A Love as Restless as the Wind novel

---- Chapter 11 Tessa finally finished cleaning her little shop. She put her hands on her hips and let out a long, heavy sigh. It had been nearly two weeks since she left Clifford. She'd chosen to come to a small city, and the fresh air and slow pace here were exactly what she needed. As soon as she arrived , she wasted no time renting a storefront. It wasn't huge, but it was just the right size for her to open the cozy little cafe she'd always dreamed of. Everything was ready.

She packed up her cleaning supplies and locked the door. Facing the glass door, she gave herself a big, bright smile. She wondered how long it had been since she smiled like that. The thought made her chest tighten , pain creeping into a heart she thought had long gone numb. She figured that Clifford , Tania, and their baby must be living happily now. "Clifford..." Tessa murmured, then quickly shook her head, trying to chase the name out of her mind.

She had a new life now and couldn't keep letting the past drag her down. Lost in thought, she suddenly felt something warm brush against her ankle. A tiny tabby kitten was rubbing against her leg, purring softly. ---- "Kitty!" Her eyes lit up. She crouched down and gently stroked its soft little head. The kitten rolled over and showed her its belly, meowing sweetly, begging for more attention. "Tt really likes you." A clear, pleasant male voice came from nearby.

Startled, she turned her head and noticed a man standing just a few feet away. "I'm sorry. I didn't even see you there," she said quickly, scooting over to make some space. The man gave a warm smile and crouched beside her. The kitten immediately ran to him, nuzzling into his palm like they were old friends. "Is it yours?" she asked. "No," he replied , his smile so bright that it made it hard for her to look away for a second .

He set down the bag labeled "freeze-dried cat food" in his hand, then casually rubbed the kitten's belly with practiced ease. "I only found it around here a little while ago, and I stop by to feed it whenever I'm in the area." "So... it's a stray?" Tessa asked as she locked eyes with him. "Tt seems like it," he said in a low and pleasant voice.

" She probably wants a home as much as anyone else." The sight of him stroking the kitten, with his long ---- lashes catching the light and casting shadows across his face, awakened something long buried within her heart. "Come on, then," she said suddenly , scooping up the kitten like she'd done it a hundred times. The kitten didn't resist at all and just blinked up at her in confusion. "What?" The man looked surprised, clearly not following.

"To get it spayed," she said slowly and clearly, placing the kitten on her shoulder. She smiled dazzlingly. "Let's go." She was already pulling up directions to the nearest vet on her phone. The man blinked, then allowed himself to be tugged along in a daze. She found a nearby vet and headed off with the kitten in her arms. The man stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before grabbing the bag of cat food and hurrying after her.

He ran a hand through his slightly messy hair, cleared his throat, and held out his hand. "T'm Edison Lloyd. It's nice to meet you." Tessa stopped, took his hand, and shook it properly." I'm Tessa Turner. I just moved here not long ago. It's nice to meet you, too." The kitten, mimicking her, gently placed its tiny paw on top of their handshake and gave a soft "meow". Their eyes met, and both of them couldn't help but ---- laugh.

That shared laugh caused the loud, painful echoes of her past to recede, disappearing into the approaching dusk. Edison walked beside her and asked, "So that cafe is yours, huh?" Tessa nodded. "Tomorrow's opening day. It looks like I'll have a kitten to keep me company." The tabby kitten meowed right on cue and rubbed its face against hers. "T'll be there too. I've had my eye on your shop for a while now," Edison added at just the right moment. She gave him a teasing look. ''Are you going to compete with the kitten for attention now?" As she spoke, the vet finally came into view.