“Woo!”she shouts, shooting her arms up in the air. “Mission accomplished. I won the bet with Hunter. Now he owes me.”
“Owes you what?” I laugh, not at all surprised our best friends had a bet going against us.
“I haven’t decided yet.” She smirks, pulling out her phone and shooting off a text.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHASE
Waking up to the bed and my arms empty, I half wonder if I dreamed everything from last night. The kiss.Kisses.Lots of kisses and watching fireworks from my bed. Feeling Kayla’s laugh vibrate against my chest. Her touch. I sit up and run my hand through my hair, looking around for my phone, when I see it on the floor, next to her bracelet. A late-night memory hits me of her giggling. Her trying to untangle the chain from the snag in my shirt collar before ripping it off her wrist and throwing it on the floor, diving her lips back into mine. Nope, no dream could compare to last night. I reach for my phone, swiping the bracelet up with it and shoot off a quick text.
Me
You snuck out on me.
Kayla
Had to work and didn’t want to wake you.
Me
Dinner tonight?
Kayla
Can’t. Working a split shift and have to close tonight.
Coming in for coffee today? There’s still time for breakfast…
Me
Work meeting this a.m. What about lunch today?
Kayla
Babysitting for my neighbor at lunch. Tomorrow?
Me
I can’t wait until tomorrow. Even if it’s just five minutes, I want to see you.
Kayla
Okay… I have a 15 min. break after the dinner rush. 8:00?
Me
I’ll be there *smiley face* This is our first date… should I be nervous?
Kayla
Definitely. And then you can stare at me and leave your number in the tip jar with some line about stealing your breath away. Oh, wait…
My parents are eatingbreakfast when I walk into their rental. Dad has his arm draped lazily over the back of Mom’s chair, holding his phone away from his face to read whatever is on the screen. Avery is sitting at the kitchen bar, typing furiously on her phone. I ruffle her hair as I walk by, and she swiftly elbows me inthe back.
“Cut it out, Chase!” she says, smoothing her mussed-up ponytail.
“I missed you, Av! Gotta make up for lost time.” I wink, and she rolls her eyes at me as she turns back to her phone. “Where’s Had?” I ask, leaning against the countertop, looking around the room for my youngest sister.
