seriously want you to be happy, Alli,” he says, leaning forward in his seat and giving me his boyish grin.  “And my dad too. You really are perfect for each other.”

“I think so, too,” I tell him. “Thank you.”

“And things aren’t going to be weird between us,” he says. “I can tell right now. You’re one chill chick. You just take things as they come.  I like that. It’s just what my dad needs.”

I smile.  I don’t feel like a ‘chill chick’ whatever that is, but I don’t point that out or even ask for a definition. 

“And also, you’ll be happy to know…I’m quitting Utopia.  I sort of like being here at Zeller’s and I can’t be a gigolo my whole life. I need to do something a little more respectable.  So, I’m going to graduate school, after all.  I think it’s what I need to do.”

I’m shocked now as I stare at him. 

“You were a really good gigolo,” I tell him.  “But you’ll be a great businessman, too.”

He smiles his charming grin.  “Thank you.  And of course, I still intend to coach Sophie, until she is at a level where she needs a professional coach.”

“Of course,” I answer. “I appreciate it.”

He leans over and kisses my cheek and it doesn’t feel sexual at all.

I really think I can do this.  I can carry this off.

And later in the week, after my interview with the owners of the winery, I decide to take the job. On the condition that I can bring my own assistant, of course.  Taylor is fiery and annoying at times, but she takes good care of me.  I wouldn’t leave her behind. 

This is a notion that baffles me though after listening to her endless complaints about packing up my office stuff and the fact that her new commute will be longer than it is right now. 

I stare at her.

“Taylor, we’ll be working in a winery. 
A winery
. Enough said.” She glares at me and stalks out, but not before I see her smile.  She’s going to love it.  As will I. 

I’m packing up a last box when Alex comes in, wrapping his arms around me from behind. 

I sigh a happy sigh. 

I had no idea that I would be this happy in such a short amount of time.  BB practically sings to me every day—that’s how satisfied and happy she is.  You know what they say…a happy vagina is a happy woman. Well, they might not say that, but they should. 

“What do you think?” Alex asks as he brushes a kiss along the crook of my neck, right where I like it.  “Are you sad to leave?”

I look around at the plush corner office that I worked so hard to get.  And I know that I’m not sad, because I’m winning on so many different levels.  I’m going to a better office.  Win.  And it’s surrounded by grapevines. Double Win.   I’m dating a fabulous and sexy guy who is successful and confident.  Triple Win.

Everything seems to be clicking into place, like it was meant to happen this way. 

I read somewhere that every broken road in life leads to where you were meant to go in the first place.  Or something like that.  And it really is true.  I thought I was meant to be with Rick the Dick and live until we were old and gray in a corner room of the retirement home.  But he had other plans…and so did Life.

Life threw grapes at me but I turned them into wine. 

God, I love wine.

I turn to Alex.  “No, I’m not sad.  I’m not sad at all.”

Then he kisses me until my knees grow weak. 

And I know beyond any shadow of any doubt that I’m doing the right thing…regarding every aspect of my life.  My knees were meant to be made weak by this man.

“Kiss me again,” I tell him.

So he does. 

Epilogue

“You can stack that over there,” I tell a mover. The movers all appear to be burly and rough around the edges, but I gave them doughnuts for breakfast, so they like me.  This one grunts and moves the box.

“Hey sweetie,” Alex calls from our bedroom. “How do you want me to label this box?”

I walk back and find that he has packed up my bedside stand and all of the glorious toys that it contained.  Over the course of the past year, I added a few companions for Geronimo.  And Alex and I use them regularly…together.  Hey, don’t judge.  It’s freaking hot.

“Um, how about Sex Toys?” I suggest.  He rolls his eyes and writes ALLI’S NIGHTSTAND- –PRIVATE. 

“As if no one will know what that means,” I giggle. 

“Are you absolutely sure that you want to move?” Alex asks for the twenty-fifth time.  I glance at him.

“I think that after having a gorgeous new house built on the edge of a vineyard, we’d probably better move, don’t you think?” I ask wryly. 

Alex stares at me.  “I just know that Sophie grew up here. You have a lot of memories here. I don’t want you to leave unless you are sure you want to.”

I smile.  “You are the sexiest, most handsome man on the planet.  It was my idea to move.  I want to start our marriage in our own house.  Not
my
house.”

He grins.  “Mrs. Harris.  I’m really loving the sound of that.  Although, just know that you will never be allowed to take tennis lessons.”  I smile, remembering that his bitch of an ex-wife cheated on him with a tennis instructor. 

“Don’t worry,” I say. “I hate tennis.”

“I knew I loved you for a reason,” he jokes as he seals up my toys. 

“You love me for a
lot
of reasons,” I answer. 

He nods.  “I won’t argue there, Alli Cat.”

The first time Colby overheard Alex calling me Alli Cat, I think he almost choked on his tongue.  But he recovered quickly and things have been very normal on that front. 

Colby is one year into his MBA program and he’s doing very well at Zellers.  My replacement quickly promoted him from an intern to an entry level manager because of Colby’s initiative and drive.  I know from personal experience that the boy’s got initiative.  And drive.

Sophie is kicking ass at swimming and taking names.  She’s well on her way to winning at State levels and then she can swim in college. And who knows how far she’ll go after that?

Rick the Dick is alone.  Vanessa broke up with him shortly after Alex and I got together.  I seldom have to see him, but when I do, we manage to be civil.  He’s a dick, but he’s not
my
dick anymore.  He can cause someone else grief.  Someday, that is, when he convinces someone else to date him.

