Taking Shots (Assassins)

by Toni Aleo

  “So, tell me this, how does a typical Elli Fisher day go?” She smiled as she took another drink of water.

  “Well, I wake up early. If I’m not too tired, I go for a run before letting my pup out, then I eat some breakfast, go to work, then go to work again, I’m really boring, I swear,” she said with a laugh. “You’re a pro hockey player, nothing I do would impress you.” He smiled as he looked down at his food.

  “Elli, anything you do impresses me. You are amazing.” She blinked a few times before looking down at her food. He needed to remember that she was shy and he couldn’t be so forward with her, but it was so hard. Plus, it was as if he control what he was saying when she was around. Shea took his hat off, running his hand through his hair, and then placed it back on his head.

  “Tell me what the typical day of Shea Adler is,” she said. He looked over at her. She was tearing apart a piece of bread. He smiled.

  “I run in the morning, too, maybe we could do that together one time,” he suggested. She laughed out loud.

  “Please, you would smoke me!”

  “I really don’t run that fast. I hate running.”

  “You’re in shape, Shea. I am not.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “No, really. I’m not. Anyways, go on with your day.”

  He paused, giving her a look before saying, “Running in the morning, practice in the mid morning, then, lately, lunch with a beautiful girl.” She grinned at him before she threw a piece of bread at him.

  “Stop, you’re making me blush!” He smiled, and continued.

  “Then I usually go home, sleep a little, before doing some more team stuff. Right now I’m taking it easy, since the season is about to start and I’ll be busy all the time.”

  “Yeah,” she said with a nod, “I have a question.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Why do you wear glasses when you’re not on the ice? Do you hate your contacts that much?”

  “No, it’s just my glasses are easy, really, I’m just lazy.” She giggled as she laid back on the blanket. There was a nice breeze and the sun was shining. It was a nice late summer day. “I also hate putting my finger in my eye. I have big hands,” he said holding them up, she smiled.

  “I know, when you held my hand over here, yours swallowed mine.” Shea smiled as he reached over and took her hand in his.

  “I think it’s a nice fit,” he said, looking at their hands. She looked down, then back at him.

  “Maybe you’re right.”

  “I’m always right.” She giggled again, rolling her eyes.

  “Male ego…” He smiled, as she giggled some more. He loved her giggle, her smile, shit, her everything. “I got another question.”

  “Ask away.”

  “Did you always want so many tattoos?” she asked looking at his arms. He looked down at his arms. He had gotten both arms done over the last eight years. He added things that meant something to him, and he was about done. He had a little room on his left arm. But for the most part, everything was full.

  “Yeah, I started them about eight years ago. What, you don’t like them?’

  “No, I do, I just never knew you had ‘em, your jersey covers your arms. And when I saw pictures of you online, you are always wearing your blazer jacket.”

  “Yeah, the league doesn’t like them much.”

  “Oh.”

  “I don’t care, though. I love them, they are a story, telling of my life. My whole family has something on my arm.”

  “Really? Where’s Grace?”

  “Right here,” he pointed to two stick figures that stood with their arms around each other.

  “Stick figures?” He smiled.

  “She likes it; she has the same one on her hip.”

  “Oh, cool,” she made a little face, and he laughed as he pointed to other things. His mom and dad’s part, which were their names. A hockey stick with a 6 above it, the date he was drafted, then the dates Ryan and Amelia were born. Then there was a bunch of other crap that didn’t matter, but looked cool.

  “Do you have any tattoos?”

  “I do, but I can’t show you cause I’m wearing a dress, remind me the next time I’m wearing jeans”

  “What is it?”

  “You’ll see,” she said with a sneaky smile. He smiled back, turning onto his stomach, holding her hand in both his. They stayed like that for a long time, Shea messing with her fingers as they talk about everything. Elli’s time in college, along with his, their families, but she didn’t say much about her parents or brothers or sister, it was mainly about the kids. They were discussing the upcoming season when her phone rang. She dug into her purse until she found it.

  “I’m sorry, I gotta answer this,” she said as she pushed talk. “Hey Harp, everything okay?” He watched as she listened and nodded at whatever the person was saying. “Alright, I’ll be back over there in a few. Go ahead and get started. Thanks babe,” she hung up and smiled. “My assistant and best friend, Harper”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, one of our clients needed some shots of their daughter for the Miss Tennessee Pageant. She hadn’t called to make an appointment and called Harper for help, so Harper is down at the studio, getting started. I’ll come in and look at the shots. If there’s anything else I can think of to do, we’ll do it”

  “Do you need to go?”

  “In a few.”

  “Okay,” he said, and then he smiled to his self as she put her hand back in his.

  “So I think your friend is dating my friend,” Elli said.

  “Huh? Who?”

  “Jakob Titov.”

  “Um, no, Jakob isn’t dating anyone.” She gave him a look, as if she was saying ‘you’re being difficult’.

  “Okay, he is screwing my best friend. Well Harper is screwing him, ah, whatever.” Shea smiled.

  “Harper is a very complex woman that is driving my best friend mad.”

