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Matt spent the first half hour at the range trying to be patient. Sady insisted he retrieve the target from the next lane after she shot a hole in the corner. "It's my first score," she told him.
"It's not even your target, Sady," he said, exasperated. She refused to continue until he pulled the target.
"You completely missed the person," Matt scoffed. "You just barely hit the corner."
"That's good shooting," Sady insisted. "I don't want to hit the person."
"It might be okay shooting if that target had been yours and you were trying to miss. Now focus, will you?" His hair was on end from the repeated frustrated motion of running his hand through it. Sady turned to her target and fired off a few rounds, missing entirely.
"Holy hell, Sady! Are you even aiming at that thing?" he yelled.
"I don't like this gun," she complained. "It's ugly, and it looks mean and boxy- like a bulldog. I'd rather have one of those skinny ones, like they use on TV. Something sleek, like a greyhound."
Matt took her gun and pushed her to the side. Then he took out his irritation on the target. The head was gone when he finished. He turned, and Sady applauded. "You should save that one," she told him.
He closed his eyes and cursed Harry. "I don't think you should talk about Harry like that," she scolded. "Where are you going?" she yelled as he walked away.
He stomped back, put another clip in the gun, and said, "I'm going to find the nearest bar, what do you think? Keep practicing! And don't close your eyes."
"Did you fall in?" she asked when he returned. His head was wet from the cold water he'd splashed over it, trying to cool his temper.
He ignored her question and asked, "How did you do?"
"I didn't," she replied. "I waited for you to come back because I can't concentrate unless you're yelling at me." He took a deep breath. "Be careful, your head's steaming," she teased.
"Sady, are you even trying? To hit the target, I mean. You've succeeded in trying my patience!"
She glared. "Yes, I'm trying. I don't like this gun. Can't you get me something different?" He shook his head in defeat, and they went into the gun shop. Sady was testing the feel of the new gun, and he stopped her.
"Don't point it until you're going to fire it, please," he said.
"Sorry, I forgot! I won't do that again, I promise." Sady ignored the rude remark he made and focused on the target. She fired off five rounds and hit the sheet twice, nowhere near the bulls-eye figure.
Matt looked around suspiciously. "Do you have someone shooting for you?" he asked. She narrowed her eyes and turned back, aiming carefully. Her shot hit the bottom of the figure.
"I aimed for his head," she told Matt. "I think these guns are crooked." At the look he gave her, she said, "I am trying, honestly, Matt! I wish I could use my knives out here instead!"
"You need to compensate for distance and other factors, like wind," he said in a calmer voice.
"Now you tell me? Wait, how do I do that?" Matt stood behind her and put his arms around hers, helping her aim. Her next shot hit the person in the stomach. A few rounds later she put a hole in the head.
"Are we finished now?" she asked, looking disturbed.
"Will you read the information on safety tonight?" he asked. She nodded, and he said, "Then we're done on the range for the day." Sady put on the safety and headed into the building. "Don't you want your target?" he yelled. She shook her head without stopping.
She was quiet on the way back to the office. "Are you okay?" he asked. She just nodded. He pulled off into a parking lot with a sigh. "Out with it, Sady. You're not fine, so what's bothering you?"
She gave him a dark look. "I told you- I don't want to shoot a gun. I told everyone I don't want to shoot a gun. Harry told me I wouldn't have to. Why did they make me? And why did I? Tonight I'm going to have nightmares about blowing out the brains of the target man."
"Sady, it's a training requirement to get your permit. Harry meant you won't have to shoot or carry one as part of the job. Besides, is it any different from your knives?" he asked.
"Yes. I never saw anyone get stabbed with a knife. If I saw that, then I'd have to throw them away," she said.
"Sady, did you see someone get shot?"
