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Back First Comes Love
Chapters (92)
  1. First
  2. Love Connection
  3. Zero
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. One Month Later
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Six Months Later
  21. Sixteen
  22. Seventeen
  23. Eighteen
  24. Nineteen
  25. Twenty
  26. Twenty-one
  27. Twenty-two
  28. Twenty-three
  29. Twenty-four
  30. Six Months Later
  31. Twenty-five
  32. Twenty-six
  33. Twenty-seven
  34. Twenty-eight
  35. Twenty-nine
  36. Thirty
  37. Thirty-one
  38. Thirty-two
  39. Thirty-three
  40. I Have Never
  41. One
  42. Two
  43. Three
  44. Four
  45. Five
  46. Six
  47. Seven
  48. Eight
  49. Nine
  50. Ten
  51. Eleven
  52. Twelve
  53. Thirteen
  54. Fourteen
  55. Fifteen
  56. Sixteen
  57. Seventeen
  58. Eighteen
  59. Nineteen
  60. Twenty
  61. Twenty-one
  62. Twenty-two
  63. A Christmas Date
  64. One
  65. Two
  66. Three
  67. Four
  68. Five
  69. Six
  70. Seven
  71. Eight
  72. Nine
  73. Ten
  74. Eleven
  75. Twelve
  76. Thirteen
  77. Fourteen
  78. Fifteen
  79. Sixteen
  80. Seventeen
  81. Eighteen
  82. Nineteen
  83. Twenty
  84. Twenty-one
  85. Twenty-two
  86. Note from the Author
  87. Sneak Peek – To the Stars and Back
  88. Two
  89. Three
  90. Four
  91. Also by Camilla Isley
  92. About the Author

Mr. Fluff will run, jump, sit, and cuddle on request. He’s a quick learner, and in just a few hours this magnificent exemplar of Silver Tabby British Shorthair can be trained to perform just about any task. At Le Paw Animal Talent Management Agency, we strive to provide our clients with the perfect animal for any job. We will provide you with expert advice and coordination to make all your productions spectacular.

I click on the casting video that shows Mr. Fluff playing with a plumed cat wand, chasing after a mechanical mouse… Then he eats, jumps, runs up the stairs, and the video ends with a close-up of the cat resting on a white couch while purring loudly. He seems indeed like a wonderful actor.

I grab the landline receiver and dial the agency number.

“Le Paw Animal Talent Management Agency,” a female voice says, picking up on the second ring. “How can I help you?”

“Hi, hello, this is Nikki Moore from KCU Advertising. I was calling to inquire about one of your actors…” And, yes, I feel stupid saying this, but pet agencies can be a tad sensitive, and I’ve learned that if I don’t refer to the animals as “professionals” or “talent” they can get pretty prickly. “Err… Mr. Fluff?”

“Oh, sure, Mr. Fluff is one of our best performers, always in demand. Needs a month’s advance booking at the very least.”

“A month?” I gasp. “You mean he wouldn’t be available this Thursday?”

“As in, the day after tomorrow?” the girl asks, appalled.

“Yes?”

“Sorry, ma’am. He’s fully booked through January. Cats are very popular for Valentine’s Day commercials, you know?”

Yes, I do know. It’s my job to know. “Thank you very much anyway,” I say, discouraged.

Third hole in the water today.

“You’re welcome. And if you ever need our services in the future, don’t hesitate to call us back. Le Paw Animal Talent Management Agency wishes you a purrfect Christmas.”

Did she really just wish me a purrfect Christmas? I smash the receiver on its case three times, imagining it to be the face of the creative who suggested a tabby cat would suit the commercial better than the Russian Blue I’d hired.