When the Sun Comes Out

Chapter 3 ~ Rhett

After he'd finished his story and Taylor understood everything that had happened, except a couple non-important details, they had started rounding up dishes.

Taylor's excitement had come back when he mentioned the dirty dishes, and she lit up when she realized she would get to use the dishwasher. He watched her jump off her stool and rush around the island into the kitchen. The island had been an inconvenience that he'd wanted removed since the house was first. It was a nuisance that cluttered the small kitchen even more than it already was.

She was still in his hoodie and now had on a pair of his sweatpants too. The pants, too long for her because of their height difference, made her appear smaller than she already was. Despite the size, when they realized she was still barely dressed and he handed them over, she appeared grateful. Now, he wasn't so sure they were a good thing. He watched in slow motion as she stepped on the dragging pant leg and tripped herself. His quick instincts kicked in and he grabbed her by the shoulders before she nosedived to the ground. She appeared stunned for a moment as she stared at the ground before composing herself.

"Careful now, Tae," he chuckled as she regrouped from her almost accident.

She was cute when she was all ruffled.

She glared up at him, "It's not my fault your pants don't fit me. You're a giant."

She appeared to be actually upset with him because of his long legs. He had to fight back a laugh at her disapproval.

He looked down at her with feigned mock pain.

"Well, that cut deep. I know I'm abnormally large, but you don't have to rub it in, you know," he said rolling his eyes.

He sounded so sincere to his own ears that it startled him.

She looked startled as well and started to apologize. "I-,"

He chuckled at the regretful face that she was giving him.

"You should see your face right now. You look like you just killed my cat," he said between laughs.

He found it hilarious that her big tough-girl act could crumble so fast. As much as she wanted to pretend she was hardened, she was really just a big softy and Rhett thought it was adorable.

"You have a cat?" she sat back, distracted from the matter at hand.

He laughed to himself at her gift of getting sidetracked when they were talking. He shook his head to answer, before elaborating.

"No, I do not have a cat. It's just an expression. Besides I'm not really a cat kind of person. I'm more of a dog person. They can actually be helpful," he said shaking his head once again.

He thought of the cat his brother's girlfriend had had at one point. The evil thing had coughed up hairballs constantly, and somehow they always happened to end up at his feet.

She looked at him pouting. "You should get a cat. It may even help you grow a heart, cowboy," she said smiling coyly.

Thinking again about Rachel's cat, he almost gagged. He didn't feel like dealing with hairballs and litter boxes every day. He'd pass.

"Yeah, no thanks," he said. Cats were not something that he wanted to have to worry about.

"I do have a dog, however. He's at the farmhouse though so my mom can look after him. I'm too busy running around to keep him on a good schedule. He's normally with me, but on days when I know I'll be working late or something, I leave him in the farmhouse yard. My mother treats him like a grandchild, and he brightens her day."