Short Story--Keeping Secrets--Day 3
Welcome to day 3 of my annual short story. Time for more fun with Lindsey and Rob. If you missed the previous days, you can find them here: Day 1 or Day 2. 
The clock was against him. When Rob planned this escapade, he hadn’t taken into account school traffic. Or a salesperson who couldn’t find his order for half an hour. Now, Rob would be cutting it close to get home and hide this box before Lindsey came in. No time at all for him to actually set the thing up.
The best laid plans weren’t laid out that well after all. He pulled into the garage and hit the door button practically before he was clear. Ten minutes to finagle the ridiculously large box out of the back of his pick-up and somehow get it into the guest room closet. Here went nothing.
He examined the shape, considered a couple different methods, and then ended up mostly dragging the package in a push-pull method through the kitchen and down the hallway. Opening the closet, he groaned. Lindsey had stuffed the area full of random boxes sometime in the last few years. No room for a box this size.
“Hello? Rob?” Lindsey’s voice floated down the hallway.
He dropped the box on its side and shoved it under the bed. Evidently, she didn’t have as much squirreled away under there as it slid in easily. Good news since it hopefully meant she wouldn’t be looking there anytime soon. It would have to work until he had another chance to hide it better. He straightened the bed skirt just as Lindsey opened the door.
“Rob?” She peeked around the frame. “What are you doing in here?”
He straightened and dusted his hands off. “Looking for my old cowboy hat.”
Stupid answer, but it was the first thing that came to his head.
“Your cowboy hat?” Lindsey frowned. “Under the bed?”
“I already tried the closet. Thought maybe it had been stored somewhere else.” He shrugged as he stood and gently steered her out of the room. “No big deal, though.”
“Why do you need a cowboy hat? Wouldn’t it be in your closet?” She looked back into the guest room right before he shut the door.
“We may have gotten rid of it and I just forgot. Don’t worry about it.”
“I can help you look more later.”
“No!” He forced himself to not grab her shoulders any tighter. “No. Seriously. I had a photo pop up in my memories and it made me wonder where it is. I don’t actually need it.”
“O-kay.” She stretched out her answer, obviously still not completely sure what he was up to.
“Want to go out for dinner tonight? With it being extension season, I’m sure you’re beat.”
“It was a long day.” She pulled her cardigan closer and nodded. “That sounds good. What are you in the mood for?”
Trying not to show his relief at her allowance of the subject change, he smiled. “How about you pick tonight?”
“Oh, good. I’ve been craving burgers from Juicy’s. Sound okay?”
“Sounds great.” He stopped near their bedroom. “Let me clean up a bit and we can head that way.”
“Sure.” She headed back toward the kitchen.
As his gaze followed her, he noticed the tale-tell trail down the hallway carpet where he’d drug the box through the house earlier. Had she noticed? He hadn’t even considered all the signs around to give him away. A good spy he would never be.
On his way back to the kitchen, he mussed the carpet with his foot. This might be trickier than he’d first thought.
Have you figured out the secrets yet? What do you think Rob and Lindsey will try next? Come back tomorrow to find out!
The clock was against him. When Rob planned this escapade, he hadn’t taken into account school traffic. Or a salesperson who couldn’t find his order for half an hour. Now, Rob would be cutting it close to get home and hide this box before Lindsey came in. No time at all for him to actually set the thing up.
The best laid plans weren’t laid out that well after all. He pulled into the garage and hit the door button practically before he was clear. Ten minutes to finagle the ridiculously large box out of the back of his pick-up and somehow get it into the guest room closet. Here went nothing.
He examined the shape, considered a couple different methods, and then ended up mostly dragging the package in a push-pull method through the kitchen and down the hallway. Opening the closet, he groaned. Lindsey had stuffed the area full of random boxes sometime in the last few years. No room for a box this size.
“Hello? Rob?” Lindsey’s voice floated down the hallway.
He dropped the box on its side and shoved it under the bed. Evidently, she didn’t have as much squirreled away under there as it slid in easily. Good news since it hopefully meant she wouldn’t be looking there anytime soon. It would have to work until he had another chance to hide it better. He straightened the bed skirt just as Lindsey opened the door.
“Rob?” She peeked around the frame. “What are you doing in here?”
He straightened and dusted his hands off. “Looking for my old cowboy hat.”
Stupid answer, but it was the first thing that came to his head.
“Your cowboy hat?” Lindsey frowned. “Under the bed?”
“I already tried the closet. Thought maybe it had been stored somewhere else.” He shrugged as he stood and gently steered her out of the room. “No big deal, though.”
“Why do you need a cowboy hat? Wouldn’t it be in your closet?” She looked back into the guest room right before he shut the door.
“We may have gotten rid of it and I just forgot. Don’t worry about it.”
“I can help you look more later.”
“No!” He forced himself to not grab her shoulders any tighter. “No. Seriously. I had a photo pop up in my memories and it made me wonder where it is. I don’t actually need it.”
“O-kay.” She stretched out her answer, obviously still not completely sure what he was up to.
“Want to go out for dinner tonight? With it being extension season, I’m sure you’re beat.”
“It was a long day.” She pulled her cardigan closer and nodded. “That sounds good. What are you in the mood for?”
Trying not to show his relief at her allowance of the subject change, he smiled. “How about you pick tonight?”
“Oh, good. I’ve been craving burgers from Juicy’s. Sound okay?”
“Sounds great.” He stopped near their bedroom. “Let me clean up a bit and we can head that way.”
“Sure.” She headed back toward the kitchen.
As his gaze followed her, he noticed the tale-tell trail down the hallway carpet where he’d drug the box through the house earlier. Had she noticed? He hadn’t even considered all the signs around to give him away. A good spy he would never be.
On his way back to the kitchen, he mussed the carpet with his foot. This might be trickier than he’d first thought.
Have you figured out the secrets yet? What do you think Rob and Lindsey will try next? Come back tomorrow to find out!
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