Frostbite (Touch of Frost) (10 page)

“I don’t know.”

“What’s to know?”

“Why are you pushing him on me? We might be leaving right after graduation anyway.”

“
Might
be leaving. And I’m not pushing.” Scott hitched his hip against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “You deserve a little bit of normal, Mandy. Some fun. You’re eighteen for crying out loud and haven’t had barely any kind of life since Mom and Dad died. You’ve earned a little fun, you know?”

Kind of hard to have fun with
Coats
looming, but I adored my brother for his thoughtfulness.

“I’m not sure I want to let him into my freakishly weird world. I mean, what if I slip, and he sees me freeze lettuce?” Or worse. What if I give him frostbite while kissing him?

I kept that last thought to myself, though.

“You don’t worry about that with Georgia, do you?”

“Little different.”

“How?”

“It just is.” Clueless Scott. It was called hormones. Zach turned my crank, and I couldn’t keep this freezing thing under control when I got anxious, nervous, or, whatever Zach did to me.

But I didn’t want to have a sex talk with my big brother. The whole sex thing confused me enough. Mom never got to that part. I snatched my paper plate and shuffled to the couch for some TV-time. Watching singers make fools of themselves might cheer me up.

“I’m going to head out for a while. You okay here?”

“Yeah, sure. What’s up?” Scott actually looked good. Nice, clean tan shirt, jeans, and brown flip-flops. I hadn’t noticed. “Wait, where are you going?”

“I have a date.”

“
A whaaat
?” I pressed pause in the middle of an off-pitch squeak some wannabe bellowed.

He shoved his wallet into his pocket. “Remember that girl who came into the store the other day? Skinny, brunette…”

Did I ever. Beautiful, smelled nice, and evidently impressed my brother. The light bulb clicked on now. That skinny brunette must have been what Scott meant he had reasons for staying in town as well.

“She came back and asked me out.”

“No way.”

He nodded, sending his curls bobbing, then stepped to the door.

A date? My brother? I could have had some serious fun with that, but when I saw his lips twitch into a crooked smile, I knew he was nervous.

“Well. Um. You look nice. Have fun.” I almost choked on my sandwich.

“No guff?”

I shook my head, and picked up the remote. “Naw, you patched me up. And, well, I scared the crap out of you last night. I guess I can give you a break.”

“Hey, there’s hope for you yet.” He slipped out the door.

So, if he was going out with someone, not worried about letting her into our freakishly weird world, maybe I should, too.

TWELVE

“S
cott’s on a date?” Georgia asked.

“Shocker, I know. I figured if he was going out, I would, too. So, come on, tell me about Dan. You two seemed to be having fun today at The Pier.” I sipped my steaming Java Joe’s gourmet cider, extra whip.

Georgia smiled at me over her coffee mug. “Not as much as you and Zach from what it looked like.”

“Yeah, well…”

“It was getting pretty steamy between you two.” She looked at me with wide, blue eyes.

I never noticed it before but they were almost the exact same color as mine. “All I’m going to say is that Zach Landry can kiss a girl silly, that’s for sure.”

“Did I hear you say something about Zach? As in
Zach Landry
?”

I craned to my side, and every muscle tensed. Samantha Jones sat two tables away. Couldn’t even sit at Java Joe’s and chat with my best friend without someone listening.

“Eavesdrop much?” The sarcasm in my voice was completely intended. That chick bugged me. Tiny waist, big smile, and I think she got my boob allotment. Georgia’s, too.

A chair scraped across the tile floor. Georgia’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. I glanced over my shoulder. Samantha stood near, her hands propped on her hips.

“You do realize we’re dating, don’t you?” She batted her clumpy, black eyelashes.

“Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your fat-free-tall-skinny whatever coffee.”

Dating?
Why that son of a
—

“You think you can swoop into town and take over?” She stepped toward me.

I almost spit my cider out laughing. She was all of five-foot-three and barely one hundred pounds. She’d float away if someone sneezed hard in her direction. Sure, I was about the same size, but I had the whole super-strength thing going on.

“No swooping intended. Just here to finish out the last of my senior year, then fall into my wonderfully prosperous life of smoothie-making.”

Georgia giggled.

Samantha flipped her long hair and swayed across the shop to the door, leaving a trail of perfume so thick it clogged my sinuses.

I reached for my cup. “Did that really just happen? I mean, are you kidding me?”

“She’s nuts. What the hell did she mean about her and Zach?” Georgia gripped her mug and stared in the direction Blondie strutted. “She’s on crack. They’re not dating.”

My cheeks flamed. “Who cares, anyway? I don’t.”

“You’re a sucky liar.”

If she only knew.

Georgia brought her coffee cup to her mouth. “You’re into him, don’t even try to deny it.”

But I didn’t want to be. For this very reason. He was, like, publicly traded stock or something. Everyone owned a little part of him.

“He’d better have a good explanation for little miss Priss’s claim when we see him tonight.” Georgia’s brows pulled together, creasing her forehead. “He’s into you. I can tell. At that crash today, he was all focused on you. And when you took off with that girl in your arms, he freaked. How
did
you carry that girl so far, anyway?”

“She was a tiny little thing. Did you see her?”

“But so are you.”

“Adrenaline.” Yes, I so needed to get the subject changed. “Have you heard if she’s okay?”

“I listened to the early news. They only had a splash of it on there, though. They just said two were in the hospital, more to come at ten.”

“Did they show pictures?”

“Some. Mostly the smashed cars and EMTs. I think I saw Dan in one of them, standing by his car.”

“Oh, good.”

“But if they knew what you did, they could have interviewed you. That would have been cool.”

