Complete Me (Book Three of The Kirkland Family)

Complete Me: Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Over the next week, a pattern developed. Rose went to work downstairs. Cole worked upstairs. They traded shifts with the kittens, and whichever apartment they happened to be in that evening, they slept in. Cole bought Rose a pink toothbrush to keep in his apartment, and Rose found more manly soap for her shower. Sometimes Rose spent her lunch hour with Cole, sometimes she ran her errands, and sometimes he did them for her while he was out and about.

And it didn't take long for Rose to find out about Zack's overnight visits with Mona. On the third morning, Rose left Cole's apartment just after five a.m. to grab another can of kitten formula from her own kitchen. She stopped short as she witnessed Zack backing out of Mona's door with his shirt and boots in his hands.

"Zackary Fitzgerald!" Rose gasped. "What are you doing?"

Zack jumped sideways, grabbing at his chest. "Shit, Rosie! You scared me out of three years' growth!"

"Don't you cuss at me!" she said, slapping at his shoulder. "No ... no, no, no! You just met her! You are not sleeping with her!"

Mona and Cole rushed out to the landing. "Oh," Mona said, seeing Rose and Zack. "I told you to be quiet, Zack."

"I was quiet," he argued.

Cole took Rose by the shoulders and led her back into the apartment. "I will get the formula. Go snuggle with the kittens."

Rose blinked back tears. "Did you know about this?" she asked Cole. "You did, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me?"

Cole sat her down on his bed and put the babies in her lap. "Not my business, and not yours, either. I'll be right back."

"I don't like it," Rose called out to everyone. "I don't like it at all!"

Cole came back, closed his door and held her hand. "You okay?"

"No!" She held one of the girls to her cheek and closed her eyes with a sigh. "But you're right. It's not my business. It surprised me, that's all."

Cole leaned over, gave her a kiss and said, "I'm sure it wasn't any easier when Zack realized we were together."

"Please ... I can't be rational about this right now. Talk some sense into me later, okay?"

"Okay. How about — since we're both up so early — we feed the kitties, you join me for a walk around town, and I treat you to breakfast at Momma Babbs? We can be rational with a full stomach."

"You're not running today?"

He smiled and wagged his eyebrows. "I'll workout later."

Rose laughed and relented ... for now. She forbade Zack and Mona's haphazard relationship to spoil her happiness. Because everything was going so wonderfully. She and Cole were perfect together, and the store was doing great because of Mona's popularity with repeat customers. Honestly, Rose couldn't be upset with Mona at all. The younger woman was a godsend.

On the day Jak waltzed in to grab an old telephone — "I need a strong magnet." — Mona blocked his way, demanding that he pay first.

"Pay?" Jak said, looking utterly confused. "I'm just borrowing it. I'll bring it back in a couple of hours."

Mona snatched a brass candlestick from a nearby shelf and said, "You will pay for it."

He scowled at her and shouted, "Rose! Come harness your new pet! She's in my way!"

"Pet?!" Mona spit, her eyes glowing dangerously.

Rose leaned on the door of her office, quite curious about who would come out on top, Jak or Mona. Jak had a grumpy streak, yes, but Rose was absolutely certain she didn't want to go up against Mona in a fight. "I'm on a break," she told her brother. "Mona is in charge."