Matt worked in the same office with Millie for nearly a year. He was in claims and she was an accountant. ‘Hell,’ he thought, ‘no guts, no glory.’ So he asked her out to dinner. She went home to change and met him at the restaurant.

They ate and talked easily and it was a pleasant evening. The following week she asked him to come to her house for dinner.

Matt found the number on the curb. In the yard were two small bicycles and a wagon. ‘Uh oh,’ he thought, ringing the bell.

“Come in, Matt.”

The house was neat and smelled of roast-beef and gravy. “Where are the kids?” he asked.

Millie smiled demurely. “The toys out front are props. They scare wolves away faster than guard dogs. Listen, Matt, we went to dinner; that was Phase One. You actually made it to my front door and rang the bell, after seeing the toys; that was Phase Two. Now, let’s have a glass of wine and start Phase Three. You pour.”

Want to comment on this Flash Fiction? Sign up to Edit Red and you will be able to comment on Flash Fiction and get access to: Upload your own stories and poems, get readers and their feedback, promote your work...