“Whatever. Hey, let’s fly. Don’t want to keep our dates waiting, right?”

We trucked our way down the sidewalk to the theater. Georgia rattled on about Dan, but my mind wandered to Zach. What frustrated me most was the fact that Samantha had made me doubt myself.

The first day of classes I’d pegged her for trouble. As in cat-fighting-back-stabbing trouble. I hated this. Life was complicated enough trying to keep things thawed out. Why on earth did I let myself get mixed up with Zach?

A few minutes later, we entered the theater, and I lost myself to the smell of butter and sugar. Definitely time for a calorie fest.

“Hey, Georgia,” someone yelled out.

She stopped, a smile filling her face. I followed her line of sight to find Dan trotting our direction.

He blew out a breath as he reached us and grabbed Georgia’s hand. “I got us seats and a ton of junk food.”

I nudged Georgia closer to him. “Go, I’ll get my popcorn all gooped up.”

Dan nodded at me, “Zach’s running late, but he’ll be here as soon as he can.”

“Cool.” I stepped to the counter and ordered a large popcorn and a Cherry Coke. Two of my favorite things.

Besides chocolate chip cookies of course. Nothing beat those. Well, maybe M&Ms.

As the previews exploded on the giant screen with thunderous booms, I snuck into the theatre and into the seat next to Georgia. A few whispers and “shushes” cut through the darkness.

“Now, keep the making out quiet over there. I really want to see this movie,” I whispered into Georgia’s ear.

“Mandy!” She slapped her hand over her mouth.

“Couldn’t resist.” I sank down into my chair and popped a kernel into my mouth.

Time for some brainless vegging and maybe a little kissing Zach,
if
he had a good explanation for Samantha’s claim on him.

“Have you ever poured M&Ms in your popcorn and eaten it that way?” A deep voice whispered in my ear.

I jerked my head around, and I almost spilled my precious snack to the sticky floor. Inches separated Zach’s face from mine. His minty breath and spicy scent washed over me.

He held up a bag of candy and nodded at my popcorn. How’d he know I loved M&Ms almost as much as chocolate chip cookies?

“No thanks. I’m good.”

He shrugged but stayed close. His warm breath caressed my neck. “How’s your back?”

“How’s Samantha?”

His bottom jaw fell open.

Busted
.

“Samantha?” His eyebrows knitted together.

“Yeah. Your
girlfriend
?”

Georgia nudged my ribcage with a lethal weapon—her elbow. I shrugged and shoved a handful of popcorn in my mouth, then pulled my attention to the screen, fighting every urge to look at the handsome-nice-smelling guy beside me.

He propped his shoulder against mine. “What are you talking about?”

“Um, your girlfriend?”

He chuckled.

“That’s what she’s calling herself.” I pointed to the side. “Oh, look, here she comes.”

His eyes shot wide, and he turned his head. A tall guy walked in carrying a tub of popcorn. I couldn’t hold back a giggle. Evidently Zach heard it because he frowned. His smooth forehead creased.

I shrugged.

“You’re a jerk,” he said. “I’m not going to share my chocolate with you.”

I sucked a long drink of the ice-cold soda. “Samantha totally laid claim to you earlier tonight.”

“What’d she do?”

I glanced around. Empty rows in front and behind, so I whispered the story.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He laughed. “We went out a few times a couple of years ago. It was nothing.”

“Must have left an impression. Meet her in the Janitor’s Closet maybe?”

“You don’t let up, do you?”

“Nope.” I popped some buttery kernels into my mouth and focused on the flashing screen. He seemed genuine about the Samantha thing, or maybe it was just my total and complete attraction to him that made me believe him. Damn this doubt kicked my ass sometimes. “Why were you late, anyway?”

“Work.”

“You work?”

“It’s not unheard of, you know. I’m not all loaded like my buddy over there.” He pointed his thumb in Dan’s direction. “My dad owns a garage. I help out. He pays me a little. We stayed open late tonight as a favor for someone.”

“Hmm, interesting.” Never would have pegged Zach for a grease-monkey.

“Interesting good or interesting bad?”

“No, it’s cool.”

His shoulder brushed mine again. “Now, I’ll share my chocolate if you agree to another date.”

I looked at him from the corner of my eye, thankful for the dark room hiding my flaming cheeks. Hopefully the roaring bass rattling through the theatre masked the sounds of my thrashing heart. “Resorting to bribery again?”

He grunted.

“What if I don’t like chocolate?” Which I totally did, but I was having fun, relieved he hadn’t lied to me about Samantha.

“Remember the monster
chocolate
chip cookie at Java Joe’s?” He popped a few M&Ms into his mouth. “Plus, what girl doesn’t like chocolate?”

“True. Haven’t met one yet.”

“So, how ‘bout it?” He held the bag up and tucked his chin to his chest.

The screen brightened, revealing his big, grey eyes. The tempting tilt to his mouth lured my attention. One lean forward, and I could connect with him. He’d just eaten chocolate, too, so it’d be a yummy kiss.

Instead, I took a long draw of soda to cool my insides.

He leaned in until his lips grazed my earlobe. His steamy breath tickled my neck, then his soft lips brushed the skin up to my ear.

“Say yes.” He nipped at my earlobe. “Because I’m dying to continue what we started at the beach today.”

I
burst into the theatre bathrooms, and the bright lights seared my eyes. I’d managed to make it there without anyone noticing my blue-tinted hand. Once locked in a stall, I gasped for air.

So, Zach wanted me. No big deal. Right? I could handle it. I glared at the theater-sized-soda-ice-cube I held.

“Oh, sure I can.” Too bad I froze my drink instead of my stomach because it was simmering at lava-hot temperatures right now.