Page 41 of Riggs
"You'll see. Come on."
Nova and Mr. LeBlanc take a seat at the table with Piper, while I stand and follow Riggs outside. He leads me around back and about twenty yards away from the house. Just along the tree line, I see eight tree stumps sitting upright with soda cans sitting on top of them. "What are we doing?"
Riggs pulls a gun from his cut and shows it to me. "I'm giving you a crash course in how to handle a gun and shoot it."
My nerves kick in. "Do you think this is necessary?"
"Yes. I want you to feel confident you can protect yourself if for whatever reason I'm not around to do it."
I nod. "Okay."
Holding the weapon out in front of me, pointing it away from us, Riggs starts explaining how to handle the gun safely. "This is the safety. Never take it off unless you are prepared to use it." He flicks it back and forth, showing me, and I nod. "Here," Riggs hands me the gun. "I'm going to stand behind you and help you with your aim. Once you feel confident, pull the trigger," he instructs and moves to stand behind me. Next, I raise my arm out in front of me while allowing Riggs to help me with my stance. Aiming at one of the empty cans sitting on top of the stump, I take a deep breath and pull the trigger. Missing my mark, the bullet ricochets off the tree stump. Riggs encourages me to try again by tapping my arm. Again, I take aim and fire. I miss the mark a second time. Refusing to give up, I try two more times, and on my fifth shot, I hit the can, and watch as it flies off the tree stump. I cannot help but smile at my accomplishment. Nudging my side, Riggs nods for me to keep going, so I do. We spend the next hour practicing, and I surprise myself with how good a shot I am. "You're a natural, babe. You did well. I'm so fucking proud of you." He kisses me.
When we walk back inside Riggs instructs, "go get your purse."
I walk into the kitchen and retrieve my bag from the kitchen counter then walk back out to the living room. He hands me the gun I was practicing with along with two magazines. "Put these in there." We eye each other, silently communicating. I take the pistol and magazines from his outstretched hand and place them in my purse. "Cain and I need to head back to the clubhouse. You and Piper will be safe here with Pop. And don't let his age fool you," Riggs smiles. "Pop is a better shot than I am. Leaning down, Riggs touches his lips to mine. "I'll be back later. I want you to look after my niece. You're strong, Luna and I trust you." It means a lot that Riggs and Nova trust me enough to look after Piper.
Nova steps up to my side. "I appreciate you looking out for my girl, Luna."
"She's a good kid, Nova. And it is no problem watching her. I enjoy her company very much."
"Thanks, darlin'," he says before turning to Riggs. "You ready, brother?" Riggs nods and holds his finger up, signaling to give him a minute. Riggs takes my face in his hands, giving me one last kiss. "Bye, baby."
"Please be safe."
I can't help the wave of unease that settles in the pit of my stomach as I watch Riggs and Nova walk out of the house. Pushing my feelings aside, I put on a brave face and make my way back into the next room where Piper is currently cleaning up the mess we made from our cookie making. I step up to the sink where she is washing dishes, pick up the hand towel from the counter, and start drying while she rinses. I bump my hip into hers. When she looks at me, I wink. That earns a bump and a smile in return.
I'm sitting on the porch in a rocking chair next to Abe, who has a shotgun resting on his lap. I'm not as comfortable with weaponry as Abe, but I'm no fool either, so my purse is sitting within arm's reach next to my chair. Piper is currently laid out on the porch swing where she fell asleep thirty minutes ago. "My wife and I used to sit out here every evening with a cold glass of sweet tea and watched the sunset together," Abe tells me out of nowhere. "No matter how busy our days were with our jobs and running around after the boys, not once in our fifty-two years of marriage, did we miss a sunset. Not even when I was in the army. The nights I spent away from my wife; I'd still watch the sunset. Wherever I was in the world, I took solace in knowing she was doing the same. That's how I knew she was with me. Just like she's with me now." A look of longing crosses his face as he tells his story. Abe turns to me. "My one wish in life was that Abel and Cain find the kind of love I had with their grandmother. I know without a shadow of a doubt; you are Abel's person — his soulmate. He looks at you the way I use to look at his grandmother."
I swipe at the tear that has fallen down my cheek. "I care for your grandson very much."
"Oh, child. You're not fooling anyone. You more than care for Abel, you're in love with him just like he's in love with you." Abe reaches over and pats my hand when he registers the shocked look on my face. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I know you'll tell him when you're ready." Abe pauses, looking me in the eyes. "Don't take too long telling him. Life is too short."
Abe sits back in his chair, take a sip of his sweet tea, and begins to rock. I turn my attention to the lake in front of his house and let his words sink in. He's right. Life is too short. I understand that better than anyone. I'm also smart enough to know how lucky I am to have found a man as wonderful as Riggs. When I woke up in the hospital after I survived the near-death beating Rex gave me, I vowed never to trust another man. I told myself I was better off not opening my heart up to someone only to have them destroy it. What I have come to learn with Riggs is not being with him is what would destroy me. Riggs had my trust and stole my heart the second we locked eyes with each other back in Montana. That man owns me. Mind. Body. Soul.
