Page 22 of Pistol Perfect

He wasn’t thinking that he was going to cry like a baby, but he did have to grit his teeth over a couple of exclamations.

But then she numbed it, and he didn’t feel anything.

“I cheated a little,” she said after a bit. “I’m pretty sure the doctor wouldn’t do that, but since I inflicted the pain, and since I had the power to un-inflict it for a little bit, that’s what I did. But I did it because I believed you when you said that you would stay off your foot for a while. And you’ll definitely need to do it until you get the feeling back in it.”

“I can do that, but I think since you’re the one who shot me to begin with, you probably ought to be keeping me company now.”

“That’s a good point,” she said. “And I can do that, as long as I don’t get any calls. I’m not on call this weekend, but if Lark is out and something else comes in, I might have to go.”

“All right. You’re excused for work purposes only. But unless something comes up, you are required to sit and keep me entertained so I’m not tempted to start practicing for the dancing lessons that I’m going to take someday.”

She laughed, knowing right away that he was joking. Although dancing lessons had never crossed his mind, he could be persuaded if the right person wanted to partner with him.

The right person being Mabel, of course.

“You said you had something you wanted to talk to me about?” he asked as he shifted his weight just slightly, stretching his bandaged foot out in front of him and resting his shoulders and head on the post behind him.

“I do. Did. But I think I’ve changed my mind. But let me throw this stuff away and I’ll be back out to sit with you.”

“Why did you change your mind?” he asked before she could disappear into the house.

“I shot you. I can hardly ask a favor now.”

She disappeared inside the door before he could assure her that she absolutely could ask a favor. That he would do anything she wanted him to. Anything.

Maybe he should play hard to get a little bit. Maybe he could use this whole shooting thing to his advantage. Of course, he already had, because now he had several uninterrupted hours with her to sit with him and for him to...charm her? He had already decided that charm wouldn’t work.

What could he do to convince her that he was a great guy and she should spend more time with him?

A couple of hours didn’t seem like nearly long enough for him to get her to believe that, and he almost wished that the gunshot had been worse.

Of course, if they did end up together, what a story he would have to tell the grandchildren.

“I’m glad you’re finding something to smile about,” she said as she stepped back out on the porch. “This might help too, since I was just in the kitchen, and Carol must feel so terrible for you she’s making brownie cheesecake, which she assured me was your favorite.”

“It is. Boy, I must have looked sufficiently wounded in order for her to do that.”

“I think she just likes to make you happy. It’s obvious that she adores you,” Mabel said, walking over to the swing and sitting down on it.

He had wanted to be able to sit on the swing with her, and he was tempted to get up and hobble over, but remembering his promise, he stayed where he was.

“So... If I have to go somewhere,” he was thinking about the bathroom, “how I do that?”

“Ah,” she said. “You mean if you have to use the restroom?” She lifted her shoulder, and he was happy he didn’t have to spell it out to her. Although, she didn’t seem particularly fazed about it, so he felt like he could have mentioned it with impunity. “I think you probably ought to get the person who’s keeping you company to help you.”

Why hadn’t he thought of that? He wouldn’t even have to ask. He could have just mentioned that he needed to and assumed that she would come over and he would have an excuse to put his arm around her.

Maybe that was too creepy.

But since she suggested it, he almost took advantage of it right away. Except he really didn’t have to go.

That might make it awkward for whenever he did.

“All right. I’ll keep that in mind. Now, just because you shot me doesn’t mean that you can’t ask me what you were going to ask me. You said it was a favor?”

She had come to ask him a favor? He couldn’t imagine what in the world it would be... Unless she wanted money.

He clamped his mouth shut and looked away. Why hadn’t he thought of that? Probably because he’d been so busy getting shot that he hadn’t had the time.