"Yes, when I was little. I never told my mom. We were driving to a pageant in Chicago and she got lost. We ended up in a bad area. My mom was too busy trying to get back on track to notice, but I was hungry and hoping she would stop at the 'Foodie Mart' store- they have great L'il Turkey Muffins. Anyway, as we passed a guy came out, and another man ran out after him. The first man shot the second, and he fell down as we drove away. I was too scared to tell anyone. I was afraid he would come and shoot me. My mom thought my nightmares were from something I'd watched on TV."
"Was this the infamous pageant where you sabotaged MaryBeth's secret bag of chocolates?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood. Before she could answer his phone buzzed with an incoming text. He looked at the number and swore. By the time he turned back to Sady she was glaring, and the moment passed. They returned to the office in silence.
Amanda grabbed Sady when they got back while Matt went to his office and shut the door. Shortly before it was time to leave his door opened, and Harry stepped into the office.
"How did it go?" he asked Matt.
"Not good, Harry. I'm not going to spill Sady's secrets but there's a reason she doesn't like guns. For her sake, can we skip the firing range and focus on the class time instead?"
"As long as she's met the requirements for time and rounds on the range," Harry agreed. He turned to leave, then looked back and said, "And Matt, if you hurt her I will hurt you."
"Take a number, Harry. You'll have to find my body after CJ is finished with me. She has already staked a claim. But for the record, I'm not going to hurt Sady, okay?"
"You'd better make sure of that, Stubbles, because I'll hunt you down and kill you if you break her heart," Amanda said from the hall.
"Why don't you just send out a company memo?" Matt asked. "Or should I have a t-shirt printed?"
"We're just looking out for our girl, blue eyes. No need to get huffy about it," Amanda said with a sniff. She turned to Harry and said, "Now about Momma Knight..." Matt saw Harry close his eyes, as Amanda dragged him down the hall to his office.
When Matt left to go home Sady was standing in the parking lot, glaring at the sky. "Maybe you should have taken the birds to the shooting range," she said. "They seem to have better aim!" Matt turned to hide his smile.
Sady's Mustang had at least a dozen bird droppings on it. She was mumbling about another car wash as she got in her car. She left in a hurry and blew dirt over Matt. "Sorry about that," she yelled through her open window. He made a rude gesture and ran for his truck across the lot when he saw her brake lights.
Sady looked in her rear-view mirror and debated whether to go back, and give Matt a piece of her mind, or wash Justin. The car wash won.
When she got to the parking ramp of her apartment, she saw Matt was already home. She pushed the elevator call button and stepped in when it opened. By the time she smelled the little pile in the corner the doors had closed, and it was too late to exit. She got off on her floor, hoping the stench didn't cling to her clothes.
She pounded on Matt's door until he answered. "Your dog pooped in the elevator," she told him. At the look on his face she scolded him. "You already knew," she accused. "Shame on you! I'm tempted to scoop it and put it in front of Amanda's door with a note."
"Who's here, Matthew?" a woman's voice came from the apartment. Matt closed his eyes, and Sady's brows rose. Sady and the woman who appeared at Matt's side took stock of each other. They were complete opposites. Emily was short and well endowed, with blue eyes and curly blonde hair. She wore expensive clothes, and her makeup was flawless. "I'm Emily," she said with more than a hint of possessiveness in her voice.
"I'm Sady, the neighbor." They gave each other fake smiles as they lied about how nice it was to meet.
Emily held up a dog that resembled a rat with long fur. "And this is mommy's baby, Suzy," she said in a childish voice.
"Well, I was just telling Matthew that shit-sue had an accident in the elevator," Sady said. "You should clean that up before you get bounced for having a dog in here. It's against the rules, in case you didn't know." She left Emily with her mouth hanging open. It was gratifying to hear Matt laugh as Emily slammed the door.
It wasn't so gratifying to hear the little dog yapping half the night. When Sady opened her door to leave for work the following morning the smell gave her forewarning. She looked down at the pile on her "Welcome" mat. It was so warm it was almost steaming.
