Page 69 of Things Good Girls Don't Do

SEVEN DAYS ANDnothing.

Katie left the shop, her hair no longer sporting the purple streaks she had loved. She’d had them dyed back four days after Chase disappeared, but she was still rocking Becca’s clothes and had even gone back for a hot, short halter dress, shoes, and a new bra/panty set. She walked around with a smile and acted like nothing had changed.

And then she went home and cried herself to sleep.

She was an emotional mess. She missed him, hated him, and loved him all at once. It was like one big, confused mixing bowl in her heart, and she wished she could just scoop out all the good things about him and just hate him, but she couldn’t. She’d seen hisCLOSED INDEFINITELYsign and wondered if the note he’d left was just a way to make him feel better for rushing out on her.

At first she’d told herself not to worry, he would be back. Then the third day had passed and she’d found herself constantly checking her phone for a missed call from him. Day five, all her optimism had pretty much dissolved into sadness, and she finally had to be honest with herself. If he was going to call her, if she had meant anything to him, he would have called by now.

Maybe he was getting ready to move on and wasn’t sure how to break the news. It fit what he’d told her. He never stayed in one place for too long.

But this time, she had hoped he would stay.

She stopped at Rico’s for pizza and Hall’s Market for ice cream and a bag of Dove chocolate. By the time she made it home, she had eaten a quarter of the bag and a slice of pizza and was feeling pretty crappy.

A moment on the lips, forever on the hips, honey.

“Shut up, Mom,” Katie muttered out loud, so sick of hearing her mother rambling around in her head. She opened the car door and climbed out.

Hands covered her eyes and Steph said, “Guess who?”

“My best friend pretending she’s twelve?” Katie said.

“Ouch. You’re in a mood.” Steph dropped her hands, and Katie turned to find Becca with her.

“I always know trouble’s brewing when you two are together,” Katie said.

“We’re kidnapping you! You need to get the heck out of that house and away from all junk food.” Becca went around the other side and, before Katie could react, grabbed her pizza and other sweet goodies.

“Hey, thief!” Becca waved the food around playfully.

Katie smiled slightly. “I appreciate the gesture, guys, but I really just want to stay in and watch a movie.”

“No. You are not watching any more movies so depressing they make you feel better. I know your MO, Katie. You’ve probably already watchedBeaches,Untamed Heart, and your entire Lifetime Movie collection. It ends tonight!” Steph said.

Katie couldn’t really argue with what Steph said. She did watch depressing movies just so she could say, “Look, your life’s not so bad,” but Steph was wrong about one thing. “I haven’t watchedBeachesyet. That’s what I’m doing tonight.”

“No and hell no! You are going inside, slipping into something hot, and we are taking you out!” Becca said firmly.

“Guys, really, I’m fine ...”

“Move, woman!” Steph said, pointing to Katie’s door.

Katie sighed, too tired to fight. Maybe a night off the couch wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Alcohol and girl talk might be just what she needed to stop thinking about Chase for at least five minutes.

CHASE HELD HISphone in his hands, staring at the picture of Katie hugging a wooden bear. He’d taken it when they were exploring the shops of Hailey. She’d run up to the bear and said, “Take a picture of me!” Throwing her arms around the tall, wooden carving, he had done what she commanded, and it had started a whole round of funny bear pictures, mostly on her phone, but he had snapped this one.

Texting was too impersonal, but he was afraid to call. Afraid that she wouldn’t pick up or, worse, she would. And she’d tell him she was done with him.

“Chase?” Buzz said from behind him.

Chase got up from the hospital bench he’d been occupying outside, trying to clear his head. “Are the results back yet?”

Buzz nodded. “Yeah they’re back, and the doctors are asking for you.”

Chase slipped his phone back into his pocket and followed Buzz back into the hospital.

“WHAT THE HECKare we doing here?” Katie asked as they pulled up in front of a dark building with a bright pink sign that saidPURE LOVE ENHANCEMENTS. The girls had decided to drag her to Boise for more choices in food, clubs, and, oh yeah, sex shops.

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