Page 24 of Make a Scene

He laughed. “Exactly that.”

“Fine, let me do it,” she said as she got in line. “I want to get the big parrot plush toy. My niece is obsessed with birds right now.”

“How old is she?”

“Six. And her brother is eight. Do you have the one sibling?”

“Yup, only Gwen and me. The coolest sister, by the way. How about you?” he asked.

“An older brother.”

“Are you close?”

“We weren’t that close growing up. Probably because I kept crushing on his friends,” Retta said, laughing.

As they got closer to the front, Retta studied people’s techniques for throwing a punch.

“I think I can do better than that,” she said under her breath.

“Do you want tips?” Duncan asked.

“Hell yeah. Show me.”

“Are you right-handed or left?” he asked, stepping closer.

She raised her right hand.

“Okay, place your right foot back and when you go to punch, rotate your hips and pivot your back foot,” he said, demonstrating the movement. “It’ll give you more power.”

She imitated him.

“Now, let’s see your fist.”

When she presented her right clenched hand to him, he adjusted her thumb before giving a satisfactory nod. “Go ahead, Rocky.”

Jabbing the air in front of her, she said, “You know, I’ve never actually watchedRocky.”

Duncan stepped back like one of her punches had landed. “Never?”

His tone was so incredulous she decided to tease him. “Is it any good?”

“You’ve said all I need to know,” he replied. “We’re watchingRocky.”

She didn’t have the chance to ask him about this presumed second “date” they’d have because the woman running the game called out, “Ma’am, you’re next.”

Turning, she dumped her purse in Duncan’s arms before stepping up to the bag. With all her strength she hit the teardrop-shaped target. The bright red digits presented her decent score. It was higher than the three people before her. She looked at the attendant, hoping her slightly sore hand wouldn’t be in vain.

“Congratulations, ma ‘am. You can pick anything from the third shelf.”

Retta laughed. The bird was on the sixth one.

She shrugged as she approached Duncan with a small alligator plush toy. “I thought I did well.”

He gave her back her purse, but before she could suggest a place to go next, he joined the line to hit the bag.

“What’re you doing?” she asked.

“Getting you that bird.”