Sady dragged the little rug down to Matt's front door and took his, leaving hers positioned for the greatest chance of them stepping in the pile. She plopped Matt's rug in front of her door and left for work.
She parked across the lot and sailed into the office. "You're right, CJ," she said. "It's war!" CJ's eyes narrowed.
When Matt staggered through the door with bloodshot eyes, CJ snapped, "You're late."
"I had to change my shoes," he said. "Someone left an unpleasant gift in front of my door this morning."
"It's called re-gifting," Sady said with a scowl. "And if you don't shut that rat up, tonight I'm going to shove a gasoline-soaked rag down its throat and light a match!"
"Which one?" he asked with a grin, catching Sady off guard.
She fought back a smile and said, "Stop that! I can't be mad at you if you make me laugh!"
"We're not supposed to be mad at each other, remember? At least until our latest case is solved. Did you remember the ring?" he asked.
"I can barely remember my name after listening to that dog. We'll have to stop on the way to Daisy's," she said with a sigh. "And I need a gallon of coffee, with extra lead!"
"Well, let's go. I'll drive," he said before she could offer. They met Amanda coming through the back door.
"Hi, and bye," she yelled.
When they heard CJ greet her, Matt complained, "How come she isn't in trouble for being late?" Sady shrugged with a smile, and he turned back.
"What ever happened to being the early bird?" he yelled.
Amanda gave a snort. "The important lesson is what happens to the early worm. It gets eaten! Now get going because I have important work to do and you're disrupting the office." Sady laughed and Matt ignored her.
"I should have known. I'm sorry I bothered to ask," he said.
“That makes two of us. Keep it to yourself, Stubbles.”
Matt dropped Sady off in front of the apartment and refused to go inside the building. Sady checked the elevator before entering. In her apartment she dug through her jewelry and found a couple suitable choices for an engagement ring. She shoved them into her pocket and left in a hurry.
Hopping into Matt's truck, she held them out so he could look. "What do you think? Bigger stone, or smaller?"
"We want her to think we have money to burn, but if the stone is too big, she might spot it for a fake. How about that one?" He pointed to a medium size stone.
"Works for me," Sady said, shoving it on her left ring finger. "Oh, wait," she teased. "I forgot- you're supposed to do that. You might need the practice." He gave her a dirty look, and she said, "You'd better lose that look before we get to the planner's, or you're going to blow it."
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel after he parked in the lot of the event planner. "Why, Matt! Don't tell me you're nervous," she joked.
"It's a little too unexpected for my comfort," he said.
Sady blinked her lashes flirtatiously and patted her flat stomach. "It's all unexpected, dear." Matt looked queasy as he got out of the truck. Sady had to drag him into the office where a young woman at the reception desk greeted them.
"Miss Daisy will be with you shortly," she said with a smile. Matt said something about the name under his breath, and Sady elbowed him with a smile at the receptionist.
"He's a little nervous," Sady said. "It's his first wedding."
The receptionist gave Sady a sharp look. "Is this your first wedding?"
"Oh, no. Well, it's my first real wedding." She rolled her eyes and giggled. "Not my first real, real wedding. That was in front of a justice of the peace when I was eighteen." She sighed. "Momma insisted, even though I knew it would end up in a divorce. That's why I'm so excited this time. I'm finally going to have my dream wedding." She patted Matt's cheeks and giggled again. "Aren't you excited, sweetie?" The receptionist relaxed and went back to work.
Less than five minutes later a woman came through the closed office door. "I'm Daisy," she said in a friendly voice as she shook hands with them. "You must be Matthew and Sandy-Sue."
Sady heard Matt's intake of breath, and she pinched him before he could say, "No kidding," or something worse. Sady pumped Daisy's hand and said, "Oh, you can call me Sady. After my first marriage went south, I decided I needed to change my first name along with my last. Junior was such a cheapskate, not like my Matthew!" She squeezed Matt's arm, and he looked at her like she was crazy.
