16. Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Joker
The gun range was a hit. Ginny has obviously been around firearms before, and admitted to shooting her grandpa’s hunting rifle a time or two, but she’s never handled a small caliber pistol. Hasn’t owned one until today, either. My buddy at the range in Rock Hill where we all do our annual firearm classes let Ginny pretty much have the run of the place. She tried out every make and model, her eyes lighting up when she curled her hands around the Sig.
The first round she shot was horrible. She was timid, stiff, and maybe a little afraid. But when I stepped up behind her and walked her through the flow, helping guide her, she relaxed and had some fun with it. She’s not going to join any Olympic teams anytime soon, but she could hurt someone out to hurt her. And that’s all I care about.
“That was the best day!” Ginny yells over the sound of the bike when we pull up to a stoplight heading back into town.
“It’s not over yet,” I reply over my shoulder. “We have another stop to make.”
“Where?”
“Your brother’s house.”
I take off when the light turns green before she can say anything else. We pull up to Davis and Trish’s house and I cut the engine. I help Ginny off the back of the bike and we remove our helmets. Grasping her hand, we walk side by side to the already open door. Davis looks at us from head to toe, pausing on our joined hands, and raises his eyebrow at me, a smirk already forming on his face.
“What are you guys doing here?” he asks.
“Ginny’s my girlfriend.” I grin at him. The grin turns to a laugh when Ginny slaps my shoulder. Davis joins in.
“Ginny, is this true?”
“Is what true?” Trish asks, stepping up beside Davis with baby Aaron in her arms.
I look at Ginny, whose face has gone soft. I can feel her trying to pull away from me, but I’m not letting her go until she confirms the question.
“Gin, you going to answer Trish?” I nudge her.
“Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess. He did declare his love for me in a diner in Briar Mountain.”
“You went to Sandy’s?” Trish asks.
“Yeah. She said to tell you hi,” she points at Trish, “and you to come visit,” she moves her finger to Davis.
“Well, it’s about damn time,” Davis declares.
“Seriously?” Ginny asks him, finally pulling out of my grip and opening her arms for Aaron. Once he’s in her arms and thoroughly loved on, she looks at Davis. “I thought you were supposed to hate any man who wants to date your sister and heaven forbid if they are friends with you.”
“It’s because he’s my friend. I already know I can trust him. This isn’t one of your romance books.”
“You know best friend’s sibling is my favorite trope.” Trish winks at him.
Trish and Davis continue to banter back and forth, but my eyes are riveted on Ginny holding Aaron. I’ve seen her holding him before, but something’s different today. It hits me that she will never experience holding her own baby, and how strong she is that it doesn’t stop her from loving on Aaron with a contented look on her face. There’s no sadness in her eyes like when she told me the first time.
“What’s that look for?” Davis asks.
“Nothing.”
“I call bullshit.”
“So, Sandy said she’s missed you, but only after I verified that you were probably that ‘hot FBI agent’. I had to promise you’d come visit.”
“We will,” Trish assures me. “We can visit Abigail. And it’s so beautiful there.”
“It really is. And the people might be crazy, but they’re still nice,” Ginny agrees. “Do you ever miss living there?”
“Only all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love our home and family. I love being close to everybody again, but I’d move back in a heartbeat. Did you see any of the campus?”
“We drove through, but didn’t stop. I made sure Joker saw the music hall. It’s such a beautiful building. He asked if I wanted to go inside, but I knew we had another place to be, so I told him we’d come back one day.”
“That’s where you should be,” Trish tells her pointedly.
“No. I could never.”
“Yes, you could. And you should. And you still fucking can.”
Davis looks at me and jerks his head to the kitchen. “Beer, water?”
“Water since I’m driving.”
“That’s the correct answer,” he jokes. “Would you ladies like anything?”
“I’m okay.” Trish smiles at him as we walk by.
“Yeah, you are, Sugar.” He winks back.
“Do you guys always have to be so gross?” Ginny rolls her eyes.
“Yes, sis. Yes, we do.” Davis laughs.
