Almost Midnight (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3.5)(30)

“No, it’s not for cancer,” Mom said.

“Then what was it for?” Tami asked, innocently enough.

Chase glanced up, his own curiosity piqued, thinking his mom might have learned something about it by now.

“It’s just a research study.” Frustration sounded in his mom’s voice. Though he didn’t understand why she would be upset at Tami for asking the same questions he’d heard her ask his father two weeks ago. Oddly, Dad had given Mom the same vague answer as she gave Tami now.

His dad walked out from the back room, wearing his own Band-Aid. Right then, it occurred to Chase that they hadn’t tested his mom. If it was really just some random research study, why hadn’t they tested her as well? He almost asked, but decided his dad would answer better if they were alone.

Mom handed Dad his coat. “Thanks.” He slipped it on and then leaned down to kiss her cheek. And he really had to lean, too. At six feet four, he towered above Chase’s mom who was only a few inches over five feet. Nothing against Mom, but Chase had always been glad he’d inherited his dad’s height gene.

“Please don’t start the kissing stuff in public,” Mindy said. “It’s embarrassing.”

Mom frowned at her. Dad grinned. “I can’t help it if your mom still does it for me. You want to see a real kiss?”

“Please, no!” Mindy said seriously when their dad slipped his arm around Mom’s waist and pulled her closer.

“Stop it,” Mom said and giggled.

“I’d like to see it,” Tami said. “I think it’s sweet.”

His dad laughed. “Since we had to skip breakfast for the test, are you guys ready to grab an early lunch?”

“I’m starving,” Mindy said, “but Tami and I want to go to the street fair in Old James Town. It’s sort of a Halloween festival. They’ve got rides, a haunted house, palm readers, and fortune-tellers. They even have a band playing in the town square.”

And the boy who was staying in the cabin next door was going, too, Chase thought, remembering that Eric had mentioned it last night when he came over to chat while they’d been in the hot tub. Chase didn’t particularly care for Eric. Or the way he’d stared at Mindy and Tami in their bathing suits. Sure, Chase had appreciated Tami, but there was a difference between appreciating and gawking. Eric had gawked. Thankfully, he’d seemed more interested in Mindy than Tami. Though Chase didn’t particularly like the dude staring at his sister, either. Baxter hadn’t been thrilled about it, either. Baxter, their black Lab, normally liked everyone. But he’d growled at the kid.

Chase had decided to go with the motto: If Baxter didn’t like you, Chase didn’t like you.

Not that Mindy seemed to mind Eric’s rude stares. Heck, what did he know? Maybe girls liked to be gawked at.

Chase listened as his sister continued to sell the festival to their parents. He seriously doubted that Mindy would tell them about Eric going to the festival. His parents had a thing about Mindy not dating until she was sixteen. Mindy, however, had a thing about boys.

His mom looked at her watch. “We could stop by for an hour, but we have skiing lessons at one.”

“I don’t want to do the skiing lessons,” Mindy whined. “We did that yesterday. Why can’t you just drop us off and let us stay the day? You and Dad can pick us up after skiing. Pleeeeeasssse?”

Chase stared down at the magazine he still held, hoping his mom said no. He’d already had the perfect day planned. They’d spend four hours skiing, take Baxter for a walk at the park a mile from the cabin, and then come back and go to the hot tub. He really wanted to see if Tami rubbed her foot against his again. If she did, this time he wasn’t going to move his leg.

“I…” His mom hesitated.

Chase glanced up. Say no. Say no.

“Sorry,” his mom continued. “I’m not comfortable with you two alone at a street fair all day.”

“Mom,” Mindy whined. “I’m fifteen, not five!”

“Why don’t we compromise,” his dad joined in. “Take Chase with you and I think you three will be fine.”

He could live with that compromise, Chase thought. He’d lose skiing, and Baxter would lose out on his walk, but going to the festival with Tami could be fun. And they could do the hot tub when they came back. Yup. Chase liked the sound of that. And what he liked more was the fact that his dad gave him the role of taking care of his sister instead of the other way around.

As much as he liked it, Mindy didn’t. She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to babysit.”

Chase scowled. “Didn’t you hear him? I’m the one babysitting you.” He almost said something about Eric being there just to get even for her bitchiness. But right before he tattled, he closed his mouth. Just because his sister was a shit didn’t mean he had to be one.

“It’s so unfair,” Mindy snapped. “I’m older and you’re always acting as if—”

“He’s bigger and twice your weight,” Dad said, pointing out that Mindy had inherited her height gene from Mom. “And bad things are less likely to happen with three of you together.”

Mindy let out a huff of disappointment. “But—”

“It’s the deal breaker as far as I’m concerned.” Dad gave Mindy a stern look and then looked at their mom. “What do you say, hon? You okay if all three go?”