Page 54 of Chasing Fireflies

“I’m sure they regret it.”

“Maybe so.” He sighs and pulls me closer. I feel his lips on my forehead, and I snuggle up to him. My eyes look out the window in our living room, and I jump up.

“Baby, it’s snowing.” I move away from him and walk to the door. Pulling it open, I step out onto the front porch. A smile spreads across my face. I hear Cash walk up behind me.

“They’re saying we may get a good bit. You want to head to the store now and pick up some things and some more of your smell-good candles in case the lights go out?”

“Yeah, let me go put my shoes on.” I tuck a stray curl behind my ear and turn around. Cash leans against the front door. His arms are crossed over his chest, and his dark hair is getting long. His beard shields his face, but it’s not overpowering. My husband is so good-looking.

“What are you staring at, baby?”

“You.” I smile and walk up to him. He licks his lips before I softly plant mine onto his. It’s quick, and I pull away. “I love you. I don’t deserve you, but I love you with my whole heart,” I tell pure love.

“I deserve you, though, and I love you with my whole life.” He wraps me in a hug, and I breathe in his scent. It’s fresh air and a stream of springtime water flowing down a mountaintop. It’s manly. It’s Cash.

“Let’s go to the store before the roads get too bad,” he says, and we walk inside so I can grab my shoes.

*

The snow comes down in sheets as we head to town. With no heat in Old Blue, it’s freezing. I sit in the middle so I can keep warm beside Cash. Our breaths blow smoke, and I wish he had driven the police truck home Friday evening. We turn into town and come to a stop at the red light. I see white smoke bellowing out of the tailpipe in the side mirror as Mark walks across the street. Cash rolls his window down. “Hey, man, you need me to come help you with some more firewood?” Cash asks.

“Yeah, but it can wait. Come on by the house, though, and I’ll send you home with some for helping me the other day.” Mark puts his hands into his pockets. “They say it’s going to get really bad later tonight.”

“That’s what I heard. I’ll make my way over there after we get finished here.”

“Sounds good. I get off in about twenty minutes.”

Cash nods before Mark hurries across the road. We park the truck, and Cash gives me a quick kiss before we get out. His lips are cold, and I know mine are, too.

“We have to get that heater fixed,” I say.

“We will.” He grabs my icy fingers and pulls the door open. I instantly thaw out from the warmness inside the store.

“So, what should we get?” Cash asks as we scan the aisles.

“Junk food and meat.” I grin.

“That’s my wife.” He winks.

After we clean the shelves in the candy aisle, we walk over to the meat and grab a few steaks and some other things to put into our freezer. We walk to the checkout line, and I look over the magazines. Someone is having a baby with this person and someone is adopting two kids from another country. Twelve million dollar divorce for these two people. Geez, I thought I had problems.

“I’m sorry, sir, but your card has been declined.”

I look up at the cashier.

“Here, try this one.” Cash hands her another card, and I bite my bottom lip, praying it goes through. Shit, did I use that one recently? I exhale air I didn’t know I was holding when the receipt prints and she hands it to Cash. I grab some bags and follow him out. I can see from the tension in his shoulders, he is pissed. He opens my door for me to get in, but he doesn’t look at me.

“Cash.”

“Just get in, Sara.”

I do and he shuts the door. Once he’s inside, he sits still, holding his hands over the steering wheel. He looks out the front windshield, and I look down at his jaw as it ticks.

“Is it going to come down to me hiding my wallet from you?” he finally says.

“Cash…I.”

“No, Sara. I don’t want to hear you’re sorry. I want to know. Is this the kind of relationship you want to have? Where we have to hide things from each other?” He glances over at me, and I look away. “Because I’ll do it. I’ll fucking hide every piece of money we own or make if it keeps us from having credit cards being denied.”

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