Page 27 of A Second Chance

She waived and avoided looking at Jason, even though his gaze on her lasted the longest.

“Do you shoot?” Autumn yelled.

Gwen shook her head.

“Come try.” She held up her bow. Autumn’s appeared to be the least complicated. The guys all looked like they had far too many strings, and they all had arrows attached to the side while Autumn’s arrows were separate.

“Go try,” Hannah chimed.

“Why don’t you?”

“I have… it’s fine. I don’t have any interest in shooting arrows into things.”

“Not sure I do either.”

“Try it once, and then you’ll know.”

Going anywhere close to Jason wasn’t what she wanted, but she stood anyway and moved with what she hoped was nonchalance toward a grinning Autumn.

“Here let me show you,” Autumn said handing the bow to Gwen and unfastening something from her wrist. “This is a mechanical release; it saves your fingers.” She wrapped it around Gwen’s wrist.

And while Autumn explained, Gwen tried to ignore the awareness of being watched. The next thing she knew a hand shifted her elbow, and the zing told her who it was before she looked. He was in her space. It sucked to still feel attracted to someone she shouldn’t, but determination to hang onto the hurt and anger she nursed for so long fueled her.

“Loosen your fingers,” Jason said, close to her ear. “You’re gripping too tight. Loosen and push the bow out with your palm to keep it steady.” His fingers traced from her elbow to wrist nearly causing her to drop the whole thing.

After having everything about her stance corrected, they allowed her to release the arrow. The arrow hit high and right, but it was a surprise that she got it. Hyper-aware that Jason remained nearby and his eyes were on her, and where he’d touched her still tingled.

Autumn smiled, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “You did it!”

“And on the first go,” Weasel said. “It took Justin like ten times.”

“Did not, jackass,” Justin replied. Weasel laughed and returned to his target practice.

She assumed Jason would do the same, but he didn’t move away.

“Try again and let’s see if you can hit the bullseye.”

“I’m sure Autumn wants her bow back,” Gwen turned, but Autumn had wandered over to where her son was playing and no longer paying attention. “I guess not.” She turned back to Jason, his long-sleeved tee hung loose, just past his belt and appeared well-worn and soft.

“Nock an arrow,” Jason said, a sly smile across his lips.

“What?”

He pointed. “It’s where you attach the arrow to the bowstring.”

“It’s called ‘nock’?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s weird,” she replied, picking a bow out of the quiver on the ground. The guys kept theirs attached, and she guessed Autumn didn’t because of the added weight. Jason’s voice came quiet, and near her ear as he spoke. She did as he instructed, trying not to pay attention to his proximity, his hands grazing her, or that he smelled nice. After several more attempts, she hit almost dead center of the circle target. She had no interest in the ones shaped like a deer.

“Good,” he said.

“So, are you guys practicing for a hunt?”

He nodded. “I’m heading out Saturday morning, and it’s been a long time since I’ve gone hunting.”

“What? No hunting on the hike?”

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