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Novel Catalog
Chapter 19
Catherine’s face flushed with embarrassment, and her heart skipped a beat. Her mind raced, wondering how she could explain the awkward situation she found herself in. The moment Shaun showed her the book with the picture of the exact pudding she had made, her instincts kicked in, and she immediately realized she had been caught.
Her thoughts scrambled for a quick response, but nothing came to mind. “I… I mean… I didn’t think you’d—” she stammered, her voice faltering.
Shaun raised an eyebrow, his gaze intense. “You didn’t think I’d notice, did you?” he asked, his voice smooth but with a hint of amusement.
Catherine’s eyes darted between the book and Shaun’s face, realizing he was enjoying her discomfort. She swallowed hard, trying to maintain composure. “Well, I didn’t exactly plan for you to eat it, you know. It was just… a little misunderstanding,” she said with a sheepish smile, hoping to play it off.
Shaun’s lips curled into a faint smile, but there was still a certain coolness to his demeanor. “A misunderstanding, huh? You’re not going to tell me that I ate cat food on purpose, are you?”
Catherine blinked rapidly, her cheeks burning as she clutched at the edge of the couch for support. “I was just trying to make something creative, okay? You know, like a fun dessert. I didn’t mean for you to… end up eating it!” she exclaimed, now feeling thoroughly mortified.
Shaun chuckled softly, lowering the book and giving her a more relaxed look. “It’s fine. It’s not like I’ll die from a little cat food, right?” he said, his tone more teasing than reproachful.
She felt herself deflate a little, both relieved and embarrassed. “I didn’t mean for it to be so awkward… I just wanted to make something nice for you. It wasn’t meant for Fudge to eat, either,” she explained.
Shaun leaned back in his chair, still holding Fudge gently in his lap. “I know, Catherine. I just thought it was a little funny. You definitely surprised me today.”
She shot him a look. “Yeah, well, I’m full of surprises,” she muttered, crossing her arms as she sank into the couch beside him. “I really did think the pudding was for you though.”
“I’ll let you off this time,” Shaun said with a grin, his eyes softening a bit as he looked at her. “Just don’t expect me to eat any more ‘creative’ desserts in the future.”
Catherine couldn’t help but laugh, despite the awkwardness of the situation. “Noted.”
For a brief moment, there was a comfortable silence between them, and Catherine couldn’t help but feel a little lighter. Maybe Shaun had a sharp edge, but he didn’t seem entirely put off by her strange attempt at making a good impression.
Catherine stood up and stretched, trying to recover her composure. “I’ll be more careful next time. Sorry for the mess-up.”
Shaun gave a nonchalant shrug. “It’s fine. I’m just surprised you didn’t get the cat food for yourself too, considering how ‘good’ it was.”
She smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Maybe next time I’ll make some for you both, so we can all share.”
Shaun’s eyes widened slightly, then he shook his head with an amused laugh. “Let’s not go that far. I think I’ll pass on sharing a meal with the cat.”
Catherine laughed as she grabbed a cushion, leaning back with a relaxed sigh. “Fair enough. I’ll stick to normal food from now on.”
The evening felt a little less tense now, though she knew the awkwardness would probably linger for a while. Still, there was something oddly comforting in how Shaun had taken it all in stride, even if it was a bit of a mess.
As she looked over at him, her nerves were settling, replaced by a reluctant sense of contentment. Maybe, just maybe, there was a way to navigate these strange, uncomfortable moments.
Shaun returned his attention to Fudge, scratching her ears gently. “Just don’t expect me to cook for you anytime soon, though.”
“I’m fine with that,” Catherine quipped. “I think I’ve learned my lesson.”