His heart was pounding.He'd had a run-in with some hikers who turned out to be from New York a couple of weeks ago when he was riding out with a rancher whose cattle had been predated by wolves.They only expected to find carcasses, but were both carrying their rifles in case they found the wolves, too.
He knew that city folks sometimes weren't big fans of guns, but at the sight of the rifles, those New Yorkers had given them an earful.He thought of himself as a reasonable man and had wanted to try to explain it was a cultural difference, but...Now, from the look on Harper's face, he had a sinking feeling that she might feel the same way.
The silence between them felt brittle, as if it might shatter into a thousand pieces.He wanted to explain, but he dreaded seeing that same fearful, hate-filled look on her face that those hikers had given him.
"Hey, Dad, we're just..."Alana stepped back into the dining room and stopped abruptly when she saw their faces.
"You're just what, honey?"
Alana looked from him to Harper and back again."I came to say that we're going upstairs to do our homework now, but what's wrong?"
He pressed his lips together, wondering what, if anything, he should say.
Harper’s voice sounded strained as she said, "Nothing's wrong, sweetheart, it's fine."
Tanya came to stand beside her sister."What's going on, guys?"
She looked so worried that Emmett had to set her at ease."It's okay, Button, there's nothing wrong.It's just that Harper spotted the rifle.It's my fault; I hadn't put it back in the cabinet."
Both girls swung their heads to look at Harper.
"You have a problem with guns?"Alana asked.
Harper shifted uncomfortably in her seat."I..." She met Emmett's gaze."I don't have a problem with you having them.I'm certainly not judging you for it."She turned to the girls."And I know damn well that with the relationship you guys have with your dad, you'll be well trained in how to be safe around them."
"And how to use them," said Tanya matter-of-factly, making Emmett cringe.
"Is it because you're from the city and you just don't know about guns?"Alana asked, sounding as though she was prepared to cut Harper some slack if her problem was only due to ignorance.
Harper let out a short, humorless laugh."Kind of yes and kind of no."
"What then?"asked Tanya, going to stand beside Harper and resting her hand on her shoulder."It's okay, you know, you don't need to be scared.Guns aren't dangerous by themselves.It's the people who use them that can be dangerous.Guns are bad when bad guys get ahold of them.But we don't let that happen around here, right Dad?"
"Right," Emmett agreed, still waiting to hear what Harper had to say.
She gave him a tight smile."You know what, I think that's what my problem is.Where I come from, only the bad guys have guns.And...it was a long time ago now.But after the night I found myself staring down the barrel of one while my purse was taken, I'm not a huge fan."She looked around at them."But since I don't think any of you are going to mug me, we should probably be fine, right?"
Tanya wrapped her arm around Harper's shoulders."I'm sorry that happened to you, that must have been scary."
Harper shuddered."It was, I don't like to think about it.But like I said, it was a long time ago."She smiled at Alana before turning back to Emmett."Sorry I reacted that way.I wasn't judging you.I guess I was more concerned about you guys judging me."Her smile was brighter and seemed a little more genuine as she added, "I don't want you guys thinking I'm a weenie."
Alana chuckled."You're no weenie, you're a badass.Even if you're not used to guns."
"Thanks, I think."
"So, are you guys okay, then?"Alana asked.
"We're good, thanks," Emmett told her.
"Good."She gave her sister a meaningful look as she continued."Because we were just about to go upstairs to do homework.I have to help Tanya with that pre-algebra, remember?"
Emmett did his best to hide a smile as he said, "Oh yeah, that's right.You'd better get on with it then."
Tanya grinned back at them from the doorway before she followed her sister upstairs.
When he caught Harper's gaze, she smiled at him.
"They weren't exactly subtle, were they?"he asked.
