Ralph stares blankly at me in the mirror from where she’s sitting on the edge of my bed, so I stare right back. “What are you looking at?”

She meows grumpily at me and walks right over all the clothes I’ve laid out, tried on, and discarded. It’s like she’s silently judging me for being so picky about what to wear, and I guess I don’t blame her now that the majority of my closet is strewn across my bed, but this is a big decision.

I reach out to scratch her head, and she instantly starts purring. “I know, it’s so rude of me not to leave a space on the bed for you, but we’re in a crisis right now, girl. Declan’s mom is coming to town, so I can’t wear just anything.”

Ralph meows like she agrees with me, so I pat her head and sink down on the bed next to her. She immediately claims my lap, still purring, and I can’t stop myself from petting her. It’s exactly the kind of comfort I need right now because I’m feeling unreasonably nervous. This charity thing isn’t really that big of a deal for me—I go to these kinds of press events for the Aces with my father all the time—and I shouldn’t be so anxious about meeting Declan’s mom since we aren’t officially an item or anything, but I’m still freaking out a little.

She’s already been here for a couple of days, and I wanted to meet her at the last Aces game, but I was busy with a yoga class and couldn’t go. So tonight will be the first time I’m meeting his mom, and even though we aren’t “official,” I still really want to make a good impression. We only get one shot at a first impression, and just because Declan and I aren’t public or even official, that doesn’t mean it will stay that way.

I end up settling on a simple black dress since I’m not sure what to expect—and because it’s one of the few pieces of dress clothing that isn’t currently coated in Ralph’s fur. She isn’t happy about me leaving, and she protests loudly the entire time I’m putting the rest of my clothes away, but as soon as I give her a little bit of food on my way out the door, she seems to forget that there was ever a problem.