A light snow was falling around them and the temperature was plummeting. Bradley didn’t talk and neither did Elizabeth. He needed time to decompress from having her by his side tonight. And even though he’d always thought he wanted more from her than to be friends with benefits, tonight had really reinforced that. He noticed that Hector and Tony were still hanging out in front of his store when they approached it. The teens started walking toward the street and he realized they didn’t have a ride. “Hey,” Tony said as they stopped next to them. “Elizabeth, come and meet Tony and Hector. I hired them to do a mural in the shop. They’re both very talented.” She held her hand out to the boys. Hector took it and brought it to his mouth, kissing the back of her hand. “What’s up, girl?” The teen’s entire posture and demeanor changed and the troubled youth gave way to a confident ladies’ man.
