Page 31 of Another June with You

Shannon did her best to stay on the fringe of all the action, keeping her distance and using zoom lenses to get close, rather than being too near the line of fire.

Every once in a while, she found herself drifting closer, trying to find Micah, wondering what he was thinking earlier when she arrived on Zeb’s back. She shook her head and aimed her camera at Zeb, snapping a picture just as the paint ball left the gun.

It looked like fun, and she made a mental note to add paint ball to her bucket list.

By the time the game was almost over, she was giddy to see her photographs. More than a few times, she had released the camera shutter when a paint ball exploded against someone’s chest, hoping to freeze the moment forever. She couldn’t wait to see what she had captured, so she opened the image viewer on her camera and began cycling back through some of the pictures.

In the midst of looking at her photos, she took a few steps forward, not paying attention to her surroundings, not noticing a player to her right had his sight fixed on one to her left. In that second, something hit her hard in the stomach as she was caught in the crossfire.

Chapter 10

Shannon’s scream sent a terrifying chill through Micah’s entire body. Her name was in his head, nearly on his lips, when someone else called out to her, and more than one guy ran to her rescue.

“Shannon!” Zeb bolted to her side in two seconds.

Micah yanked the protective mask from his head and ran toward her. She was doubled over, tears streaming down her face, orange paint splattered on her stomach. Her camera lay on the ground, shards of lens glass scattered on the ground next to it.

“Are you all right?” Micah asked.

She held up her hand as she breathed in and out slowly. “It stings,” she managed.

“It’s all right, sweetie.” Zeb rubbed his hand back and forth between her shoulders.

Micah rolled his eyes. He had nothing against Zeb. They’d been friends for a long time. If not for him always hanging out with Shannon in high school, Micah might never have summoned the nerve to approach her. But he couldn’t help but be annoyed at Zeb’s hands all over her. He fought the urge to yank Zeb’s arm away.

Chase must have noticed Micah’s eye rolling, because he was smirking.

“What can I do, Shannon?” Micah asked.

“My camera,” she mumbled.

“I’ve got it.” Zeb instantly scooped up the camera, kicking the broken glass under a bush. “What should I do with it?”

Shannon was still bent over, and all Micah wanted was to go to her and take her in his arms to comfort her.

She slowly straightened her body to standing. “Who shot me?”

Micah’s heart jumped into his throat. He hadn’t meant to do it. Zeb had run that direction, and he hadn’t seen Shannon until his finger was squeezing the trigger, and by then, it was too late. Two paintballs had left the chamber and flew straight for her.

“Anyone? Anyone? … Bueller?”

Her mention of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off normally would’ve made him laugh, but he didn’t feel much like laughing now.

He took one step forward. “I did.”

Her mouth fell open.

“It was an accident.”

She took the camera from Zeb and began to move away from the woods, gently rubbing her stomach, walking slowly toward the main entrance with Zeb on her heels.

“Zeb!” Micah called after him.

Zeb turned. “Yeah?”

“Let me.” Micah dropped his gun and protective gear on the ground next to Chase and caught up to her. “I’m so sorry about your lens, Shannon. I’ll replace it.”

“Don’t bother. I have insurance on my equipment.”

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