“A bat?” It was dark, shrieked, and flapped. Then again, I guessed it could’ve been a bird.
“Ew. I don’t like bats.”
Neither did I, but I couldn’t exactly explain why I didn’t like them. I just didn’t. They were creepy, and one should definitely not be in the house. I stifled a gasp. Did that mean there was an infestation? I’d seen a few episodes ofInfestedbefore I could no longer take watching the many ways wildlife had overtaken people’s homes. First it was the random hobo spider, now a bat?Save us, God.
If Chris had a horde of bats—What were a group of bats called? A swarm?—then I would be packing up and stuffing my nieces into the nearest hotel.
Calm down. It may not come to that.
I blew out a breath.
The doorknob twisted, and Cheye yelped, squeezing her arms around my neck tighter. “It’s coming for us.”
“Shh. It can’t open doors.”
Chris stepped inside. “You two just left me.” He shook his head, feigning displeasure. “I could’ve been attacked by a swarm.”
Ha!I was right.
“But you’re strong,” Cheyenne said.
See, even she understood the power of having a man in the house. I didn’t know what that said, but I completely sided with her. He was a modern Dr. Dolittle.
“Did you get him?” I asked.
“Not even going to ask if I’m okay? If the monster tried to get me?”
“It was a bat, not a monster,” Cheyenne said primly.
Chris and I both chuckled.
“Fine. Don’t care. But yes. I caught him. He won’t disrupt your beauty rest any longer, little miss.”
Cheyenne slid from my arms. “Good. I’m tired. You can go now.” She shooed Chris away and climbed back in the bed.
When I closed the door behind me, Chris said, “That girl is going to betrou-blewhen she gets older.”
“Thanks for that. Just what I look forward to.”
“I’ll start praying for her future husband now. He’ll need all the prayer he can get.”
I laughed. “Thank you for getting the bat. Is he okay?”
“Nothing a little visit to Gamble on Nature won’t help with.”
“Then I’ll turn in so you can handle that.” I motioned to my room.
“But we didn’t get a chance to talk.” He studied me.
It took all my willpower to keep my face neutral as I feigned unimportance. “It can wait.” I even waved my hand as if to suggest it was immaterial. Who was I kidding?
And let’s remember, this makes you a coward once more.
Maybe, but I was going to be an unembarrassed coward who didn’t have to get rejected after seeing a live bat. I could sleep peacefully knowing I wouldn’t look foolish in Chris’s eyes.
Though part of me still wanted to come clean.
“You sure?”
