Page 103 of Room to Breathe

“It wasyourrule. Something about accepting help when you need it.” I walked toward the house.

Over my shoulder I heard him call, “Caroline! Watch the grill for me, please.” And then he was by my side, sliding his hand into mine.

“Don’t accidentally get locked in any bathrooms, you two!” Ava called.

“How about on purpose?” Beau asked under his breath. I smiled.

Shortly after we’d been locked in the teacher’s lounge bathroom, the lock was fixed. Not because of our mishap, but because Mrs. Thiessen got locked in there and couldn’t get her phone to call out for several hours. I didn’t tell my friends it was karma when I heard. That would have been rude. Okay, fine, I did tell them that. But she was fine. Didn’t even have to sleep on the floor.

“I never did get a third rule,” I said thoughtfully as he opened the fridge and pulled out two packages of pre-sliced cheese.

“The rules only exist in the bathroom,” he said.

“What? I’ve been able to add sarcastic put-downs back into my arsenal for six months?”

“Pretty sure you never stopped those.”

I laughed.

He shut the fridge and caged me against the counter, his arms on either side of me. “What would your third rule be?” he asked, his eyes on mine.

He still took my breath away with his soft eyes, his floppy hair, and his crooked smile.

“That I can kiss you whenever I want?” I asked.

He placed a soft kiss on my lips. “You don’t need a rule for that.”

“That I can keep you forever?”

“Done.”