  “I know. I don’t understand it, she usually only messes with them once, but I’ve been hearing a lot about Jakob and that’s not on the ice, but rather in the bed.”

  “He’s a good guy, but he’s looking for the one.”

  “Well, Harper is not the one. Tell him to watch it, she is a heart breaker.”

  “Wonderful. Tell her to dump him.”

  “She tried, but he keeps coming back, and I don’t know. I’m not telling you what she says!” Elli blushed as she covered her face. When she peeked at him, he smiled.

  “Let’s leave them to do what they need to do.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” she said with a grin, “Can I ask you something else?”

  “Sure.”

  “I feel like this has been questions and answers.”

  “That’s how dates go, we are learning about each other.”

  “True, but this is a silly question…what are you wearing to our date tomorrow?” Shea had never had a girl ask him that. He just looked at her surprised as she bit her lip. Then he laughed out loud, causing her to giggle uncontrollably. “I told you it was a dumb question!”

  “It’s not! I just never had a girl ask me that.”

  “I just don’t know if I should dress dressy or casual or dressy casual. I’m freaking out!” She threw her hands over her mouth, her cheeks so red that he was pretty sure he felt the heat from them. He sat up, crossing his legs so he could sit in front of her. He took her hands off her mouth, kissing her palms before kissing her lips sweetly. He brought his hands up, cupping her face gently.

  “You don’t need to freak out about me, I’m easy going.” She just nodded, looking dazed. He loved that look on her. “I’m probably going to be dressy since we are going to PF Changs.”

  “Okay,” she almost whispered.

  “Now, come here, give me some more of them kisses.” She bit her lip before he covered her mouth with him.

  If everyday had Elli’s kisses in them, his life would be complete.

  When Shea dropped Elli off at the
studio, they kissed goodbye in the truck since she had clients inside. She didn’t want to leave, but had to and promised to call him later. When she went in, Harper was sitting at the computer with Liz and her daughter, Aslynn.

  “Hello, all!” Elli gushed as she hugged Liz, then Aslynn. Harper looked at her with a ‘what the hell’ look, as Liz gushed on how good Elli looked.

  “My goodness, has your momma seen you lately? You’re glowing!”

  “Oh, thank you, Liz”

  “You really are, Ms. Elli,” Aslynn added. Elli blushed as Harper giggled.

  “She’s seeing someone, ain’t you El?” Elli’s smiled dropped, why would she say that? Especially in front of Liz Martin! Her momma’s every-other-day-best-friend!

  “Harper!” Elli said with a glare. As soon as Harper realized what she did, she looked towards the computer.

  “Oh really! How awesome! Who is he? Please say he is better than that dumb ass Justin you were dating!”

  Oh, yeah, he is.

  “You know Elli, Justin is dating my cousin Annalisa. She is so ugly! I don’t know why he left you.”

  “I left him,” Elli said, but it didn’t matter because on went Liz and Aslynn about dumb ass Justin. Gossip is what make these Southern states run. “How do the pictures look?”

  “Perfect!” Aslynn gushed. She was so pretty. Bright blonde hair, big breasts, big blue eyes, she was gorgeous, and young at only seventeen.

  “Wonderful. If y’all would excuse me, I got some paperwork to tend to.”

  Harper came into the office after Liz and Aslynn had left. She sat down in front of Elli with a sheepish look on her face. Elli knew Harper thought she was mad, but she wasn’t. Harper sat down, pulling her knees up to under her chin, and looked over at Elli.

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “I’m not mad. Just worried about what my mom will say when she finds out.”

  “Just don’t answer the phone.”

  “Yeah. I guess.”

  “I’m sorry.” Elli looked up at her, a small smile on her lips.

  “It’s okay.”

  Harper smiled big, letting her legs fall back to the ground. That’s how Elli knew she was really sorry. She always brought her legs up to her chest, like she was protecting her heart or something.

  “So you wanna go to dinner before the wedding?”

  “Actually, I need to go shopping. I have a date tomorrow,” Elli said with a big grin.

  “Wow, so how many times have you been out with him?”

  “Tomorrow will be four.” Elli took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “He’s amazing”

  “And hot, but I hope you’re not falling for him, El. Guys like him are good for one thing and one thing only,” Elli looked at Harper with what felt like a sullen look because she knew what Harper was about to say “and that’s to fuck, so watch it. He’s a cool dude, but don’t give him your heart, just have fun.”

  “You feel like that about Jakob?”

  “Jakob is different.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know, that is a totally different situation.”

  “No, it’s not. How many times have you all been out?”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Yes, it does! Because you can’t tell me not to feel more for Shea, when you are with Jakob, Shea’s hockey twin!”

  “I am not with Jakob. I’m fucking him, so you, shut up.” And with that, Harper stormed out the room leaving Elli to just smile after her.

  Jakob was getting to Harper and Harper didn’t like it at all.

  Elli locked the studio up since she didn’t have any evening appointments and left. The wedding wasn’t until seven, so it gave her time to go shopping like she wanted. She decided to go to her favorite designer’s shop, Melanie Renee, because the dresses there were beautiful. Ever since she had opened a Nashville shop, it was basically the only place that Elli shopped. She loved Melanie’s designs, they were perfect for her. They were something straight out of the 50s, with a crazy flair to them.

