 by Pepper North Paige Michaels.jpg)
Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
After losing her protective police officer husband, CC Callaway throws herself into creating CC’s Purrfect Coffee. Combining her love of the brew and her affection for cats keeps her mind busy and her broken heart full, even if something is still missing.
Dr. Hunter Warren can’t ignore the adorable woman who first catches his eye at Blaze, and when they meet for the second time in his ER, all of his Daddy instincts are awakened. Unable to resist his attraction to CC, or his desire to protect her, this Doctor Daddy drops by the cat cafe to make sure she’s feeling better. Will his cupcake offering be the beginning of something even sweeter for them?
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
Way before time for the sun to rise, CC stifled a yawn as she let herself in the backdoor of her Purrfect Coffee shop. That was the only bad thing about coffee—people wanted it so darn early in the morning. Locking the door to make sure no one decided to sneak in that way, she shook her head. For some, the caffeine addiction was strong.
Her subsequent laugh had an immediate effect on the silence filling the closed shop. Meows filled the air. Tangerine yowled a response in his carrier. The fat, older cat traveled back and forth with CC each day to work. He enjoyed being the king of the adoptable kittens and cats, but Tangerine was too spoiled to miss sleeping on his owner’s feet at night.
“Hold on, Tangerine. Let me get everyone fed before you get out. You’d just have second and third breakfasts,” CC predicted, causing Tangerine to protest loudly as if he had not eaten for days.
“No one believes that,” CC admonished the disgruntled cat as she set the carrier on the floor.
In a jiffy, she released the menagerie the shelter had brought to her shop in hopes they would find their forever homes. Each night, they slept tucked in a portable kennel in the center of the dining room to keep them safe and protected from any mischief. Usually, they were so exhausted at the end of the day because of the amount of attention and interaction they had with patrons that CC knew they crashed as hard as Tangerine did.
When everyone had been fed the proper food, she cleaned the litter boxes disguised in a few areas and checked the hard food and water left out at all times. Having the cats there took some additional work, but they were a great way to draw people in and match homes with feline companions.
With everything set, she freed Tangerine, who immediately swooped in to eat the small tidbits remaining of the rich kitten food. “Thank goodness I have you to clean the dishes, Tangerine,” she said with a laugh.
“Talking to the cats again? You know that’s the first step to becoming a crazy cat lady,” a young woman’s voice announced behind her.
“Hi, Sunshine. I’m glad to see you. I’ve got the cats set. Want to fire up the machines and we’ll get ready for the morning rush?”
“On it, boss.”
CC reached down to wipe up the mess the kittens always made when they ate. Swiping the disposable towel over the flooring, she thanked her foresight for choosing planks with a pattern that didn’t show all the dribbles of coffee and pet hair. A movement to the side caught her attention as she made the last pass a second too late.
“Ouch! You got me, Little Miss!”
Raising her hand to check the damage, CC saw two deep teeth marks in the top of her hand. She shook her finger reprovingly at the orange tabby before relenting. “I know. It wasn’t your fault. I probably slapped you with that yucky rag, didn’t I? I’m sorry,” she apologized to the offended cat, who was usually very sweet-tempered.
“I’ve got to clean up a bite,” she called to Sunshine as she grabbed the first aid kit. In the restroom, CC carefully washed and disinfected the bite before wrapping a bandage around it. Stopping in her office, she grabbed a couple of painkillers before heading back to work.
“Just in time, boss. They’re lined up at the drive-thru,” Sunshine warned.
“Let’s make some coffee,” CC answered enthusiastically as she turned on the signs to signal they were open.
The morning crunch of customers was fierce. Neither she nor Sunshine had a moment to relax as people flooded the interior and the drive-thru window outside. CC caught herself shaking her injured hand from time to time, but she was so focused on taking care of her customers that she ignored the ache deliberately. However, the bite kept reminding her of its existence. It swelled.
In the lull between the breakfast and lunch rushes, CC stopped to make herself an iced coffee. “Want one?” she asked, holding up the chilled concoction to Sunshine.