Page 70 of Things Good Girls Don't Do (Rock Canyon, Idaho 1)

“And Jimmy called Katie some filthy names!”

It was chaos. A hundred people were talking at once and all of them were giving different accounts.

Mrs. Andrews pointed at Chase. “That man started a brawl, Chief, and Katie got in the middle of it. I really don’t know what’s come over her, but he’s the one you want.”

“This is why she’s losing all her customers, hanging out with riffraff like him,” another blue-haired battle-ax sniffed.

Chase looked at Katie, saw the red in her cheeks, and knew the woman was telling the truth. “How many of your appointments canceled this week?”

Her eyes shifted away. “I don’t know. Half dozen or so. It’s not a big deal, they’ll come around.”

Katie was standing in front of him, looking at him with concern, her hands all over him, searching for injuries, while her livelihood was going down the toilet because of him. She had run her ex-boyfriend off with a bat. Partly, he knew, because she had wanted to, but also to get Jimmy away from Chase. To protect him. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had protected him. He’d always just relied on himself. She was selfless and brave, and it made him feel about ten inches tall. If their roles were reversed, would he have done the same for her? And why wouldn’t she tell him about it? He was torn between feelings of gratitude that she thought he was worth taking on the whole town and guilt, because he wasn’t sure if he was worth the effort.

“Now all of you shut the hell up and let me talk to Chase and Katie,” the chief said, and once the crowd quieted, he asked, “All right, young man, what do you have to say?”

Another explosion lit up the sky with several colors, and Chase said, “Chief, here’s what happened. Jimmy showed up with a few of his friends and said some things I didn’t like to Katie. I got mad, threw a punch, and they jumped me. Justin, Jared, and Eric broke it up.”

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sp; “And after all this, Katie took a baseball bat to Jimmy’s truck? That how it happened, Katie?” the chief asked.

“Yes sir,” she said, without stopping her examination of Chase.

“Well, if that’s true, I should haul you in on destruction of private property, Katie.”

Katie took a deep breath and said, “I understand, sir.”

“Wait a minute! Jimmy took off. Shouldn’t you at least wait to see if he presses charges?” Steph stepped in angrily.

“Plus, Chief, Jimmy did have it coming, the way he treated Katie. It was pretty shameful,” Jared said, standing next to his wife.

The chief stroked his chin and said, “It can wait, I suppose, but if Jimmy wants to press charges, there’s nothing I can do. Try to stay out of trouble until this blows over, okay? You enjoy the rest of the fireworks.”

Chase watched the chief amble off and sucked in a breath as his ribs caught fire. Katie touched his arm gently and said, “You need to go to the hospital. What if you have internal bleeding or a broken rib? I can drive you . . .”

He interrupted Katie by grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “I’ll be fine. I just need to rest for a few days. I’ll be good as new by Tuesday.”

“Okay, I’ll follow you home and take care of you,” Katie said.

Chase was aware of everyone watching their exchange, especially Steph and Becca, who stood right behind Katie. Both women had looks of warning on their faces, like they could read his second thoughts and were letting him know they weren’t an option. He wasn’t breaking up with Katie, though; he just needed a few days. Crazy exes, a whole town in his business twenty-four/seven . . . it was enough to make any sane man take a step back.

Especially when being with him seemed to be hurting her. He could deal with the rest, but if her business took a dive because people didn’t like him, he didn’t know if it was worth it.

Correction: He didn’t know if he was worth it.

He kissed her forehead. “Really, Firecracker, I’m okay. I’ll call you in a couple days.” Chase pulled away from her and hobbled to his driver’s side door. Wincing as he opened it and climbed up into the cab, he kept his focus on putting his key in the ignition and starting it up. The crowd around him moved as he backed up and turned around. He gave Katie a smile and wave as he passed and pulled out onto the road, his ribs screaming with the movement.

What is the matter with you? You are acting like a scared little boy.

He wasn’t scared. He was petrified. Petrified that if he stayed with her, he’d start to rely on her, need to have her with him. Need her sweetness to brighten his day, his home, his life. And then have her figure out what the whole town had been telling her all along: She could do better.

And know deep down he thought she could too.

KATIE WAS SO confused and hurt, she didn’t know what to do.

She felt an arm go around her shoulders and Steph saying cheerfully, “Well, that was exciting! Want to head over to Buck’s for some drinks? We can relive every awesome moment of what it felt like to bust in Jimmy’s baby.”

Katie shook her head. “I think I just want to go home. Get some sleep.”

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