Free Home Is Where the Heart Break Is by Tess Oliver Page B

smile. “Good news. She’s stable. They are still going to move her to the bigger hospital, but she’ll be transported by ambulance.”
    As he spoke, Nico elbowed me discretely. I glanced past Chase and saw Susie walking into the hospital. Chase sensed it right away and turned around. He raced out to greet her, and they hugged and kissed for a long time.
    “Well, Milady, I guess that is our cue to jam,” Nico said.
    “I should be getting home anyway.”
    Nico faced me and with the tension of the night lifted, I could not help but laugh. “And you say I pout,” I said. “I wish I had mirror. Why don’t you come home with me and hang out for awhile?”
    “All right I will.”
    We headed out toward the exit doors.
    “Then you can tell me all about Regina,” I said.
    “Uh-- I just remembered I have this thing to do.”
    I grabbed his arm. “I totally forgot about my Vulcan pinch tactic for getting you to fess up to something.” I pinched his arm really hard.
    Chase and Susie looked up as we strolled past.
    “Ouch,” Nico pulled his arm from my grasp. “Bro, she’s still just as mean as ever.”
    It was obvious Susie had been crying, so how bad could she be? And Chase was genuinely thrilled to see her.
    “Thanks guys,” Chase called to us as we left the hospital.
    I glanced back. “Call us tomorrow and let us know how she is.”
    We got to the parking lot and I stopped. “Crap, I forgot about the bike. My mom will have my hide.”
    “No problem. We’ll stop and get the truck first.”
    It had gotten so cold outside that my sweatshirt was meaningless, and I was relieved to get into Nico’s truck.
    My hand shot forward to the vent. “Crank the heat, please. I can’t feel my fingers or my toes or my nose and any other appendages I may have forgotten I had because of the numbness.”
    “So do we have to hang out at your house or can we drive up to the vista point and watch the stars?”
    I twisted in my seat to look at him. “I would swear that you are trying to avoid my mom.”
    “Not really. You know I’ve always liked your mom.”
    “But . . .”
    “I know she’s going to start asking about what I’ve been doing these last few years, and there’s some stuff in there I’m not too proud of. I ended up in juvenile hall for a stretch.”
    “I didn’t know that. What did you do?”
    “I didn’t kill anyone or anything bad like that.”
    “Good to know since I’m driving along a dark, deserted mountain road with you.”
    “I just ended up with a really sketchy crowd, that’s all.”
    “I leave for five years and this is what happens? You end up with a shady crowd and a criminal record.”
    He reached over and took hold of my hand. “That’s why you shouldn’t leave again. There’s no telling what shit I’ll get into this time.”
    “That sounds a bit like blackmail.” I sat back. Deep down none of it came as a shock to me. Growing up Nico was always on the edge of trouble, and I knew it wouldn’t take much for him to take the plunge. “Speaking of sketchy, who the heck is Regina and just how close are you two?”
    He pulled the truck onto the turn-out for one of the best views of the lake and village. A blanket of stars lit up the night sky. With the engine off, I knew it would get cold soon, so I scooted closer to him and he put his arm around my shoulder.
    “Regina and I dated for awhile, but it never went anywhere. We were too different.”
    I traced the tattoo on his forearm with my finger. “Really, because she ran to you tonight like you two were still something.”
    “She likes to put on a show for everyone. And she knew you were there, so she made an extra effort.”
    “How does she even know me? I’d never heard of her until tonight, and frankly, I could have gone the rest of my life with never hearing about her.”
    His arm tightened around me. “I’m sure I talked about you to her at some point.”
    “She’s extremely beautiful,” I said quietly.
    “She’s not