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He seemed more amused than irritated about that, and I relaxed a bit.
Should I really agree to this? I needed lessons on how to use the gun, of course, but being alone with him, especially after my reaction when I first saw him…
His easy smile and open expression made my decision for me, and I nodded despite the uncertainty still sliding through my veins.
“That’d be nice. How much will the classes be?” I asked and he snorted, shaking his head.
“No charge. It’s not like I won’t be there practicing anyway so you’re just added company when I do.”
I frowned. “I should pay you something; it isn’t fair otherwise.”
He stared at me for a minute and then shrugged. “Alright, then you buy the ammo. Sounds fair?”
I nodded. “Yes, and thank you. You’ll probably have to explain things a few times before I remember it all, but I’ll do my best to learn quickly.”
A teasing smile curved his lips. “No need to rush. I promise I won't bite, so the speed you learn this isn’t important.”
Heat crawled over my cheeks and I looked away, ignoring the stupid fluttering that kicked up at his smile. I was right, hewasgoing to be dangerous…
Shoving that aside, I pulled us back on track and asked. “So, which gun would you recommend for someone who’s never shot one before?”
He slid into business mode with a nod, pulling one of the pistols off the wall. “Probably this. Beretta is a good brand, and their pistols are nothing to sniff at. Easy to load, aim and shoot.”
Then he handed it to me with a nod. “It’s empty, don’t worry. Now get a feel for it.”
I did, turning it this way and that as I got used to the weight. It didn’t look that heavy, but I was mildly surprised by its actual weight. Oliver must have caught that because he nodded.
“Guns usually have a bit of heft to them, even pistols. Is it a comfortable weight? I might have a lighter one for you if it's not.”
I twisted my wrist back and forth, adapting to it, and after a minute, I nodded my head. “This should be fine.” Setting it back down on the counter, I continued. “I’ll take it and whatever ammo you think we’ll need for our lessons.”
He rang it up, nudging the gun box to the side with a shake of his head. “You’ll have to wait a few days to pick that up. It’ll be here, safely tucked away until then.”
I nodded, though confusion rose. “Why, if you don’t mind my asking?”
He tapped the gun, his smile sliding into a grimace. “I know it seems a bit weird, but that law has probably saved a good many lives over the years. The wait period makes it so someone can’t get into a scuffle, see red, buy a gun, and hurt someone. It gives people time to breathe, and that’s important.”
Then he shook his head. “Of course, if I see someone come in here and they’re spitting mad or throwing off the wrong vibes, I don’t sell them anything. Store policy, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.”
He nodded to the sign that said just that and I nodded. “Makes sense, but how do you know who shouldn’t be buying one?”
At that, he smiled. “I have killer instincts for people, and the boss hired me the second he saw them in action. They’ve been proven right loads of times over the years.”
I couldn’t help it, I asked. “Have they ever been wrong?”
His smile faded; something old and painful lingered behind his eyes as he said. “Not with work.”
A faraway look came to his face, as if he were millions of miles away in his own head, and the pain still hovering around him like a cloud tugged at me.
I hadn’t meant to bring up bad memories…
Clearing my throat to pull him back to the present, I changed the subject. “Is there anything in town that you’d recommend doing for fun? I didn’t see much while driving in.”
He snorted; the dark look disappeared as if it’d never been there. “There really isn’t muchtodo here. If you want fun, you’d be better off heading to the next town over. They have arcades, skating rinks, and a good bit more. Here, we have a few shops, some restaurants, and that’s really it.”
I nodded, looking out the window at said shops. I’d never really been the type for shopping. Maybe I’d stop by later, to introduce myself, if nothing else.
Focusing back on Oliver, I hummed. “I’ll look it up later, thanks.”