  Elli parked her truck in a spot and then proceeded to go in. She loved the feel of Melanie Renee’s store; it was so inviting, so classic. Totally white, with the only color being the clothes and accessories, big white lamps hung from the ceilings and the glass windows were from floor to ceiling, lining the front of the store. Elli went to the first rack, looking through it, when her phone singled a text message. It was Shea.

  I miss your small hand.

  She grinned so big that she thought her face was gonna break.

  “Do we even carry your size here?” Elli looked up from her phone, her smile falling. Her sister, Victoria, stood before her in what she knew was a size extra small of the exact same dress Elli was wearing. Her sister was extremely beautiful. Long light brown hair that came to the middle of her back, straight as a board, big green eyes, with high cheek bones, and a cupid bow mouth. But even though Victoria Fisher was gorgeous, she was evil, had been making Elli’s life a living hell since the day she had been born.

  “Obviously, y’all do since I am wearing the same dress you are, Vicky.” Elli knew Victoria hated being called Vicky, but she did it anyways.

  “I didn’t know we carried cow here?”

  “Wow, thanks, my dear sister,” Elli said as she moved through the racks. “Why are you here?”

  “I work here.”

  “Lord help us all! What happened to the big modeling gig?”

  “It happened, now I’m down on money.”

  “And you’re not living off momma and daddy?”

  “No, I can stand on my own feet, thank you.”

  “Sure,” Elli said with a dazed look. “Well, it’s been great talking to you, Vicky, but I’m busy and I know you wouldn’t want me to report to management that you’re harassing me, right?”

  Victoria glared as she walked away towards the counter. Elli tried to ignore the stares of her evil sister as she shopped, but it was hard, especially with her words going through Elli’s head.

  I didn’t know we carried cow?

  She kept looking through the racks because she’d be damned if she let her sister see that she had gotten to her. She was flipping through one of the last racks when she saw a champagne colored apron dress from the 1930s. It had a cute little bow tie in the back and it was just so cute! She found her size and carried it to the counter where her sister stood, glaring, of course.

  “Can’t I refuse service?”

  “You can, but I can have Amy on the phone in a matter of seconds.” Amy was the manager of the store and, luckily for Elli, she had taken pictures of Amy’s daughter last week, so Elli would be fresh on Amy’s mind.

  “Whatever.”

  As Victoria took care to take the tags and security tag off Elli’s dress, she looked at the counter where there were cute head bows and flowers to go with the dresses in the store.

  “I’ll take that champagne colored feathery bow too, please,” Elli said, Victoria grumbled something, and then rang it up. After giving her the total, Elli handed her back her bank card.

  “Must be nice to drop this kind of money on a dress and a hair bow.”

  “Well, when you work for it, it does feel nice. Have a nice day, sister dear.” Elli grabbed her bags and card and walked out feeling a lot better since she knew her sister was jealous to the core. When she got into the truck, she started it before she pulled her phone back out, reading Shea’s message again. Katy Perry’s “Not like the Movies”, started playing and Elli smiled.

  What was happening with Shea was kinda like the movies. It was like a dream.

  And I miss your big hands swallowing mine. She typed back before putting her phone on her thigh and driving off.

  The wedding went great that night. Harper didn’t talk to Elli, but Elli knew she would get over their little fight from earlier that day. Shea had texted her all night and she enjoyed their little conversation between her working. After the wedding, Elli was walking towards her truck when Harp
er fell in step with her.

  “I’m not dating him,” she muttered.

  “Okay, it’s none of my business.”

  “Yes it is. You’re my best friend.”

  “You’re right, so be honest with me, you like him?” Harper looked everywhere but Elli’s eyes. She had this nervous look to her, which confirmed what Elli thought. Harper really liked Jakob.

  “I like having sex with him.”

  “Well, there’s a start to admitting your feelings.”

  “You like Shea?”

  “I do.” Harper seemed to think it over, and then she looked Elli right in the eyes.

  “Then you better not let your insecurities get in the damn way. You're amazing El, amazing. Any man, even dudes at Shea Adler’s caliber, would be lucky to be with you. Don’t forget that and don’t let your family fuck it up.” She turned to walk away, and then stopped to look over her shoulder at Elli. “And don’t let past shit with Justin fuck it up, either.” Harper was gone after that, leaving Elli alone to lean against her truck.

  How the hell did she do that? Totally call her on everything that Elli was feeling scared of and then walk away like it was nothing. She smiled as she got into her truck; she guessed that’s why she loved Harper so much. Harper knew her inside and out.

  Once she got on near the interstate, she was stopped at a red light, when she looked at the clock, it was well past midnight, so she texted Shea to see if he was awake. She pulled onto the interstate just as her phone rang. It was Shea.

  “Hey, did I wake you?”

  “No,” his voice was all groggy.

  “Liar. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “No, I want to talk to you, make sure you get home okay.” She smiled. “How was the wedding?”

  “Beautiful, tiring. I’m ready to go to bed.”

  “Are you on the interstate?”