“Do you ever think of the consequences of the guns you sell?” Laurie asked. She wanted to keep the conversation going.

“Of course,” Paul said flippantly. “They provide people with the ability to defend themselves in a dangerous world.”

“What about when the guns end up in the hands of violent, right-wing fringe groups?” Laurie asked. “Like skinheads?”

“They have a right to defend themselves just like anyone else.”

“The problem is, with such bigoted hate groups, the guns tend to get used and they kill people.”

“Guns don’t kill people,” Paul said cavalierly. “People kill people.”

“Now you’re sounding like a National Rifle Association spokesperson,” Laurie said.

“The NRA has some very good points,” Paul said. “Like the fact that the Constitution itself very specifically gives us the right to bear arms. When the government intervenes like it did with the Omnibus Crime Bill, it’s acting blatantly unconstitutionally.”

Laurie stared at her potential fiancé-to-be and shook her head. She couldn’t believe they could be so far apart on such an important issue when they were so compatible in so many other ways.

Paul tossed his napkin onto the table. “I’m frankly disappointed that your response to my business has turned out to be exactly the hackneyed one I was worried about. Now you know why I didn’t tell you sooner.”

“I’m disappointed myself,” Laurie said. “I don’t like to think of you selling guns, particularly those Bulgarian assault rifles, wherever it is you sell them. I mean, you don’t sell them in this country anymore, do you?”

“It’s against the law, thanks to the unconstitutional Omnibus Crime Bill,” Paul said.

“That’s not what I asked,” Laurie said. “I know they are banned. I asked you if you sold them.”

Laurie stared at Paul. For a few moments he didn’t respond. His only movement was the rise and fall of his chest with his respiration. Their eyes were locked in a kind of duel.

“Aren’t you going to answer?” Laurie demanded incredulously.

“It’s such a stupid question,” Paul said haughtily, “I don’t think it deserves an answer.”

“But I’d like one,” Laurie said defiantly.

Paul took a drink from his brandy snifter, held the liquor in his mouth for a moment, then swallowed. “No, I don’t sell Bulgarian AK-47s in the United States. Are you satisfied?”

Laurie took a sip from her cappuccino. She didn’t answer herself while she mulled over the conversation. She wasn’t satisfied at all. In fact she was angry about the way Paul had responded to her reasonable questions. The good side was that the anger chased away her tendency toward tears. Inflaming her further, Paul was regarding her with an irritating superciliousness.