And Sara… my devil of a best friend is dating Tom, Alex’s recruiter friend who got me the job at the winery.  She called him up to check on the job market and they somehow wound up dating.  Sara’s good at flipping a situation like that.  She’s going to be my maid-of-honor, of course, and she’s already got all kinds of top-secret things planned for my bachelorette party.  I’m terrified already. 

Oh, and the winery.  Alex ended up buying into the winery, so we’re part owners now.  He gave it to me as an engagement present. He proposed on a cliff in Hawaii when we were there this past summer.  It was romantic and sweet and perfect.  Just like Alex.  The ring I’m wearing on my finger is enormous.  So huge and sparkling that it made Sara howl with envy, which of course is important.

Last but not least, my girl BB is as satisfied as a cat with a belly full of milk.  Or make that a
cougar
with a full belly. She gets waxed regularly now, every three months or so.  And that Waxer Girl was totally right.  It doesn’t hurt nearly as much after the first or second time. BB is bald and proud of it.  She’s a sassy wench.

“Alli?”

I can tell by Alex’s tone that it’s not the first time he’s said my name. 

I turn to him, staring at the way the morning sunlight falls against his handsome face.  I stroke a hand where the light hits him. 

“Yes?” I ask sweetly. 

“I was just going to ask where you wanted to get brunch.  But never mind.  I have a better idea in mind.”

He strides across the room and locks the bedroom door and then pushes me onto the bed with the wicked grin that I so, so love. 

The movers can wait. 

The End

To read more of The Cougar Chronicles, please watch for Book Two, coming soon.

Also, to read excerpts from Courtney Cole’s book,.
Of Blood and Bone
and M. Leighton’s book,
Down to You
, please continue reading. 

Acknowledgements

Holy cow.  I have a lot of people to thank for this book.  

M. Leighton.  My partner in crime and BFF. Thank you for everything.  Thank you for brainstorming with me and for pushing me to finish writing this book.  I don’t know what I’d do without you.  I can’t wait until we move to the Keys and have adjoining secret passages to each other’s wine cellars. 

My husband.  Thank you again for putting up with me and keeping me around.  Thank you, too, for giving me the “Drop a man to his knees in five minutes” scene.  I can’t help but wonder if that was self-serving in any way, shape or form… but oh, well.  I love you anyway and I’ll keep you.  Hehe.

To my Cougars!  Rawrrrr!  Thank you, ladies, for your early input on Alli’s story…for your enthusiasm and for just being downright awesome.

Tracy Mims

Megan Ridgeway

Marcia Woodell

Courtney DeLollis

Maria Vargas

Autumn Hull

Michelle Files

Drita Kinic

Danielle Morales

Christina Pryor

Tammy Luke—thank you for being my patient and amazing cover artist. 

And thank YOU, my awesome and amazing readers.  Without you, I wouldn’t have the best job in the world.  I love what I do and I am thankful for you every single day of my life. 

About the Author

Courtney Cole is a novelist who lives near Lake Michigan with her domestic zoo (AKA family), her pet iPad and her favorite cashmere socks.  To learn more about her, visit
www.courtneycolewrites.com

Other books by Courtney Cole:

The Paradise Diaries
(YA, Contemporary)

Dante’s Girl

Mia’s Heart (Coming Soon)

The Bloodstone Saga
(YA/NA, Paranormal Romance)

Every Last Kiss

Fated

With My Last Breath

My Tattered Bonds

House of Thebes

The Moonstone Saga
(YA/NA, Paranormal Romance)

Soul Kissed

Soul Bound

Princess of the Moon (Coming Soon)

The Minaldi Legacy  
(Dark Romance/Contemporary)

Of Blood and Bone

If you are in the mood for something darker while you wait for Book Two of the Cougar Chronicles, check out this excerpt of

Of Blood and Bone

The Minaldi Legacy (Book One)

By Courtney Cole

* * *

Love is dangerous…

“I’m a monster, Eva.  There is no saving a monster.  But I love that you want to try.”

My heart constricts at the expression on his face.  He has no hope for himself, so I have to hope for him.

“You’re not a monster,” I argue softly. “You’re a man, Luca.  A man like any other, you’re made of blood and bone.”

As a little boy, Luca Minaldi was told he was a monster.

As an adult, he knows it is true. 

He lives in Malta, a fairytale-like place filled with sunshine and sea, beauty and secrets.  And Luca’s darkest of secrets is the best kept of them all.

Eva Talbot is spending the summer in Malta to finish up her doctoral dissertation.  When she meets Luca, a mysterious and handsome shipping tycoon, there is an instant attraction, a disturbing and beautiful energy that she has never felt before.  But she senses the darkness that lives within him.

Eva is hired to care for his mother, who suffers from dementia, but it is Luca who Eva will eventually risk everything to save.  Her life becomes a swirling chaos of darkness and romance, of secrets and mystery.  And the question that emerges will become the most important answer of all.

Can she save Luca from the darkness that plagues him without losing herself?

The answer is a matter of life or death.

Prologue

Luca is gone. 

I know it before I open my eyes.  The weight of his body next to me is absent, the scent of him gone from the air.  I sigh, reluctant to begin this day because I know what it holds for me.  I know that if Luca is truly gone, I will spend every hour frantically searching for him.

Gazing around, I find my large suite empty.  Everything is neat and tidy and exactly in place. Each lavish piece of furniture is polished with lemon oil, each extravagant painting on the wall carefully dusted.  Each expensive vase, each crystal lamp, each woven rug is perfectly aligned and exactly how I left it.  Something is different, though, somehow changed in this room that I fell asleep in last night.