Page 43 of Give Me a Shot

Another thirty minutes later, with the pain between her shoulder blades adding to the cacophony in her arms, she decided that was enough. Emotionally, she felt eons better, and a hot shower once she got home would help physically. Passing the smithy, she glanced in, and Mo was still there, talking to a young woman with a backpack on. He glanced up, and his initial expression of surprise was replaced with a smile. He waved. Jess waved back. The young woman looked over her shoulder at Jess, then quickly back at Mo and started heading toward the exit.

Should I go talk to him?

He looked down, then back up at her with a shy smile.

The reflex to just go to her car popped up, to escape from unruly emotions that could lead to places where her logic had no footing. But she was tired of doing that, tired of clinging to logicand stifling what she felt. She wanted to simply let go, to coast, to fall into the thought that was echoing in her head.

Fucking ride the unicorn.

She smothered a chuckle at Stephanie’s words and walked into the smithy.

“Hi,” she said when she was close enough for him to hear her.

“Hi.”

“Am I bothering you? Do you have another class?”

Mo shook his head and took a deep breath.

“All done. And you never bother me,” he said quietly.

“Oh,” she said as her cheeks got warm. She felt silly about getting shy like that, and she looked away for a second. He went over to a large, high table, picked up a duffel bag from underneath, and started putting his things away. She could justify staying if she was being helpful to him. She glanced around the room.

“Do you need help cleaning up?” she asked.

“Um, thanks,” he said. “I always sweep after.”

She noticed the broom in the corner and put her things on a low bench near the door.

“How’s Madison?” she asked as she started sweeping.

He smiled.

“She’s good, thanks for asking. With her uncle today.”

“You have a brother?” she asked.

He tilted his head to one side and pressed his lips together like he was hiding a laugh.

“Four,” he said.

Jess stopped sweeping and gawked at him.

“There’sfiveof you out in the world?” she asked.

Mo chuckled.

“Not exactly,” he said, giving her a full smile. “I’m the weirdo of the bunch.”

She narrowed her eyes and leaned into the broom a little.

“I thought we talked about the fact that I’m not going to listen to you calling yourself weird,” she said.

He blushed deep. Even the tips of his ears were tinged with red. He stopped wiping down the anvil and raised his hands in surrender.

“We did,” he said gruffly. “Sorry.” He shot her that shy kid smile, and her heart skipped a beat. Again, that urge to flee cropped up.

No.

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