shot, mainly because the first one had been a total fluke. I just didn’t want the Lost Boys to know.
I called his bluff and handed it back to him. “You do it.”
Sean handed Tyler a nut and there was no going back. He moved to the edge of the porch and lined up his shot. The second he drew back the strap, I yelled at him to stop. “Jesus, Tyler!” I snatched it from him. “No wonder it hits you in the face.”
His technique was terrible, and downright dangerous. I stood behind him, gave him back the slingshot and talked him through firing it. “Pull it back against the side of your cheek, use the fork in the sling to align your sight.”
Surprisingly he did as he was told.
“Now when you release, follow through with your wrist. That way, you won’t get hit in the face.”
I dropped my hold on him and took a step back. Tyler glanced back at me, looking a little nervous.
“You can do it, Ty,” I encouraged.
Whether he believed me or not, he fired. He didn’t hit anything, but he didn’t hit himself either.
“That was awesome!” The only thing louder than his gleeful yell was the screams of approval from his brothers. “Where did you learn to do that?”
“My dad taught me.”
“Your dad is awesome,” crowed Sean.
“He is,” I agreed.
The Lost Boys fascination with shooting projectiles was carried out completely on the sly. Hannah and Flynn probably would’ve been appalled to know they’d made a slingshot. I wasn’t sure that I’d done the most responsible thing by encouraging them.
Not only was I a bad influence, I was also a coward. When I caught sight of Flynn wandering across the yard, I snatched the slingshot from Tyler and hid it behind my back.
I was now a token Lost Boy.
The rain had stopped so Flynn wasn’t in a hurry. It seemed to take forever for him to reach us. By the time he stepped up onto the porch, my guilty heart was smashing against my ribcage.
“Hi, Charli,” he greeted.
“Hey.”
“Hannah mentioned you were back,” he said. “How long are you in town for?”
“Not long,” I replied, tightening my grip on the contraband weapon. “Just until Gabi is back on her feet.”
He nodded and followed up with a sympathetic smile. “Yeah, I was sorry to hear she’s not well.”
“She’ll be fine,” I insisted.
Awkward conversations between Flynn and I were nothing new. I’d always had trouble dealing with him. Clearly not much had changed.
“Well, I just came over to get the boys.” He glanced across at them. “Your mum wants you out of the rain, fellas.”
Sean and Mason said a quick goodbye and scuttled home. Tyler – true to form – played it much cooler. “I’ll see you later, Charli,” he said, slowly ambling across the lawn.
“Yeah, okay.” I looked across at Flynn. “I’ve got to go too. I’ve got to pick Alex up. We’re off to see Gabi and the baby.”
“Of course,” Flynn replied. “Give them my best.”
“I will.”
If I’d turned around, the jig would’ve been up so like a total dick, I backed toward the door.
Flynn put me out of my misery early. “Do you want me to take the slingshot with me or do you want Tyler to come back for it?” he asked.
The frigid morning air wasn’t enough to dull the heat in my cheeks as I handed it over. “What’s the charge?” I asked dully.
Flynn laughed. “Contributing to the delinquency of minors, probably,” he teased.
“From what I can work out, they’ve had it for a while,” I told him. “You might want to teach them how to use it safely.”
I was in no position to be offering parenting advice, but Flynn didn’t seem too outraged. “Hannah would go nuts if she knew. I was happy to let them have their fun in secret.”
I shrugged. “It’s a dangerous secret.”
He half waved the slingshot at me. “I’ll keep a better eye on them,” he promised. “This parenting gig is tough.”
I couldn’t help laughing at the pained look on his face.
Adam and I had ended
I called his bluff and handed it back to him. “You do it.”
Sean handed Tyler a nut and there was no going back. He moved to the edge of the porch and lined up his shot. The second he drew back the strap, I yelled at him to stop. “Jesus, Tyler!” I snatched it from him. “No wonder it hits you in the face.”
His technique was terrible, and downright dangerous. I stood behind him, gave him back the slingshot and talked him through firing it. “Pull it back against the side of your cheek, use the fork in the sling to align your sight.”
Surprisingly he did as he was told.
“Now when you release, follow through with your wrist. That way, you won’t get hit in the face.”
I dropped my hold on him and took a step back. Tyler glanced back at me, looking a little nervous.
“You can do it, Ty,” I encouraged.
Whether he believed me or not, he fired. He didn’t hit anything, but he didn’t hit himself either.
“That was awesome!” The only thing louder than his gleeful yell was the screams of approval from his brothers. “Where did you learn to do that?”
“My dad taught me.”
“Your dad is awesome,” crowed Sean.
“He is,” I agreed.
The Lost Boys fascination with shooting projectiles was carried out completely on the sly. Hannah and Flynn probably would’ve been appalled to know they’d made a slingshot. I wasn’t sure that I’d done the most responsible thing by encouraging them.
Not only was I a bad influence, I was also a coward. When I caught sight of Flynn wandering across the yard, I snatched the slingshot from Tyler and hid it behind my back.
I was now a token Lost Boy.
The rain had stopped so Flynn wasn’t in a hurry. It seemed to take forever for him to reach us. By the time he stepped up onto the porch, my guilty heart was smashing against my ribcage.
“Hi, Charli,” he greeted.
“Hey.”
“Hannah mentioned you were back,” he said. “How long are you in town for?”
“Not long,” I replied, tightening my grip on the contraband weapon. “Just until Gabi is back on her feet.”
He nodded and followed up with a sympathetic smile. “Yeah, I was sorry to hear she’s not well.”
“She’ll be fine,” I insisted.
Awkward conversations between Flynn and I were nothing new. I’d always had trouble dealing with him. Clearly not much had changed.
“Well, I just came over to get the boys.” He glanced across at them. “Your mum wants you out of the rain, fellas.”
Sean and Mason said a quick goodbye and scuttled home. Tyler – true to form – played it much cooler. “I’ll see you later, Charli,” he said, slowly ambling across the lawn.
“Yeah, okay.” I looked across at Flynn. “I’ve got to go too. I’ve got to pick Alex up. We’re off to see Gabi and the baby.”
“Of course,” Flynn replied. “Give them my best.”
“I will.”
If I’d turned around, the jig would’ve been up so like a total dick, I backed toward the door.
Flynn put me out of my misery early. “Do you want me to take the slingshot with me or do you want Tyler to come back for it?” he asked.
The frigid morning air wasn’t enough to dull the heat in my cheeks as I handed it over. “What’s the charge?” I asked dully.
Flynn laughed. “Contributing to the delinquency of minors, probably,” he teased.
“From what I can work out, they’ve had it for a while,” I told him. “You might want to teach them how to use it safely.”
I was in no position to be offering parenting advice, but Flynn didn’t seem too outraged. “Hannah would go nuts if she knew. I was happy to let them have their fun in secret.”
I shrugged. “It’s a dangerous secret.”
He half waved the slingshot at me. “I’ll keep a better eye on them,” he promised. “This parenting gig is tough.”
I couldn’t help laughing at the pained look on his face.
Adam and I had ended
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