Page 17 of Like A Moth To A Flame

“Not thousands,” he said, turning to me as he scribbled on the clipboard. “Couple hundred. Just need a new two-by-four and an afternoon or two, depending on how many are like that.”

That, at least, gave me hope.

“So overall, not a lost cause,” he said, flashing me a smile. “Happy to hear it. It’s a beautiful place. Are you sure you wanna sell?”

I sighed happily, looking around. I looked out over the pasture, through the fields that Gunner used to gallop through, his black mane waving like a flag behind him.

I missed that horse so much I couldn’t even explain it.

Maybe I could get another one?

I shook my head.

No. No way. I couldn’t stay here, especially not after the phone call and the notes.

“Yeah,” I said finally, turning back to Ray. “I should. I have a job and a place in Kansas City.”

He chuckled, and slowly we made our way back around to the front of the house.

“Well, ya know, the old vet? Dr. Addams? He passed last year. So if you wanna see a vet around these parts, you gotta drive a little while. The whole town would be happy for someone to take his place.”

I sighed.

“Yeah, I know,” I said with a shrug. “I’ll think about it.”

Except I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. I had to get out of here. All I could think of were the weird letters with the moths, and the tiny blue brick house on Main Street.

Were they connected? They had to be, right?

“Miss Nessa?”

Ray’s voice caught my ears, and I jumped again, looking up at him.

He’d been talking to me, and I didn’t even notice.

“Y-yeah, sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“I understand,” he said, reaching out with his free hand and giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I was the same way when I lost my dad. It’s never easy.”

He was right, but for some reason, I couldn’t help but think that losing Dad wasn’t the reason for my sleepless nights.

After a few more minutes of small talk, Ray took his leave, leaving me alone on the front porch, looking out over the yard. I remembered playing in this yard, kicking a ball with my childhood dog, a retired K-9 officer who had never quite taken to the job. He’d never really had it in him to bite anyone, even if it was a bad guy.

I missed him, too. I missed so many things about my life before I left for college.

Caught up in my thoughts, I didn’t hear Barrett approach until I heard the truck door slam, and the sound of his cowboy boots over the gravel. How had I missed an entire pickup truck driving down my driveway?

I missed a lot of things, apparently.

“Hey Nessa,” he said, coming over to plop down beside me on the front porch. I resumed my looking out over the yard, and he did the same.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, until Barrett broke it.

“Figured you’d be needin’ some more help,” he said, looking over at me. His Stetson threw his green eyes into shadow, but his lips turned up in a smile. “What’d Ray say?”

“Well, not a lot,” I said with a laugh. “But that’s Ray.”

“Right,” Barrett chuckled.

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