Page 46 of Cautious Love

Settling in for a quiet night, I flip on the game to watch from the dinner table and shove tacos into my face.

“Ahh!”

I leap from my seat and burst into her room. “What? What’s wrong?”

She’s glued to the wall furthest away from the window, looking between me and the window with wide eyes.

“Is someone there?” I ask her. I need to grab my gun.

“No, I don’t think so.”

I frown, trying to calm my racing heart. I thought something was actually wrong. “Then why did you scream?”

She points to the window. “There’s a bug. I didn’t see it, but there’s a bug over there.”

I sigh and give her a look.

“Seriously?”

“Can you please … handle it or something?”

I sigh and stride over to her window, then it buzzes. I take a step back, heart pounding. I hate those damn things.

“What is it? Is it poisonous or something? Is it one of those scary spiders?” she asks.

“No, I uh, I think it’s a moth.”

“Oh, those aren’t as bad.”

I wince taking a step back.

“What are you doing? Get it!” she says shrilly.

“I don’t like those things. They’re like butterflies.”

“No, they aren’t. They’re way scarier.”

I huff and step back, looking for a magazine.

“You’re the man of the house, so handle it!”

I sigh, wondering how I’m going to get the window open and shoo it out before it flies back into the room, and pray it doesn’t touch me.

“Wait, you’re afraid of … butterflies?” she asks, her tone isn’t scared anymore. I can hear the laughter in it.

“They freak me out, okay? Their weird legs and those creepy eyes. If you tell anyone, I will deny it,” I say, pointing to her.

She smiles, holding her hands up. “Your secret is safe with me, sheriff.”

I roll my eyes and take a breath, moving quickly, lifting the shades, then unlocking the window. I wave my hand to push the moth out. It flies out into the night, and I quickly snap the window shut and lock it.

“There. Happy?” I grumble.

“Thank you!” She yells before I slam her door behind me.

Damn moths.

Then someone knocks on my front door. But I’m not expecting anyone.