Page 44 of Targeted By Temptation
“You’re the best mate ever.”
I leaned back, hands on my huge belly.
“How come you’re so off today?” He squatted in front of me so we were face to face. He always saw me—truly saw me. I could slap on all the happy happy I wanted to, but I could never fool him.
“I don’t know, I’m just… it’s weird that I don’t feel settled because I haven’t been able to shoot. That’s weird, right?”
“No. Whenever someone tells you that you can’t do something, that automatically makes it a little more desirable and amplifies the loss. And it was a big part of your life for a really longtime. It’s not weird at all. Have you considered maybe looking into competing again in a real way—like looking toward the Olympics?”
I hadn’t, but when he said it… possibly. Maybe that was something I wanted to do, it hadn’t been my choice to turn it down initially. But also, that was a lifetime ago.
“We’ll have to see. It’s a huge time commitment, and the little one is coming.”
“They aren’t so little.” He bent down and kissed my very large belly.
“I have been thinking about maybe going through with my idea to open an archery—not studio, not school—but not range, either.”
My goal wasn’t to have a bunch of people just coming off the streets and renting space so they could let off steam and show their strength, which I had seen in a few of the studios and ranges I’d gone to over the years.
And the local range? The local range was awful. I always felt like I wasn’t wanted when I went. And if it was that bad for me, I couldn’t envision young people coming in and discovering their love of the sport.
“What about calling it a club?” He shrugged. “I’ve seen that before.”
“That’s true—club and school. Hmm. Maybe we’ll think about it.” And did the name matter if I had the vision? Probably not.
“You know, we have that money that Viktor pulled aside from your dad. It’s enough to get started.”
I tried not to think about that money… or anything related to my dad. I didn’t pretend Viktor did that out of the kindness of his heart either. He 100% did it not to owe me, with the bonus of really pissing off my dad.
“I don’t want his money.” It felt dirty.
“And as much as I know you don’t want his money, it’s there. And wouldn’t this be a big ‘fuck you’ to him?”
That had me smiling. It really would.
We’d talked about opening up a range before, a few times now, and in the end, I always felt guilty with my mate offering to pay for it. This would be an option—a viable one.
“I mean… how about this? If the perfect property just falls into our lap, I’ll move forward.” I’d half paid attention to the real estate listings recently. Nothing had popped out at me.
“And by perfect property, do you mean this?” He took out his phone, typed away, and turned it around for me to see.
“Did you already find a place? And how?” It wasn’t one I’d seen in my half-assed attempt, and it was good enough I would’ve.
“Better. My family already owns it. It’s got both inside and outside spaces. It’s away from everything, and there’re woods behind it if you wanted to expand—turn it into maybe a camp experience for teens at some point.”
“That’s a little over the top, don’t you think?” Although I’d attended a camp as a middle-schooler and really loved it.
“For my mate to do something he loves? Nah, not at all.”
I went to hug him and nearly toppled out of my seat. There was nothing to do but laugh at this time. “Go, preggo belly, go.”
He smiled at me so sweetly, the rest of the world faded away.
“Does anybody else know how sweet you are, Ezra?”
“Nah, I’m pretty sure that’s only you.”
He was ruthless when it came to work. I’d seen that side of him. So, his answer didn’t surprise me.
