“Do you want me to wait?”
“You can come in. Do you want to shoot today?”
I’m anxious to get her back to my place, but I’m willing to do anything to set her mind more at ease.
She opens her door, climbing down once again before I can help her out, and it’s a problem I promise to work on. I want to help her. I want her hand in mine when she climbs down. I want to be able to touch her if only for the briefest of seconds.
I wave at Adam when we walk inside. I called earlier today and made arrangements, so he heads to the back to get my purchase without greeting us first.
Hayden waits at the counter with me, her eyes rolling over all the guns on display that they rent out for the firing lanes.
“Here it is,” Adam says when he walks up to us.
He snaps open the hard case, and I watch Hayden for her reaction.
She isn’t smiling when she looks up at me. “That thing is tiny. Are you planning to hide it in your boot?”
“It’s not for me.”
She blinks down at the gun, not catching on.
“It’s for you.”
“Not me,” she says, taking a step away from the counter.
Adam disappears silently, and I’m grateful for the privacy.
“I need you to be armed.”
“I’m not ready.”
“You are,” I assure her.
“You can’t buy me a gun, Quinten.”
“You won it.”
“Don’t start that shit with me,” she snaps, but that teasing grin is on her face once again.
“You can ask Adam. They randomly pick one winner a month from all the people who rented lanes.”
“Another lie! I already ‘won’ the security system. There’s no way I got lucky twice. I bet that’s not even a thing.”
Thankfully, Adam is nowhere to be found. I point to an announcement on the wall that does in fact explain the drawing held each month. “See? I’m not making this up. It’s yours. I want you to carry it in your purse.”
I’m glad they don’t post the names of the winners on the wall. This little fib wouldn’t work out in my favor if they did.
“With the luck I’m having, I should’ve filled out that survey I got in the mail last month that promised an entry for a new BMW.”
“Do you need a new car?” I tease.
She slaps my stomach with the back of her hand. “Would you stop? It’s really mine?”
“Yes.”
“Would you make fun of me if I told you I’m a little scared to carry it around with me?”
“Remember when I told you that a little fear is a good thing, and firearms should be respected? No, I’m not going to make fun of you. It’s healthy and completely sane to feel that way.”
“Is it loaded?”
“Of course not. You can’t have loaded weapons inside this part of the store. Only employees.”
“So, you’re not armed right now?”
“They consider me an employee.” It’s not a huge lie. I kind of work here if you consider BBS renting out the firing range and classroom recently. “We’ll get it loaded once we get back home… I mean back to my place.”
“Okay.” She snaps the lid closed.
“In your purse, Hayden.”
“It won’t fit in my purse.” She looks down at the counter. “Maybe Adam can put it in a bag or something.”
“Take it out of the case and put it in your purse. You need to get used to the weight of it.”
I watch as her fingers tremble a little as she pulls it from the case, feeling a little bit of pride when she doesn’t get that troublesome finger anywhere near the trigger. She’s come a long way since she finally decided to take those classes seriously.
“Let’s grab some dinner,” I say as we leave, not really giving her an option to turn me down. “Do you want to sit down or something quick?”
“Do you have a preference because I just want to eat and veg out? You don’t have to change your plans for me. I promise not to snoop through your things back at your condo if you have something else to take care of.”
I huff a laugh. “I have nothing to hide, Hayden. Feel free to go through every drawer in the house.”
“Even the bedside drawer?” Her eyes widen as she clamps her hand over her mouth. “Can we just pretend I didn’t just lose my brain-to-mouth filter?”
“I think something quick is a good idea. Are you thinking burger, pizza, Mexican?”
She allows me to open the door for her. Well, I don’t hit the unlock on my key fob until we’re both standing near the passenger side, and I have no doubt she’d open the door herself if she could.
“I like opening the door for you,” I say as I lean in close. “Let me.”
She gives me a quick nod, and I hate that I can’t see if she’s blushing with her back to me.