“And how would you feel about me making comments like that in front of you?”
He pauses mid-step and snarls. “Point taken. Don’t do that.”
Ginny smiles the evil smile of a younger sister and Trish and she both break out in giggles. Even I smile at them when Aaron joins in.
“Tell me how this happened?” Davis asks once he’s pulled two water bottles out of the fridge.
“It just did. Wasn’t exactly planned, but I’m not upset about it.”
“And she’s one hundred percent on board?”
“She is.”
“Then all I have to say is treat her well, so I don’t have to kill you.”
“I could say the same to you. Trish doesn’t have a brother to give you that statement.”
“Bullshit. They might be younger, but I’m more terrified of them than I’ve ever been of you.”
“Did you all hear any news about the kid today?”
“Only that he’s going to be okay. They still aren’t saying much.”
“The town certainly is,” I mutter.
“You saw the Facebook group?”
“They were quick to turn off comments, but not quick enough. Glad her friend and Elle were watching.”
“Have a feeling Mr. Klien was trying to get in front of Trish having an opportunity to add anything.”
“Smart man,” I reply.
“You told the other guys yet?”
“You were our first stop.”
“Well, aren’t I privileged?”
“You’re family.”
We’re shooting the shit when Harper marches into the kitchen and stops in front of me with her hands on her hips.
“I shipped you two a year ago. It’s about time you got your heads out of your behinds and fell in line.”
I love this girl. She’s going to rule the fucking world one day.
“Thanks, Harp, I guess?”
“Now, can you hurry up and get married? I’ve got the betting pool up and running and I’d like to win.”
I laugh and pull her in for a quick hug. “You’re the best, Harper.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Then you should also know that twenty-four hours into a relationship is probably too quick to pull the married thing.”
“Not if you go to Vegas. You can blame it on the alcohol.”
“Harper!” Trish admonishes from the open doorway.
“What? I’m just saying. Chop-chop you two!”
“I thought you were Little Miss No-Man-Will-Ever-Tell-Me-What-To-Do?” I ask her.
“Yeah, well, I’m not ancient like you two are.”
“You realize we aren’t that much older than you, right?” I ask, trying to keep my laughter under control.
“It seems that ‘much’ has different meanings for the two of us, Uncle J. And obviously, you’re done having fun. Aunt Ginny’s a teacher and they aren’t allowed to have fun.”
“I don’t know who fed you that line of bullshit, kid, but teachers are some of the freakiest people I know.” Trish laughs, elbowing Ginny.
“Good to know. When I’m a teacher, I’ll definitely be the awesome one. They’ll worry about me ruining the kids and I’ll eventually lose my job because I can’t be controlled, so I’ll just have to run for office.”
“Where we’ll all vote for you,” Trish assures her.
“Of course you will. Duh.”
She grabs an apple off the counter and leaves the kitchen.
“She’s going to want to date soon,” Davis groans beside me. “What are we going to do, then?”
Trish just smiles and says, “You’re gonna do what every father or father figure throughout time has always done. You’re gonna sit back and you’re gonna pretend like it’s not happening.”
“God, beautiful and wise. How’d I get so lucky?”
“You both got your heads out of your asses.” Ginny sticks her tongue out at both of them.
“And I think that’s our cue to go.” I laugh and look at Ginny, who nods her head.
We say our goodbyes and head out the front door.
“Are you ready to go home?” I ask her when we get to the bike.
“Not at all.”
“Do you want to stay at my place tonight?”
Ginny’s sigh sounds almost as dramatic as Harper’s. “I’m afraid my mother would have a fucking coronary if I did that. My dad, however, would probably pull the boxes out of the basement and have them ready to pack.”
“Then I have an idea. I’ll get you home before your curfew, but we need to get out of this driveway.”
“They’re watching us out the window, aren’t they?” She narrows her eyes, looking over her shoulder toward the house.
“Oh, yeah. I’ve been watching the curtain twitch since we came outside.”
“Hey, Joker. You should kiss me. Right here, right now.”
“That, I can do.”