Beyond Love |Paul Lahote|

6

SUNDAY

I sat curled up on the couch my phone in hand. I was wrapped up in a fuzzy fleece blanket as the TV droned on about how fall was going to start earlier this year or something like that I didn't really pay much attention. I was more preoccupied with the fact that I had gone out of my way to buy a bunch of food for this stupid football game and for some reason Charlie had to cancel.

It wasn't for a bad reason, It was on the news earlier, 3 hunters in the woods were found mauled to death by something. He was busy doing his job and I couldn't blame him for that. Still, didnt keep me from being bummed out not to mention a little worried. Notice before I said something, Charlies slipped up in front of me and called whatever was killing these people a monster. Maybe I'm over thinking things but I doubt an experienced police chief would refer to a mountain lion as a monster.

My sleep schedule was finally back to a relatively normal situation I was up at 9 am and not 3 pm. I just don't really like to function before noon. On one of my fridge raids, the corded home phone rang on the kitchen wall taking a chug of orange juice from the carton before I answered tiredly.

"Swan," I answered not really caring who was on the other end of the phone, half expecting it to be someone for Charlie. "Kat." It was Billy. "Hey Bill, sorry our date got canceled." I sighed leaning on the fridge and glancing out the window that let in a view of the sunny backyard. "Well I was thinking I could send someone to pick you and the food up, we are having another cookout while the weather's nice. The game will be on the radio." He offered sounding hopeful.

"I mean I need an actual oven I cant fix these things on a grill," I said. "I do have a kitchen Kat." He scoffed. I sighed over dramatically. "I guess since you want me to get up and function as a normal member of society soooooo bad," I said faking annoyance to the point to where he knew I was joking. The conversation went on with witty banter between the both of us until something outside caught my eye. It was in the woods so I couldn't quite tell what it was but I saw movement, I chalked it up to just a bird catching my eye before I returned to the conversation. "But yeah I'll humor an old man. Go ahead and send someone over to pick me up." I laughed.

"Good, Paul left 15 minutes ago." He said making me. "What do you mean 15 minutes ago!?" I sputtered but then again a movement from outside caught my attention. "Once he heard that our plans got canceled, He wanted to drive out there and ask you in person to come over to the beach. I figured I would have a better chance of getting you to come than he did." Billy laughed. "Still dude, he will be here in like 10 minutes you could have given me more time." I gripped. "I could have told you as soon as we got on the phone and then you would have had 20 minutes but I feel like you would have decided against it if I had." He said teasingly. "Yeah I can still change my mind old man, I'm sure that if I asked him Paul would be more than happy to take anywhere I asked." I challenged him smirking meanly into the phone again that movement.

"Hey Billy, hold on I think somethings out back," I said moving towards the door, if it was a stray cat or dog I would just shoo it off. "Wait Kat!" Billy shouted into the phone worry wracking his voice. "Stay where you are, haven't you heard what Charlies dealing with? What the boys have been helping hunt?!" He asked. "Yeah but last time I checked mountain lions don't track down and personally attack police officers families." I teased sitting the phone down on the small table in front of the r.

As soon as I moved to unlock the deadbolt on the back door there was a loud almost panicked sounding pound on the front one that was so sudden it made me jump. I didn't even get a chance to make it to the living room before the pounding sounded again. "HOLD ON A SECOND!" I scolded at the top of my lungs and loud enough for anyone on the other side of the door to hear me. I didn't even look through the curtain before I opened the door, the signature red flannel and black t-shirt combo that was clear behind the lace was a tell-tail sign of who it was.

I just didn't expect him to be so winded, I mean, he was breathing like he had just run a mile and was trying to calm himself down. He wasn't even looking at me, he was stretching his neck looking into the house behind me. His face was pissed, Paul was mad as hell about something. "You ok?" I asked stepping aside so he could walk into the house. I didn't even chastise him for walking on the carpet with his dirty boots.

He walked right past me still not glancing in my direction. "Billy said that you only left 15 minutes ago," I called to attempt to get his attention off of whatever it is he was looking for his eyes I noticed were training on the kitchen window. "Hey Billy, Paul made it. I'm going to get dressed and pack up the food I need and we'll head that w-." I cut myself off when Paul nearly ripped the back door off the hinges to get outside.

"What in the hell is his problem!?" I hissed to billy alarmed with the way Paul sprinted towards the edge of the woods in the backyard standing there shoulders squared and feet planted in a way that was pretty much, daring anyone or anything in the trees before him to come get some. "He's protective," Billy said as if trying to blow off the fact that Paul was trying to fist fight a mountain lion. "Whats he playing at? Does he honestly think getting himself mauled to death by a mountain lion on steroids is going to impress me? It's going to take more than that." I voiced sarcastically making Billy and others in the background bust out laughing. "If there is a mountain lion out here I'd bring you a new coat babe." Paul chuckled catching me off guard, I hadn't realized that he was walking back towards the house.

After quick goodbyes with Billy, I turned to look at Paul who stood on the threshold of the back door half inside and half out on the back steps. "Honestly though what was that?" I asked folding my arms over my chest looking at him expecting an answer. "Like Billy said, I'm pretty protective." He shrugged. "How did you know Billy said that?" I questioned he raised his eyebrows his expression turning to one that read guilt. "That receiver is loud enough someone upstairs could have heard both ends of the conversation." He answered again raising his shoulders. "Yeah, I'm sure," I mumbled not really believing that the receiver was all that loud.

"And what was up with calling me Babe?" I asked his face was sheepish now innocent and guilty at the same time his face was trained towards the woods not looking in my direction. "Sorry, my tongue slipped." He murmured making me roll my eyes, I wasn't angry about it, to be honest, I was the exact opposite of angry about it this 6 foot 2 Calvin Kline model had just 'slipped' and called me Babe. I was trying to play like I was annoyed by it and I'm glad he didn't look at me because he would have definitely seen the blush on my cheeks or the way I nervously bit my lip.

"Well I'm going to go get dressed, If you really see that thing out there call Charlie about it. He would flip his shit if it came all the way here." I sighed walking up the stairs...