His brow furrows. “Baby, we don’t have to—”
“I want to. I need to shoot that damn rifle.”
He’s already shaking his head, but I take his hand and give it a squeeze.
“I’m good. I’ve got this. Let me kick some ass today.”
He sighs, examines my face, and then nods. “Let’s kick some ass, Rebel.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lena
“Wait.” Willow spins around from where she’s washing potatoes in the sink and pins me in her wide-eyed stare. “Youshot it? You really did it. And no freak-out this time?”
My smile is smug. “I did it, girl. I made that rifle my bitch.”
“Yes!” She rushes to me, her hands dripping wet, and hugs me to her, and I don’t even care that she’s soaking the back of my shirt. “I knew you could do it. I bet you’re so relieved.”
“I definitely am because now I don’t ever have to do it again.” I snort and chop some peppers for the salad. Willow and I are getting dinner ready while the guys are off doing something or other. They weren’t specific. I enjoy hanging out with Willow. She’s become an unexpected friend, almost like the big sister I never had, and I never feel like I’m walking on eggshells around her, even after our rough start. She wouldn’t ask me to do something I’m uncomfortable with. She wouldn’t encourage me to be someone I’m not. She’s shown me what real friendship looks like, and it’s kind of sad to think that I’ve never had this before. “Oh! Before the guys come back, I have to show you this. I want your take on it before I give it to Gideon.”
I wipe my hands dry and then rush over to my bag so I can pull out my sketchbook and open it to the page I’ve been working on for Gideon.
When I turn it so Willow can see it, she immediately crumbles into tears.
“Oh, God, I hope those are good tears and I didn’t butcher this.”
She nods and stares down at the page, taking it in.
“I love it so much, Lena. I love that you captured them when they were younger, from around the time when Ry and Gid came to live here. God, they look so happy.” Ray and Debbie are smiling at each other, his arm is around her, and they’re sitting on the big wraparound porch on this house.
“I thought it would bring happy memories.” I loop my arm around her shoulders, and she leans against me. “Do I need to tweak anything? Change anything? You knew them, and I want to make sure it’s as accurate as possible.”
“No.” She wipes her cheeks and continues to stare at the paper. “No, there’s nothing here to change. You’ll make the guys cry too.”
“I don’t necessarily want to make anyone cry. I just want Gid to like it.”
“He’s going to go crazy for it.” She takes one more look before I close the book and return it to my bag. “You know, his birthday is at the end of the month. That would be an incredible gift. If you want, I can order a frame for it so you don’t have to use his accounts.”
“That would beperfect. Thank you.”
We resume making dinner, and we hear the front door open and the guys’ voices carry through the house.
“We’re in the kitchen,” Willow calls out.
“Oh, good, you’re making my favorite.”
Willow gasps and spins, and then she’s crying again and running to Aiden, who’s standing just inside the doorway. She wraps her arms around him and squeezes him, and he wrinkles his nose, as if he’s only tolerating the hug because it’s from her.
“Surprise,” he says when she pulls back to look up at him. “I came home for a couple of days.”
“You don’t have a game this week?”
“Not until Monday,” he says and smiles at me. “Hey, Lena.”
“Hey, Aiden, welcome home.”
“So that’s where you two ran off to,” Willow says to Ryker and Gideon, who are both grinning at her proudly.
