Chapter 1
Prologue
Midnight heard the murmurs well before she laid eyes on the two women who’d entered the crowded room. “Lesbians.” The whispers traveled to their cage at the end faster than a freight train barreling down the tracks. Everyone knew that the gold standard for adoption was lesbians. The older cats talked about it all the time. If there was an adoption pecking order, it went something like, lesbians, single women, gay men, young couples, families without other pets, and finally, as a last resort, families with young children.
The large room with the bleak white walls that had seen better days, housed rows of large cages. To Midnight, this wasn’t the worst place to live, but perhaps not the best either. At least they separated the noisy dogs from the cats. They stacked cages on top of one another, and when the cats weren’t napping, which admittedly was often, it could get very noisy. The overworked staff tried to keep up with cleaning out the litter boxes, but with that many cats and kittens, frankly, the place smelled. Midnight licked her paw, the kitten version of trying to remove that distasteful aroma. She’d had to use that nasty box two minutes ago.
Still, if Midnight and her twin sister, Onyx, weren’t adopted soon, they’d undoubtedly dump more kittens into their cage, making it overcrowded and unpleasant. Her littermates, Ginger, Tux, and Sebastian, had taunted her and Onyx, reminding them that black cats never got adopted. All three had already gone to their forever homes. Midnight didn’t care because she’d spied the tail-pulling toddler and turned away, dragging Onyx to the back of the cage. No way did she want to live with some snotty little demon.
The food dish was empty again, compliments of Onyx. The tiny, rotund kitten loved her food. Midnight didn’t care. In fact, she understood. When the good Samaritan had scooped up the motherless litter of five, they’d all been well past the point of starvation. It was a miracle the emaciated kittens had all survived. Food deprivation had a way of shaping a less confident kitten’s psyche. Midnight didn’t fall into that trap because, once the nice woman had rescued them, Midnight knew they wouldn’t starve. On the other hand, if Onyx did not stop hogging the food, that might be a distinct possibility. She’d have to have a kitten-to-kitten talk with her sister.
Midnight rushed to her sister, who was sleeping peacefully in the corner on the fleece blanket the staff had provided. She smacked her on the head with her paw and whispered, “Get up, hurry. Lesbians are on the prowl. Fluff your coat and get your furry butt to the edge of the cage.”
Onyx yawned, blinked her green eyes, and said, “What?”
“Use your cute chirping meow and get their attention. I’ll stick my paw out through the cage. People love that. How do I look? Is my fur shiny?” Midnight asked.
“You’re beautiful,” Onyx said.
“You only say that because we’re twins. Here they come, do the chirping thing. You’re better at that than me.”
“Meow brmmp,” Onyx called out in her practiced voice.
“Oh, Mac, look at these two. They are absolutely precious. So fluffy. They’re going to grow into beautiful cats. I had a black cat growing up. They’re the best,” the woman with flowing, raven-colored hair said.
“Won’t long-haired cats get tangled fur, especially when they go outside and hunt for mice on the farm?” the woman with short blonde locks replied. “Remember, the primary reason to get a cat is to reduce the mouse population on the farm. Yes, we’ll spoil them too, but—”
“We’ll brush them every day. I’ll brush them every day,” she amended.
Midnight wiggled her paw, reaching for Mac, who she figured might be the harder sell.
“He is awfully cute. It’s like he’s waving at me,” Mac said with a smile.
Hmmf, why do people always think black cats are males?
Mac turned to the tired-looking guy who cleaned their cages. “Can we pick them up?”
He shrugged. “Sure, but Midnight and Onyx are females. So, if you want males, we have other kittens you can look at.”
“Chirp again,” Midnight directed.
“Meow brmmp.”
“Aw, that’s the cutest little meow I think I’ve ever heard,” the dark-haired woman said. “I’ll pick her up and see if we’re a fit. I want cuddlers. Mousers are great, but cats who cuddle are the best.”
