Read Taking Shots (Assassins) for Free Online Page B

breath before saying, “Six years.”
    “ What! Since Justin?”
    “ Yeah, why?”
    “ Oh, my God, you need to get laid. No wonder you’re such a bitch sometimes.”
    “ For the love of God, shut up! I am fine.”
    “ You most certainly are not!”
    Elli was about to yell some more when her phone rang. She picked it up and looked at the display.
    “ It’s him,” she whispered, looking up at Harper in horror. What the hell was he doing calling her?
    “ What? Shea? Answer it!”
    “ No! What would I say?”
    “ Umm…hello?”
    “ Shut up!” Elli stood off the bar stool and walked to the living pushing, talk. “Hello?”
    “ Hey.”
    “ Hey.”
    “ It’s Shea.”
    “ I know.”
    “ Oh, okay, you sound weird.”
    “ Oh, sorry.”
    “ Don’t be, what’s up?”
    “ Um, nothing, what’s up with you?”
    “ This is Elli right?”
    “ Yeah.”
    “ What’s wrong? You sound really weird.”
    Elli slapped herself in the forehead, trying to get it together, but how could she! Shea Adler was calling her! “Oh, well, I’m just surprised you called.”
    “ Am I not supposed to?”
    “ Oh, no, it’s not that. I just didn’t think you would.”
    Silence.
    “ Alright, did I do something wrong? Cause I thought this afternoon went great.”
    “ It did, but I thought that was all it was, an afternoon.”
    “ Oh, is that all you want it to be?”
    “ Oh, no, you don’t, don’t put that loaded question on me!” He laughed, and she smiled. Harper came into the living room, throwing herself on the couch, grinning up at Elli. She, of course, gave Harper the death glare.
    “ Okay, then I will tell you this. I want it to be more. I want to see you again, Elli.”
    “ You do?”
    “ Oh, yeah I do. What are you doing tomorrow?”
    “ Tomorrow?”
    “ Yeah, as in the day that comes after today?”
    “ Smartass.” He chuckled, which made her smile “I gotta work during the day and I have a wedding tomorrow night.”
    “ Okay, Tuesday?”
    “ Bar mitzvah and work all day.”
    “ A bar mitzvah? You do that?’
    “ Yup,” she said with a grin. Harper just smiled big.
    “ Okay, I got an event Wednesday, what about Thursday?”
    “ Wedding.”
    “ Well, shit woman!” she laughed, “I bet Friday and Saturday is a no go.”
    “ Friday, weddings out my butt, but Saturday, I’m spending the day with my nieces and nephews. My assistants are doing the weddings that day, then I have a wedding that night.”
    “ Okay.”
    “ I know I’m stupid busy and-“
    “ We’ll make the time, okay? The season opener is Wednesday, and then I’ll be wicked busy.”
    “ I know. I understand.”
    Silence, she guessed he was thinking, because she sure was. She was thinking maybe she could throw some stuff on Harper, but she quickly dismissed that. How could she expect Harper to do her job just so she could go on a date with Shea?
    “ All I know is that I can’t wait till next Wednesday to see you.”
    Her heart warmed, he was so sweet.
    “ It is a long time away.”
    “ Yeah, it is. I go to practice every day from nine to eleven. Your studio isn’t far from the arena, maybe we can do lunch?”
    “ Sure, I don’t have my schedule in front of me, but I can text you in the morning, let you know.”
    “ Sounds good, so I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “ I hope so.”
    “ Good, do you have time to talk?”
    “ Um, well, actually I have a friend over.”
    “ Okay, well, I’ll let you go, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “ Okay.”
    “ Bye, Elli.”
    “ Bye, Shea.”
    When she hung up, she looked over at Harper, who had the biggest grin on her face. Elli’s hand came up to cover her mouth. Was this really happening? Did Shea Adler want to see her? For real? Not as friends? Elli was on the verge of tears. She had never been so happy and scared all at the same time. Her mind was reeling; Shea Adler wanted to date her!
    Harper stood up, came over, and wrapped her arms around Elli.
    “ Told you,” she whispered in