She scooped up her cat and snuggled her against her cheek. “Cosette! You poor thing!” She was glad for the spell to have broken. Glad for the escape.

Kicking off her too-high heels, she walked into the kitchen, looking for the box where she’d packed away the cat food.

“You have a cat?” Leo said it as if he had said, You have a mountain lion? Escaped from an illicit animal farm?

“She’s very well-behaved,” Tessa rushed to say. “And clean. You’ll barely notice she’s here. I—”

Tessa could tell him all kinds of things to make him sympathize, but the truth was, Cosette was a dealbreaker. Tessa wouldn’t have gone anywhere without her.

“Oh,” he said, sounding a little disappointed. Or was he angry? She couldn’t tell.

“I’ve had her ever since my dad died. We found her out the back door of the bread shop, part of a whole litter of kittens. She’s very sweet and affectionate.” The cat and he were having a stare down, Cosette sitting on the floor, calmly winding and unwinding her tail around herself, and Leo, looking back at her like she was the devil. “It’s okay to pet her,” Tessa finally said.

“I’m not much of a cat person,” he said. He glanced at his phone. “Listen, it’s been a long day. I’m going to get settled. And I have to go out. Do you need anything?”

He suddenly sounded tight and formal. She thought of asking him if he wanted her to whip up some eggs and toast—all that they had in the fridge. But he suddenly seemed like he was in a hurry to get away.

“No, I’m fine.” Tessa was realizing she had no idea where she’d packed the cat food. And her mattress was standing against the wall in the guest room, blocked in by boxes. Weariness felt bone-deep. Where did she even begin?

“Okay, well…see you later,” he said and headed out the door.

A terrible thought occurred. Was he going to see Svana? Even though he’d promised not to sleep with anyone else? Just like she’d accidentally-on-purpose not mentioned Cosette?

And, more importantly, why was that a terrible thought?

She suddenly felt foolish about the threshold thing. Being carried into the house did not make this a real marriage or even a friendship, no matter how boyish his grin or how appealing that thick, wonderful head of hair was.

Living with him in this adorable little place was not playing house.

They were on a mission. Project Save the Bakery/Restaurant began tomorrow.

And she’d better not forget that.

…