Midnight shifted her eyes to her sister, who apparently didn’t need further instruction, as she started purring loud enough to rouse any of the older cats who hadn’t bothered to wake from their afternoon naps. When the skinny dude opened the cage and the woman picked her up, Onyx settled against her neck, purring loudly and giving a tiny lick for good measure.
Not to be outdone, as soon as Mac brought Midnight out of the cage, she snuggled against the woman’s neck and rubbed her furry face against her skin. While her purr was softer than Onyx, it was still a respectable volume for the women to notice.
“Oh, Mac, I think these are the ones for us. I even like the names the shelter gave them. What do you think?”
Mac kissed the top of Midnight’s head. “All right, Carmen. I’m definitely sold. It would be cruel to break them up, right? It’s a good thing that one is bigger than the other, or we might not be able to tell them apart. Yours is a chunky little gal. Still adorable though.”
Carmen covered Onyx’s little ears. “Don’t tease her about her weight. She might get a complex. It could have been hard on them if they had to fend for themselves. I’d want to eat all the food placed in front of my face too if I had to fight for every morsel.”
Exactly, Midnight thought.
Mac chuckled. “Presumably, they both had the same experience, and Midnight doesn’t have a little pot belly. Just saying. I think mine is the athlete in the family. Like me,” she added with a wink.
“Whatever. We’ll both love them equally.”
“Yes, we will,” Mac agreed. “I just hope they’re both good mousers.”
Midnight would remember this day as a pivotal moment in their young lives. Still, another momentous occasion was on the horizon, and only the sisters’ careful planning would set everything on the right track again.
Chapter One
Mackenzie Sullivan held her hands out for the carrier that had been on Carmen’s lap for the relatively long drive back to the farm. Carmen continued sticking her fingers inside the plastic cage, cooing at the new kittens. Whenever Mac glanced at her girlfriend, she was playing with the little balls of fluff. The curious creatures kept nosing her fingers, offering gentle licks every chance they got. Occasionally, they would bat at her hand when Carmen wiggled her fingers, offering a perfect target for their playful attacks.
Taking the carrier from Carmen, Mac gently admonished, “You know, Carmen, you shouldn’t teach them that hands are a toy to play with. It won’t be so cute when they start to bite your fingers. We need to emphasize that hands are for petting, not playthings for their private amusement.”
“Their little nibbles don’t hurt,” Carmen responded.
Mac chuckled. “Just wait until they get more confident. Trust me, kittens in full play mode can definitely cause pain. They may be small, but their little teeth and claws are sharp. Besides, we need them using their skills on mice.”
Opening the side door leading to the farmhouse’s large kitchen, Mac called out, “Pops? Are you here?”
Sean Sullivan shuffled into the kitchen and smiled at his daughter. “You don’t need to yell. I’m not deaf yet. Oh, what do we have here? New mousers? Why are you bringing them into the house?”
Mac felt the flush rise to her face. She hadn’t figured out how to tell her father that the new kittens would be pets. After the brief conversation with Carmen, who was horrified to learn that farm cats were supposed to stay in the barn, she’d capitulated to Carmen’s pleas that the new kittens should be proper members of the family. And that meant living in a warm house, not a dirty barn.
Carmen had only moved to the farm two months ago, and already she was making changes to Mac’s routine. It was a good thing her pops loved Mac’s girlfriend and encouraged the move; otherwise, the changes might have been his undoing. It didn’t hurt that Carmen was a gentle and kind nurse who doted on her father. Whenever his arthritis flared up, Carmen was right there, rubbing ointment into his joints and basically pampering him like Mac’s mother used to do. Her pops had pulled her aside one night and, through teary eyes, gruffly said, “You got a good one, Mac, don’t screw it up.”
“Um, they’re going to stay inside the house. We bought a litter box for them…” Mac replied.
“What’s wrong with the barn?”
Carmen offered Sean her winning smile. “Sean, it’s too cold in the barn. They’ll be indoor/outdoor cats. The best of both worlds. The litter box is just for those occasions when it’s snowing a lot and nippy outside. I suspect they’ll do their business outside most of the time.”
