With a reluctant look, my dad walked out, opened the crate, grabbed some soda cans, and set them on the fence while Jax opened the box on the back of his four-wheeler and started pulling out guns.
Jax handed Daisy and me pistols, and I was careful, super mindfulof my terrible fear of taking somebody out.
My dad walked back to me. “Have you handled a gun before?”
“Well, I didn’t actually get to shoot the gun, but I observed a gun safety course in high school so I’m a bit of a novice. Today, however, I say live, love, laugh, and if that doesn’t work, load, aim, and fire.”
He chuckled. “Do we need to go over any safety rules?” he asked.
“If she shoots like she drives, I think we all better run for cover.” Austin’s got jokes.
Daisy walked over and aimed at the soda cans. “Number one safety rule—don’t piss off the woman with the gun.”
I’m pretty sure that rule was a warning to Jax and Austin.
She took aim and hit a few cans, and within a minute, we were all lined up, with a good distance between one another, and started shooting.
Of course, everyone was doing great, but me.
Daisy looked over. “Jax, can you help Madison?”
Jax looked at me. “Sure, but I’m not standing within aiming range of that gun.”
He tucked his pistol in the waist of the back of his jeans, which I’d always thought was sexy as hell when I saw it on TV. I tensed up when he stepped behind me, put his arms around me, and held my hand and gun in his. I knew I held a deadly weapon, but focusing on anything but the feeling of his chest against my back was not happening.
He spoke quietly in my left ear as he moved my hands over. “Relax, you’re so tense.”
“Okay.” No shit I was tense. I had the hottest man I’d ever laid eyes on, all wrapped around me. I was just glad I borrowed some of Daisy’s perfume. Oh, yeah, and I just fell off a four-wheeler and swear I can still see stars.
“Just look straight out to what you want to hit. What are you going for, Madison?”
I knew he was talking about the target, but I was thinking of things I wanted at that moment that were not smart, in any fashion, for a woman who would be flying out of Montana Sunday. Thoughts of him holding me up against a barn as I wrapped my legs around him… I needed to gain control before I ended up shooting someone.
“The Coke can.” My voice squeaked as he readjusted my aim.
“You ready?” I felt his chest vibrate a little against my back as he spoke, while more stars appeared.
“Yes.” I pulled the trigger, and the can went flying.
“You’re perfect.” He was still holding onto my hands but quickly let go of them before stepping back. “I mean, that was a perfect shot.”
I looked over my shoulder at him and couldn’t fight the grin on my face. He appeared embarrassed. Oh yeah, baby, it was about timehewas uncomfortable for a change.
We all continued shooting for a while, and it didn’t go unnoticedthat Daisy couldn’t hit a can without yelling, “There you go, bitch!”
When we finally had our fill of shooting shit up, Daisy insisted I hop on the back of her machine, and I held on for dear life as we followed the guys back to the house.
A short while later we were sitting at the table while Daisy ate the last bite of her cheesecake.
“Madison, Helena and Clara from the bridal boutique said if we can stop by real quick today, they’ll have plenty of time to make any alterations to your dress before Saturday. They have some lovely bridesmaid dresses in my colors you can pick from for you and Zoey. Isn’t that the best news ever?”
“It absolutely is, and for sure better than world peace.” Austin laughed at his own joke, prompting Daisy to slap his shoulder.
“Why don’t we change into whatever we’re wearing to dinner now, and we’ll head over in a few minutes? We can all meet up for dinner at Bridgeman’s later.” She pulled my dad to his feet and hugged him. “Jim, you and the boys need to stop by the bridal boutique this afternoon as well to make sure they have the tuxedos perfect.”
“Okay, sounds good. We’ll check on things around here and head over later.”
* * *
