The Feline Gaze

“Probably the same wedding,” she laughs, and I realize that she’s probably right. It’s a pretty small town. She probably knows the bride or groom, at least in passing. Besides, if I know anything about Melanie, her wedding is going to be the talk of the town for weeks.

“Alastair and Melanie?”

“Yep.”

“Funny,” I laugh, shaking my head. I’m momentarily tempted to invite her to be my date for the event, but I al

so realize that it would be all wrong. I don’t want her to feel cornered into accepting the offer and I certainly don’t want things to be awkward between us at the event if we both do end up going.

I’m saved from having to make a serious decision about whether or not to ask her more about the event when I see her home up in the distance. It’s just as beautiful as I remember.

I pull up in front of Cassidy’s house and look up at the door. It’s bright red and contrasts in a beautiful way with the rest of the architecture of the home. Whoever designed this did an incredible job. Damn if I don’t want to see the inside. I’m not so bold that I’d try to invite myself inside, but man, I’d love to know how the layout of the home looks.

Cassidy sees me staring and laughs.

“Want to come inside?” She asks, hopping out of the car. She closes the door, waits a moment, and then opens it again. “Forgot my tacos,” she mumbles, grabbing the bag. “Well? Come on.”

She turns and heads up the little sidewalk that leads to the front door. It feels wrong to let her go up on her own. I should at least go with her to make sure she can get in all right. What if she forgot her key or something? What if her roommate is out? The least I can do is to help her get inside.

Scurrying up beside her, I walk with Cassidy up to the front door. She starts fidgeting with her pockets and manages to retrieve a collection of keys. She stares at them for a minute and then looks up at me hopelessly.

“You have a lot of keys,” I tell her.

“This house has a lot of doors,” she counters.

“Is that true?”

“No.”

“Give me the keys.”

She hands them over and I locate the house key. I slide it in the lock, turn it, and push the door open. I’m surprised to see that Cassidy’s roommate is, in fact, a male, and he is, in fact, waiting for her at the door.

He’s also holding what is quite possibly the largest katana I’ve ever seen in my life.

“Who the fuck are you?” He asks, sneering.

Apparently, I’m in over my head.

Chapter 5

Cassidy

“Grandpa!” I yell, motioning for him to put his damn sword away. What the hell is he thinking? I’m totally mortified at this entire situation, but the ridiculously long weapon seems so out-of-place that I wonder if I’m dreaming or if this is really happening. My grandfather looks at me, surprised, and lowers his weapon. “What are you doing?”

The haze of the alcohol is finally starting to dissipate and it’s easier to think a little more clearly. I think the tacos helped. I’ll have to remember to thank Matthew for those later. It was nice of him to go out of his way to get me food. He went above and beyond. He definitely didn’t need to help me, but he did. Someone like Lester would have tried something by now. Either that or abandoned me when the realized they weren’t getting anything out of the situation, but Matthew is still with me. He’s still standing by my side, and despite the fact that my grandfather is being a little wild, Matthew doesn’t seem fazed.

I appreciate that more than he’ll ever know.

“What do you mean?” Grandpa asks, looking from me to Matthew. “This gentleman is an intruder.”

“No, he’s not. He brought me home, Grandpa.”

For a moment, my grandfather stares at both of us. He squints his eyes, as if to get a better look, and then he scratches his white beard, as though that will give him some knowledge, some understanding, of the situation at hand. Finally, he seems satisfied.

“Well, I’ll be,” Grandpa smiles. He holds out a hand to Matthew. “Pleasure to meet you, little lion.”

Matthew smiles and shakes my grandpa’s hand.