Page 36 of Saving Grace

I stiffen. “Oh... I can’t. I’ll just watch.”

He grabs my hand and pulls me toward the noisy crowds. “You’ll manage, just wait.”

We weave through lines of people, groups chatting and laughing. Children run about, delighted, squealing and giggling. We reach the stall with yellow tin ducks lined up, and I huff an embarrassed snort. Not actual live ducks.Thank heavens.

Mack’s hand is still around mine. “You wanna go first, Grace?”

“Um, okay. I’ve never done this before.”

He drops my hand and pays the man working the booth. “Two, please.”

A small rifle is placed in my hands, and I watch Mack check his over before raising mine to the ducks. Pointing, holding withboth hands, I shoot. The rubber bullet hits the wall behind the slow-moving yellow birds. Shit.

“God, I’m hopeless at this,” I say, lowering the rifle. “Show me what you’ve got, Mackinlay.”

He grins, and holy shit, I’m almost boneless at the sight. Mesmerized, I gawk as he raises his weapon and aims. Four seconds later, six ducks are down. He’s so quick, his movements hardly registered.

“Damn, poor ducks,” I quip.

He chuckles. “Had a bit of practice.”

“Oh yeah, right. The whole sniper thing. How did I forget that?”

“You win, buddy. Pick a prize,” the man standing to the side says with a frown, as if aware he’s been played. I tamp down a smile and suppress the laugh that’s rising in my throat. The prize bin is overflowing with stuffed toys and cheap plastic odds and ends.

“You want to pick something?” Mack asks me.

“Ah, no, I’m good. You won, you should pick.”

With a few steps, he hovers over the bin, hunting for god knows what. A minute later, he hands the prize to the man, and he cuts the tag off it. Waiting, I look around at the happy people, fun written all over their faces. Mack’s cologne folds in around me, and I look over my shoulder. He stands at my back, dangling something on a chain beside my head.

I spin back. “What is that?” I raise my palm to catch it where it swings from his fingertips. A drop crystal is suspended, clear, a little bigger than my thumb. Smaller crystals dot the chain it hangs on. It’s beautiful. “For your truck’s rearview mirror?”

“Nope, for Blue’s.”

“Oh.”

I swallow. The amber light of the sunset hits the crystal and its light splits across my face. I raise a hand to the rainbow and chuckle as it dances across my palm. “Thank you.”

“Sure, consider this my wholesome and very large apology for the last three months.”

“A cheap-ass crystal?” I raise an eyebrow.

He adjusts his stance on his crutch, and his gaze drops to the ground. “Not the crystal. The outing, I guess.”

“Oh, alright. Well, in that case, I really, really want to go on the Ferris wheel.”

Mack looks up at the enormous wheel rising into the sky. Its circumference is lit with rainbow lights, and the line isn’t too long, as most folks are making their way to the bar and large building where supper is being served.

Running a hand across the back of his neck, he glances between me and the large ride. “Come on, then.”

We walk past bumper cars, kids’ rides, and a hammer and bell game. People wave and smile at Mack, and a few stop to say quick hellos. Mack buys two tickets, and we join the line.

“Sure you’re up for the Ferris wheel, Rawlins?” a voice says from behind.

We turn back in unison, and it’s the same guy we met in the street the other day. Morgan? Manning?

“Morley. Sure you’re old enough to ride the wheel by yourself?” Mack snaps.

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