“Robert! This was his idea, wasn’t it? That’s why you videoed me.” Any attraction she may have felt for her boss dissipated. The man was handsome, but he was the worst tease.
“Would you be less angry at me if I said, yes?” His face was hopeful.
“Maybe.”
“He did suggest it,” Jake said, then he scratched his neck. “But I decided to go along with it.”
“Do you always do the stupid stuff your brother suggests?”
Jake cleared his throat. “Not always but most of the time.”
“And have you ever regretted it?”
“Plenty of times.”
“Then why do you do it?”
He shrugged, then defended Robert. “He knows how to have fun. Life can be stressful. Sometimes you need to let go and laugh.”
Amy’s childhood hadn’t had much laughter. How many times had she wished she had a sister or a brother to get into trouble with?
She didn’t like being the butt of these bachelors’ jokes. Although, Ben’s laughter—and that dimple—did something to her stomach.
She gave Jake the sweetest smile she could muster. “I don’t suppose I could convince you to delete the video.”
Jake shuffled his feet. “Um, I don’t think so.”
“Let me guess, you’re more afraid of Robert than you are of me.” Amy remembered Ben’s words a couple weeks ago when he insisted on driving her to work.
“Definitely.”
“Why? You’re bigger and stronger than he is.”
“Maybe, but he hits harder.”
She pretended to pout. “Why do you three have to get your entertainment at my expense?” She obviously wasn’t much of an actress, because Jake laughed.
“You should feel flattered. Guys tease the girls they like. If we didn’t like you, we’d avoid you like we do Debbie.”
“I guess that’s a good thing.”
“Besides, you’re fun to tease because of your reaction. You’re cute when you get angry or flustered.”
Amy felt both angry and flustered, but she wasn’t about to show it.
Folding her arms, she scowled at him again. “Well, if you get stuck having to take Widow Wheeler out, let her shoot one of those bullets. She won’t want anything to do with you after that.”
“I’m sorry, Amy. I really shouldn’t have done that to you.”
Feigning anger, she turned away from him and eyed the target. Had she hit the center with that last shot? Hopping over the log that supported the rifles, she ran out to examine her paper.
She’d done it. Her last shot had left a large hole in the right edge of the bull’s eye.
“I did it!”
* * *
Despite tryingto act angry with Jake, Amy enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. They roasted hot dogs to go with potato salad, fresh fruit, chips, and cookies. While they ate, Amy used Jake’s remorse over the buckshot to her advantage. With much coaxing, she convinced Jake to tell her something Robert and Ben would rather have kept secret.
