Page 54 of Find Me

Knox and I weren’t that close. Besides, I was independent. I could figure this out on my own.

“Right, I got this.” I tried to hype myself up and went back inside the house for a knife. I’d cart everything to the back porch a piece at a time.

After about twenty trips back and forth, I had everything that had been in the box laid out. All that was left to do next was put it all together. My shoulders slumped a little. I was hot and sweat was already dripping down my face. I went back inside, figuring I’d take a little break to cool down and get something to drink. I guzzled a whole glass of water, refilled it, and went to go sit in the living room.

Just ten minutes,I mused as I sat on the couch. I was halfway done with my second glass when something moving across my floor in front of the TV caught my attention. I had to do a double take to convince my brain I was indeed seeing an eight-legged arachnid monster.

I screamed and jumped on top of my couch, panic taking hold of me. “What do I do?!” I yelled from where I stood at the furthest corner of the couch.

I was seriously debating burning down my house as the tarantula continued to make its way across the floor. Its slow, hairy legs made my whole body shiver with the heebie-jeebies. Then it stopped. As if sensing me, it turned in my direction and picked up its speed.

I screamed and leaped off the couch toward the front door. Feeling as if the tarantula was going to get me at any second, I swung the door open and ran next door.

I banged on the guys’ front door nonstop. “Knox!” I yelled.

The door ripped open. Knox stood there, taking me in with wide eyes. Without permission, I ducked under his arm and went into their house.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded.

I had the heebie-jeebies so bad I wiggled my arms out to get relief before hugging myself. “There’s a giant tarantula in my house.”

He stared at me for a moment and then the corners of his mouth slowly started to lift.

I glared at him. “Don’t you dare laugh at me.”

He snorted.

“Knox, it’s not funny,” I snapped.

That just set him off and he started laughing.

I put my hands on my hips, fuming, and waited for his laughter to stop. “When is Keelan going to be home?”

Still grinning, he shut the front door and headed over to the couch. “Not for a couple of hours.”

Crap.The twins would be at practice for at least another hour. I glanced at Knox. He was sitting on the couch staring at me. By his smug look, he knew that I was going to ask him for help.

“Knox,” I said with a sigh.

He waited.

“Will you please help me get the tarantula out of my house?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait for one of your boyfriends to help?”

“The twins and I are just friends,” I said quickly.

He gave me the look, one that screamedsure.

I counted to five in my head to stop myself from going off on his giant butt. “I will cook you whatever you want for dinner tonight,” I pleaded, sounding exasperated. “Heck, I will make you a freaking cake. Just please get the tarantula out of my house.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he reached under the coffee table and pulled out a pair of sneakers. I patiently watched him put them on and stand. “Where in your house did you see it?”

My body sagged with relief and I explained where I’d last seen the tarantula as we walked back to my place. Knox walked right into my house without a shred of fear. I tip-toed behind him, scared the eight-legged nightmare was going to pop out at any second.

Knox knelt down and looked under the TV stand, the couch, and the coffee table using the light on his cell phone. I thought he had seen it under the coffee table because I saw him pause, but he eventually stood.

“It’s not in here,” he said.