Like Cats and Dogs by Kate McMurray (scary books to read TXT) 📗

in the neighborhood. They’re actually the only clinic in this part of Brooklyn that does emergency medicine and stays open all night.”

Randolph nodded thoughtfully. “Interesting. Good to know. Well, it was nice meeting you ladies. Maybe I’ll see you around the neighborhood.”

Randolph left with Newton in tow. Diane stayed quiet until they’d vanished from view. Then she said, “He’s trying to buy the building.”

“I figured. I heard a developer bought the Star Café.”

Diane turned to Monique. “Can I have an herbal tea, dear? Do you have that rooibos today?”

“I do,” Monique said, fetching a cup.

Once Diane had her tea, she headed toward the cat room, so Lauren followed her there. Diane greeted Paige and Evan before settling on a sofa.

“That Randolph fellow wants to buy this building, too,” said Diane. “Which is comical. I have no intention of selling. Honestly, I think he wants to buy up buildings on this block to level them and put in a mall. No appreciation of history, these developers. This building has been here since 1923! It’s got character! There’s a rumor that Truman Capote slept with a man who lived in this building! How can you tear it down to put in a mall that no one is even going to shop at?”

“Or they’ll put up a flimsy new apartment building that looks all sleek and modern on the outside but falls apart once tenants move in,” said Paige. “A friend of mine lives in one of those new buildings in Crown Heights and all her appliances broke down the first month she lived there and the building has mice.”

“Gross,” said Evan.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Diane. “I’m not selling. I figured I’d meet with the guy when he contacted me to see what he’s about, but he practically got out the tape measure when he was in here, and I did not approve of that.” She shook her head and groaned. “What’s up with you girls? And Evan? How are you all?”

“Lauren hated the new vet, then she loved the new vet, then she hated him again,” said Evan.

“Traitor,” Lauren muttered.

Diane laughed. “That sounds fun. Winnie and I got our start that way, actually.” Winnie was Diane’s late wife.

“Oh?” said Evan, leaning forward.

Diane sipped her tea and gave Evan an appraising look. “Our first meeting was very awkward and we got off on the wrong foot. That was, gosh, 1975, maybe? I had just finished law school, and I went to this reception for female law professionals. Safety in numbers, you know. It was very hard to get a job if you were a woman in those days, unless you wanted to take dictation for one of the partners, which I did not. Winnie was a paralegal for a huge, evil corporate firm in Midtown, and I got a little idealistic with her the first time we met.”

Lauren chuckled, picturing it. Diane had a bit of a retired hippie vibe. Winnie had died before Lauren had met Diane, but she’d seen pictures, and she could just picture someone as crunchy granola as Diane meeting a buttoned-up paralegal.

“Anyway,” Diane said, “I ended up getting a job at her firm, because I have principles but I also had rent to pay. So of course I ran into her in the company cafeteria one day, and she let me have it for being a hypocrite, which I deserved. Things were pretty prickly between us for a while. But gosh, she was just so beautiful. My Winnie had a lovely face and these pretty blue eyes, and she wore her hair long in those days, and I had such a crush on her even though we generally argued whenever we ran into each other. And then one day I ran into her and we didn’t argue. I didn’t know if she was gay, and I didn’t know how to ask her, but we got to be friends, and then one day we got to kissing, and the rest is history.”

“That’s so sweet,” said Paige.

“So what I hear you saying,” said Evan, “is that you met this woman and then you argued whenever you met and then one day, instead of fighting, you made out, and then you fell in love.”

“That’s about it, yeah,” said Diane.

“Don’t even, Evan,” said Lauren.

Evan crossed his arms and looked smug. “Because Lauren and Caleb fight, except one time, instead of fighting, they made out.”

“Evan!” said Lauren. Although she probably should have felt relieved Evan didn’t say she and Caleb had slept together.

“I can’t believe you told her that,” said Paige, giggling.

Diane laughed. “Oh, honey, I know exactly how that goes.”

“We’re not compatible,” Lauren said. “We’re not! He’s an arrogant know-it-all whose heart has been replaced with robotic parts or something, because he doesn’t seem to feel human emotions. He’s rude. He thinks the Cat Café is ridiculous. And he just got divorced and doesn’t want a relationship. What on earth could we be to each other?”

Evan mimed making dollar bills rain.

“What does that mean?” Diane asked.

“Evan bet Lauren ten bucks she’d marry Caleb,” said Paige.

“He’s going to lose that bet,” said Lauren.

“I’m not. You just heard how hard she protested. She loves him. She’s going to marry him.”

“Nope,” said Lauren.

Diane clapped. “Oh, I do love you guys. But Dr. Fitch seems like such a nice young man. I’m surprised you don’t get along.”

Lauren sighed.

“I’m not even saying you and Dr. Fitch will be like me and Winnie. Because Winnie was one in a million. God, I miss her sometimes.”

Lauren reached out and touched Diane’s arm comfortingly.

Evan, who had always been uncomfortable with deeply emotional moments, said, “But you can see certain parallels.”

“Maybe,” said Diane. Her smile was enigmatic.

Lauren shook her head. “You’re wrong.”

“I take cash or check,” said Evan.

Lauren rolled her eyes and left to check on Monique. She heard Evan and Diane laughing together behind her.

***

Caleb was manning the front desk when Lauren walked into the clinic. When she spotted Caleb, she frowned.

“It is I, chopped liver,” he said.

Lauren sighed. “Is