She picked up his hand and dropped the paper towel filled with ice on his hand. “You were awesome,” she said. In the corner of his eye, he saw his sister move a few feet away as if giving them space.

He glanced up at Tami. “Not really. I should have chased his ass off a long time ago.”

“Mindy wouldn’t have let you. Besides, I … never thought watching a guy fight would be hot, but it was.”

“You think I’m hot?” he asked, loving the sound of that.

She grinned. “I think you’re a hero.”

“So I’m not hot?”

She laughed. “You’re both.” She dipped her head and kissed him. It wasn’t one of those that came with tongue, but it was much more than a simple peck.

And it didn’t end quickly. It lasted, not long enough, but long enough for it to mean something.

When she pulled back, he looked up at her. “Are you only kissing me because I hit Eric? Because I don’t want to have to hit a guy every time I want to score a kiss.” He smiled at her, his heart still racing from feeling her lips against his.

“No,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time. And …” she made a funny face, “since I’m gonna die soon, I figured I’d better do it.”

“In that case, do you think you should do it again?” It was a lame line. But it worked.

She kissed him again. And this one did come with a little tongue. He was nervous at first, but just like he thought, he didn’t suck at it. He suddenly felt confident. He even reached up with his uninjured hand and held the back of her head.

The sound of a ringing phone broke the kiss. His sister stood about ten feet away staring and smiling as she pulled her phone out.

When she looked at the phone’s screen, her eyes widened with panic. She came running up. “It’s Dad. Pleeeasse tell me you didn’t call him about this.”

“I didn’t,” he told her and stood up. “He’s probably just checking in.”

She inhaled a breath and took the call.

“Hey, Dad,” Mindy said, sounding extra cheery, but she really did sound okay. She paused. “I hate that. Yeah, we were ready to come back anyway.” She looked up at Chase. “Okay, we’ll meet you in twenty minutes.”

She dropped the phone back in her pocket. “He’s picking us up early. Something about a storm and a surgery he’s been called in to do. We’re going to have to leave this afternoon. Like soon, because everyone is trying to get out of town before the storm.”

“I hate that,” Tami said.

“Me, too,” Chase said. He wasn’t ready for this weekend to end. He plopped the ice he’d been using on his knuckles on the table. He moved his hand. It wasn’t broken, just bruised.

Mindy stood there staring at him, looking worried again. “Promise me you aren’t going to tell Mom or Dad about this.”

Chase studied her frown. “Promise me that you’ll be more careful from now on. And not hook up with jerks.”

“I promise,” Mindy said. “Now you promise. I want to hear it.”

Chase shrugged. “I already promised, but to make you feel better … I promise I won’t tell Dad or Mom.” His sister came over and hugged him again.

“I love happy endings,” Tami said.

As they walked back to the place they were supposed to meet his dad, they passed the palm reader. She was with someone else, holding a man’s palm in her hand, probably telling him lies. Then, as if the palm reader felt them, she glanced up. Her dark black eyes followed them. But it was her expression that concerned him more. It wasn’t evil. Not angry. It was sad.

Chase looked away quickly, glad Tami hadn’t seen her.

He didn’t believe the woman. He didn’t. But he gazed back one more time and for some reason he recalled what Tami said. I love happy endings.

***

As they were walking back to meet his dad, Mindy claimed she needed to find a restroom. And because apparently girls never went to the bathroom alone, Tami went with her. Chase sat down on a bench a half a block from the facilities.

He sat there practically glowing thinking about the two kisses, and trying to decide what he needed to do next. And not just kiss her again—oh, he was definitely going to do that—but wondering what a boy was supposed to do. Did he ask her to go out with him? Ask her to go to the movies with him? A thought hit that he didn’t like. His parents had been so strict about Mindy not dating until sixteen, would they feel the same way about him?

Shit! He didn’t like that. And for once he could really relate to his sister’s feelings.

A few minutes passed. His hand throbbed a bit along with the concern about his parents. Remembering Eric could still be around and might be stupid enough to try something, he stood up and walked toward the bathrooms, wanting to be there when they walked out.

Two girls came out of the facility but it wasn’t Tami and his sister.

He stood in the same spot, scuffing his shoe on the pavement, watching the exit to the girls’ restroom, trying not to worry. Chicks always took forever in the bathroom.

When another five minutes passed, he started pacing. If they didn’t come out soon, he was going in. His face heated thinking about walking into a girls’ restroom, but …

“Hey,” Tami called out.

He spun around and saw them walking toward him.

“I thought you were in the bathroom?” he said, sounding a little annoyed. He instantly regretted his tone, but figured he had a right. He’d been worried.