Sady yanked his arm and whispered in his ear, "I'm not young, but I still have to be stupid. Now play along, or I'm calling Amanda." She giggled and pushed him away.
"Don't mind him, Daisy. He's a little shy at first." She patted her stomach. "But not for long. He warms up in a hurry," she said with a wink. Matt turned red with embarrassment while Daisy tried to find safe ground.
"Er, yes... I understand time is of the essence. That's why I want to show you our exclusive 'Express' packages. They're perfect for couples in your situation."
Matt watched in fascination as Sady's eyes filled with tears, and she placed a hand on her heart. "Bless you for not judging us," she told Daisy.
Daisy ushered them to a showroom office and invited them to sit. Matt enjoyed the show as Sady rushed around the room, admiring the photos and displays. It took Daisy nearly five minutes to corral her and get her seated. Daisy was out of breath, and she brushed a strand of loose hair back before she proceeded.
"So, how much do you have available to spend on your perfect wedding?" Daisy asked.
Matt looked puzzled and said, "I'm not sure- ten thousand?" Daisy's smile dropped, and Sady gave him a glacial look.
"I'm NOT marrying another Junior, am I?" she asked in a voice that could shatter concrete. She patted his arm, then turned back to Daisy with a smile, as she rolled her eyes. "Men! What do they know? I was thinking something closer to thirty thousand." Matt choked, and Daisy pasted the smile back on her face.
"I'm certain we can work within your budget," she replied.
"Well, if that's not enough we can scrape together more, right sweetie?" Sady asked Matt.
"Let's not forget about the little one we have coming," he warned.
Sady smacked his arm. "Silly, that's what baby showers are for. If you do it right, you don't have to buy anything but a few diapers for at least a year." Sady turned back to Daisy, who was beaming with pleasure. She knew Sady was the ship's captain.
"So, Sady, I understand you'd like to start with the dress," Daisy said. "I think you should know I work with a few exclusive businesses, who always give a deep discount to my customers. Really, with as much money as I'm able to save my clients, it's like getting me thrown in for free! We work hand in hand."
I'm sure you do, Sady thought as she let out a squeal and rubbed her hands. "I love dress shopping, Daisy! How soon can we start?"
Daisy looked at Matt. Sady might be captain of the ship, but she'd met too many men eager to toss the anchor. Daisy needed Matt on board completely before she got too wrapped up in things. If he was going to make things difficult, she'd hand them off to one of her assistants and fry a bigger fish.
"Whatever the little woman wants," Matt said, finally getting into the game. Sady pinched his arm in excitement, and he tried not to wince.
Daisy whipped out a contract and said, "Wonderful! As soon as you've paid the deposit of 50% we'll start looking at dresses. Normally, we'd start with the invitations, but I understand your excitement! Of course, you realize that prices will be substantially higher on some items, due to the rush. But you are worth every bit. You deserve the best!"
"Do you take checks?" Sady giggled. Daisy nodded and waited expectantly. Sady stopped giggling and turned to Matt. "Write the check, Matt."
He looked at her. "I, uh, don't have the checkbook?"
"You forgot the checkbook? How could you?" Sady asked, wringing her hands and fighting back tears.
"Well, I'm afraid if you don't have the down payment I have other clients in need of my services," Daisy said, dangling the big hook.
Sady gave Daisy a firm look and turned to Matt. "You left it at Uncle Harry's, didn't you? You just drive right over there and get it. Then you come right back. I'll be looking at wedding dresses on the computer!"
She turned to Daisy. "You won't cancel us, will you? We really need you right now! I promise he'll be right back, won't you?" Matt nodded, and Daisy smiled as she patted Sady's arm.
"Well, I'll hold your opening, because you're such a sweet couple," she said, putting a hand to her throat like she was overwhelmed with emotion.
"I'll just walk him out and write it down, so he doesn't forget," Sady told Daisy. "Then I'll be back to start shopping!"