“We don’t get a lot of snow.” Sean shook his head and mumbled, “Just like Deidre. She used to let the cats inside too. She thought she was being all sneaky, but I always knew.”
Mac tried not to look too sheepish when she responded. “You knew?”
“Course I did. Your mother wasn’t very good at hiding anything.”
“She did that for me because I begged her,” Mac answered.
“Meow brmmp. Meow.” The cats had chimed in on the conversation.
Sean chuckled. “Oh, don’t be so sure about that. She loved those cats as much as you. Fine. Let them out of their little cage. They might as well explore their new home.”
Carmen winked at Mac as she set down the carrier and opened the front latch. Mac stroked Carmen’s beautiful hair, leaned in to kiss her cheek, and whispered, “Nice job. You have my pops wrapped around your little finger, just like me.”
At first, the kittens slowly emerged. As they gained confidence, they raced around the house, chasing one another, then flopped on the hardwood floor and looked up at the two women as if to say, “Okay, we’re done; it’s cuddle time.”
“I’m going to run to the truck and get the supplies,” Mac announced. “First lesson, how to use a litter box. After they get settled in the house, we need to introduce them to the rest of the farm. Hopefully, they’ll want to go outside and explore.”
Carmen nodded and scooped both kittens into her arms. “I’ll just snuggle with them for a bit until you return.”
Sean shook his head and smiled. “I got a few chores left to do before dinner. Need to move the goats to the south enclosure.”
“I can do that, Pops. Just let me settle the kittens, and I’ll take care of it.”
Sean waved his hand in the air. “No need. I’m having a good day. The joints aren’t acting up too much. Doc put me on a new medicine, and it seems to work well.”
†
While it was still new to Carmen, making the move to live with Sean and Mac was almost seamless. Working the day shift at the hospital made it easy for her to prepare dinner for the hard-working farmers. If she stayed on the medical-surgical unit versus transferring to critical care, she could continue to get off at 3:30. The critical care unit only offered twelve-hour shifts. She’d make more money as a critical care nurse, but the schedule didn’t fit as well.
While Mac made the goat cheese and cared for the animals, Carmen tried various recipes on Mac, Sean, and Evan, their farm hand. She loved living on the farm with its abundant fresh vegetables, herbs, free-range chickens, pigs, and grass-fed and grass-finished beef; it was the best food she’d ever worked with to create her culinary masterpieces. Cooking was a hobby she’d honed over the years, and having three very appreciative recipients of her creations made her feel like she contributed to the farm.
Of course, Carmen could not muster the courage to slaughter any of the animals they consumed. If she had thought too long about what she was eating, she’d have turned into a vegetarian years ago. Ironically, Mac, who’d grown up on the farm, couldn’t do it either. They both left that task to Sean or the slaughterhouse for the larger animals. Carmen could gather the eggs and vegetables, but that was the extent of what she could stomach. She tried very hard not to get too close to the cows, pigs or chickens lest she begin to think of them as pets. The goats were a whole other story. Since the goats were only on the farm to produce milk for the cheese, she could play with them all she wanted, knowing none of her friends would make it to the dinner table.
Swaying to the music, Carmen was preparing a new chicken dish when Mac snuck up behind her and placed her arms around Carmen’s waist, kissing her neck.
“Have I told you how much I love having you at the farm with us?”
Carmen turned around and accepted a kiss from Mac. “Mmhm, many times and in many ways. You know, we’ve kind of done everything ass-backward,” she teased.
Mac furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”
“Well, we’ve only been living together for a few months and already have children. Outside of wedlock,” Carmen exclaimed in an exaggerated fashion.
“Huh? Have I missed something?” Mac asked. “Even if it was possible to have finger or tongue babies, your being pregnant is a precursor to kids. Are you trying to tell me something?”
“I meant Midnight and Onyx. They’re a pretty big deal. A commitment.”
