Page 18 of Montana SEAL Protector
Their thirty minutes together went so fast, her private lesson was over before she realized it. The others had started coming onto the range for their class.
“Hey, Ellen,” Janelle said.
“Hi, Janelle,” Ellen said.
“How was your lesson?” Janelle asked.
“It was good.” Ellen smiled and looked up at Travis, who gazed back at her. “I enjoyed it.”
“Good,” Travis said as he smiled back. “I’m glad I could help.”
“You look much more confident,” Janelle said.
“Well, guns are just machines,” Ellen shrugged. “Tools for people to use.”
Hearing that made Travis smile. He was glad she’d enjoyed the lesson. He’d enjoyed teaching her.
“Do you want to stay with her?” Hank asked him. “Keep working on the handgun?”
“Sure,” Travis said.
“I brought my wife’s gun,” Hank said and smiled at Ellen. “See how you like the Sig Sauer.” He placed it on the table next to the other guns they’d been shooting.
“Thank you,” Ellen said. “It is smaller.”
Soon all the others were in their spots and the class lesson began. This time instead of rotating Ellen to the other guns, they kept her in the same place, working with the handguns. She was glad Travis would keep teaching her.
“Hey, you’re doing a lot better shooting this time,” Janelle said to Ellen as she moved to switch from a handgun to a long gun spot.
The other women were still switching around. Ellen hoped they didn’t think she was getting preferential treatment.
Hank made a point to visit each of the women to talk to them and encourage them.
By the end of the hour, Ellen was exhausted but happy. She’d gone from being afraid of the guns to enjoying the lesson and now she even offered to help Travis pack them away before he left.
“Can I help you pack them up?” she asked.
Travis nodded and said, “Sure.” Though he’d normally handle the guns himself, he was happy she’d gone from being afraid to handle guns to wanting to help him. Thirty minutes alone with her had accomplished that. He grinned.
He’d also noticed the subtle changes in her body that let him know she was affected by him drawing near. The way her breath changed. Her eyes, micro expressions, and voice.
“Thank you for the private lesson,” she said.
“You’re welcome,” he said. “I enjoyed teaching you.”
“Excuse me,” Hank said, as he collected his wife’s gun, interrupting their private moment. “Glad the lesson went well. How did you like the Sig?”
“It was lighter and easy to handle,” Ellen said. “Please thank your wife for me and thank you for bringing her gun for me to try.”
“You’re welcome,” Hank said. “Feeling better about shooting?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “Travis is a good teacher.”
“Yes, he is,” Hank said. “If you decide you’d like another private lesson, we can arrange that.”
Leah arrived. “Ladies, if I could have your attention,” she called.
Everyone quieted. The women turned their attention to her, while the men continued to pack their guns and ammo and to clean up after themselves.
