“Sight your target.”
“I’ve found one.”
“Take your time. When you’re ready, squeeze the trigger; don’t—” there was an explosion, and the smell of burnt gunpowder filled the air “—jerk it,” Cody finished lamely.
Shannon coughed and waved a hand in front of her to clear the cloud of smoke that wreathed her head. The recoil from the gun had caused her knees to drop, and her legs lay splayed in front of her. “Did I hit it?”
“Perhaps if you told me what you were aiming at,” he said dryly, enchanted by Shannon’s earnestness and her hopeful grin. “Was it a flying pumpkin?”
“No.”
“Then trust me, you didn’t hit it.” She looked so disappointed that Cody had to laugh. He gave her a soothing pat on her arm. “It’s all right. We’ll try again.”
Shannon poured, licked, loaded, rammed, primed, aimed, and fired. A pumpkin shattered, sending pieces of orange rind spinning into the air.
Cody jumped to his feet. “I’ll be damned! You did it! I’m going to find the ball. You can have it as a remembrance.”
Before Shannon could raise an objection, he was running into the patch. Her laughter was cut off as she realized someone was clapping behind her. She glanced around and saw Brandon. He was standing with his weight resting more on one leg than the other, somehow relaxed and confident in the same moment. His wide smile and the tilt of his chin conveyed his approval of her achievement.
He stopped clapping and came abreast of Shannon, dropping down beside her in a fluid, graceful motion. “That was quite something.”
“It wasn’t.”
“How modest you are.”
“It’s not modesty,” she said, lowering her voice as Cody started back, waving the bullet in the air. “It’s honesty. I wasn’t aiming atthatpumpkin.”
Brandon tossed back his head and gave a shout of laughter. The corn silk strands of his hair caught the sunlight, and his eyes glinted in appreciation. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
Cody came upon them and tossed a somewhat sticky lead ball in Brandon’s direction. “I’m not going to ask what you’re laughing about because I know you won’t tell me.”
Brandon nudged Shannon with his elbow, examining the bullet gravely. “He’s perceptive, don’t you think?”
“Very,” she answered solemnly.
Cody ignored their byplay, taking the rifle from Shannon. “Did you see her, Bran? Wait until I tell Martha it was Shannon who split her best pumpkin. There’ll be feathers flying then!”
Shannon blinked hugely. “Cody! You told me Martha wouldn’t mind!”
Cody shrugged. “I lied.”
“Incorrigible beast.”
“You have to be cautious with Cody,” Brandon told Shannon. “He’s been getting me into trouble for as long as I can remember.”
“It’s all right,” Shannon said smugly. “Martha will never believe I actually hit anything.”
Brandon and Cody exchanged knowing looks. “Yes, she will,” they said in unison. Cody sat beside Brandon and finished loading and priming the rifle. “Now watch this,” he said, taking aim. “The pumpkin beside the one you assassinated.” He fired.
“You missed!” Shannon crowed gleefully.
“You better take a look at it,” said Brandon calmly, taking the rifle from Cody.
Shannon scrambled to her feet and ran into the patch. She bent down and examined the undamaged pumpkin.
“Pick it up,” Cody called.
Shannon lifted the pumpkin, expecting the vine and leaves to come with it. When she saw they didn’t, she realized Cody had made good on his promise. “I don’t believe this,” she said. “You broke the stem when you were looking for my bullet.”