Mac laughed. “Funny. You had me worried for a minute. Don’t you think when you moved into the farmhouse, that was a big enough symbol of commitment?”
“Not necessarily. Lesbians move in together all the time after a short period but never progress to the next level,” Carmen reasoned.
Mac smiled. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“Would that be crazy?”
Mac stepped back and cocked her head to the side. “Kind of, yes. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I definitely see that in our future, but we’ve only been living together for a few months,” Mac quickly amended. “I want to make sure life on the farm isn’t going to chase you away. It isn’t always an easy life. And you know I won’t leave the farm. Pops can’t handle everything on his own. Even with Evan living on the property and helping us, it’s just too difficult with only three people. He’d lose the place, and that would break him.”
“Four people,” Carmen corrected.
Mac gently brushed aside a lock of hair. “Yeah, you’ve been a godsend to us, but you know that isn’t why I asked you to move in with me.”
“Yes, of course I know that. It might break you as well, if you lost the farm. I know you love it here. I do too. Have I ever suggested this life was too hard for me? It’s not like you expect me to play an integral role in keeping the farm going. I have my job at the hospital. Cooking for you is the least I can do. Besides, I love to cook. You know that.”
Mac grinned. “Let’s get through the winter in this drafty old house before we have further conversations about marriage. If you still enjoy living here after enduring the bitter cold with subpar heating, then by all means, you won’t have to drag me down the aisle. I’ll be the one leading the way. I love you. I can’t see myself growing old with anyone else. Besides, Pops said he would kick my ass if I ever did anything stupid enough to drive you away. He loves you too. You’re like a second daughter to him.”
Carmen’s eyes glistened. “I know. I love him too. Maybe more than you,” she teased. “Memories of the time spent with my father are waning, and with Mom being so far away…it’s just…hard. I didn’t know how much I missed being near a parental unit.”
“How long has it been since you visited your mom?”
“Too long. I get the sense that something is going on with Mom because she’s been particularly cagey lately. When I first moved to Washington, she ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and never told me. I only learned about it after the fact because my brother went begging for money and discovered she wasn’t home. I’m going to pin down that irresponsible waste of life and get him to pay her a visit. He better get the scoop for me. He takes enough from her, showing no regard for her health and well-being. The least he can do is check up on her every now and again.”
Mac sighed. “One of these days, I’ll feel confident enough to leave the farm for a few days, maybe even long enough for a vacation, and I can finally meet your mom. I just really feel the need to increase production to have enough for critical repairs. If you think the house is drafty, wait until you experience our leaky roof. Next on my wish list for the farm is a new roof and better insulation. A new heating system isn’t a bad idea either. All of those items cost more than we can afford right now.”
“I’d love that. I wish you would let me help. You know we aren’t finished with the conversation about living expenses. I’m not even contributing anything to rent. How is that fair? I make a good living as a nurse and have nowhere to spend the money. If you really want me to settle into farm living, you’ll let me tackle those projects to make the house more comfortable in the winter. At least one of them. New roof?” Carmen suggested.
“I’ll think about it,” Mac answered.
Carmen frowned. “That means no. Stubborn mule,” she muttered good-naturedly.
They’d been having the same conversation ever since Carmen had moved in two months earlier. Sometimes, Mac had too much pride for her own good. She had insisted that since she was the one to ask Carmen to move in and see how she took to farm life, Carmen paying rent was out of the question. Carmen desperately wanted to wake up every day with Mac, so she’d capitulated, biding her time for the right moment to renegotiate the deal. Carmen felt confident that, one day, she’d wear Mac down and make the perfect argument. Perhaps that would come when she convinced Mac she wasn’t going anywhere and farm life suited her just fine. Hopefully, that would come along with marriage. Because if there was one thing Carmen was sure of, it was that she wanted to marry Mackenzie Sullivan. Despite Mac’s stubborn streak, Carmen had fallen head over heels in love with the strong, compassionate woman. She couldn’t wait to introduce Mac to her mother. She was sure her mom would love Mac as much as she did.
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