He sat down and curled his long black tail around his body, a study in patience. While I opened the can and put half of it on a plate, I told him about my day. He blinked in sympathy. His golden eyes were ever watchful, but I was quite certain it was sympathy I saw in his gaze. When I dished my own food, I set his tuna down before him while I took a seat at the table.

It occurred to me that, without him, I would feel lonely, and I was grateful for his company. Even though he wasn’t a dazzling conversationalist, he was an excellent listener, which I’ve always felt was a vastly underrated quality in a man.

After dinner, Sir went outside, returning a while later and making himself at home on the red throw. I didn’t mind. I made a cup of tea with honey and fired up my laptop to watch a cozy British mystery. I made it through one and a half episodes before I started to doze.

Per usual, when I shut up my house for the night, I left the door ajar so that Sir could come and go as he pleased. He wasn’t a pet, after all, just a dinner guest. Not surprisingly, he climbed into bed with me, and I fell asleep to the soothing sound of his purr. It seemed Sir and I had developed a lovely routine. Needless to say, I’d forgotten his presence might be unwelcome by the landlord, and it was a bit of a surprise to wake up to a note taped to my door on Friday morning.

Sir had left sometime in the wee hours of the morning. As I went to close the French door, I discovered the note taped to it instead of the front door. Huh.

I grabbed the envelope and glanced up at the big house. I stared at the curtained window where I had seen the hot guy several days ago. No, I hadn’t forgotten about him. Nothing moved, nothing twitched; in fact, there were no signs of life at all. I closed my door and latched it.

I took the letter to the kitchen, where my coffee was waiting. I put it on the counter and while I sipped from my mug, I pondered the business-size envelope as if it were an incendiary device I needed to deactivate.

Finally, I put down my coffee and snatched up the note. I tore it open and a single sheet plopped onto the counter. I lifted it by a corner and shook it open.