Her Sexiest Mistake

Kevin had to plant a hand in the middle of Mike's chest to hold him back. He wrapped his other hand around Bern's upper arm and escorted her to the door. 'If you're late to pick up Amber, I'm going to charge you by the minute.'

'Oooh.' She shivered, making sure to brush up against him. 'You know I love it when you talk tough.' Before he knew what she meant to do, she slid her fingers in his hair, tugged his face forward, and planted her lips on his. 'Mmm,' she purred when he jerked free. She licked her lips slowly and suggestively. 'Still know how to kiss. Come on, have a drink with me tonight. For old times'.'

He'd rather plow his bike into a cement freeway divider. 'Six o'clock.'

'Is that a yes?'

'Actually, it's a hell no.'

'Fine.' Her eyes frosted over. 'You're still impossible.' She straightened her purse on her shoulder, gave one last glare to Mike, who rolled his eyes, and stalked out.

What the fuck? Mike signed.

Ignore her.

I mean you. Why didn't you kick her ass out of here?

Were you not watching? That's what I just did.

Mike shook his head. You kept Amber for her.

Amber is a kid dealt a crappy set of parents. I'm not going to penalize her for her mother being the queen of bitches.

Mike looked at him, shook his head, but let out a low sound that was meant to be a laugh. Whatever.

Why are you here this early? Kevin signed.

Thought I'd check things out. See how things run.

You've given the job a lot of thought then. Kevin felt a surge of hope. Dealing with Mike was tricky, like dealing with his teens. If Kevin appeared too eager, Mike would blow him off.

But Mike surprised him. Yeah, and you'd better get to it before I wise up to the low pay and nonexistent benefits and get the hell out of here.

Kevin bit back his impatient reply. That Mike was here was good. It showed promise. He needed to leave it at that.

But, damn, he was getting really tired of coercing the people in his life to live up to their potential.

***

Hope resented like hell being treated like a stupid little kid. Granted, she'd acted the part earlier, cranking the stereo to headbanging rap for the pleasure of watching Aunt Apple's blood boil. She'd kept the music cranked as she applied her black eyeliner and lipstick. She'd actually not worn makeup until this year, when her best friend Amy-Ann dumped her for Sally, and then she was accused of stealing that lip gloss she hadn't stolen, and then her mother started acting like she was such a burden…

Everyone treated her as the black sheep. So she'd decided to dress the part.

Mia balked at the makeup. 'Whatever look you were going for,' she'd said earlier, 'you missed.'

'If you're worried I'm going to embarrass you,' Hope had responded, 'I could just stay here.'

'I don't think so.'

That burned, Hope admitted. Yet again being treated like a piranha or, worse, a common thief.

But truth was truth. She wasn't wanted here any more than she'd been wanted anywhere else. The thought brought a heavy weight to her shoulders and a despair that might have been assuaged by chocolate donuts, but there weren't any. There wasn't any breakfast at all except coffee and dry toast- ick-but Aunt Apple had promised to buy her whatever she wanted at the grocery store, and Hope was going to hold her to that.

They passed by the Diplomat, and Hope gave a tire a kick. It wouldn't start, but Kevin was going to look at it. She hoped he meant it.

She slid into Mia's fancy car, then struggled to act cool when she nearly drooled. The leather seats were soft, squishy, wonderful. They made an expensive-sounding noise, and she tried not to gawk over how great they felt compared to her own ripped seats, which scratched her skin.

Mia pulled out. Hope felt her glancing over, and finally she rolled her eyes. 'What? Am I breathing wrong or something?'

'I thought teenagers were supposed to talk nonstop.'

'And I thought adults weren't.'

Mia sighed and slid on her fancy sunglasses, and they drove in silence until they pulled up to the biggest high school Hope had ever seen. The teen center was next to it, a building that looked like a fast-food joint without any signs.

'It used to be a drive-through burger place,' Mia said. 'Then an icecream shop. But the students kept ripping the place off, and both folded. It's a teen center now, at least until the building sells again.'

They got out of the car. Hope suddenly felt like dragging her feet. It was one thing to go to her school and stick out like a sore thumb. Another entirely to do it in front of countless strangers.

'What's the matter?' Mia asked.

What if the kids didn't like her here either? 'Nothing.'

'Well, then pick it up. I'm late- Damn it!' One of her fancy high heels got caught on the asphalt and she nearly fell on her ass.

Hope's mouth twitched.

Mia straightened and glared at her. 'I'm ruining my Manolos.'

Hope glanced down at the admittedly gorgeous four-inch, strappy, satin-cork wedges and secretly drooled. 'I'd be more worried about your ankles.' Someday she was going to wear shoes just like that, in black, ankles be damned.

'I've been walking in heels for years, my ankles are- Argh!' She nearly went down again, but this time when she straightened she was lopsided.

She'd broken off the heel. 'Shit.'

'I hope you got those on sale,' Hope said.

'Now what am I supposed to do?'

Hope lifted her heavy-soled black boots. 'Payless specials, $15.99,' she said, but truthfully they didn't look anywhere as sweet as the Manolos. 'Want to borrow 'em?'

'No, thank you.' Mia grated her teeth and hobbled into the building.

Hope followed more reluctantly. The inside of the building had been painted a different primary color on each wall, each with tons of Polaroids of the kids tacked up. In the front room, clearly once a dining area, were two huge L-shaped couches, a Ping-Pong table, and a TV with PlayStation 2 running.

There was an older girl, maybe a college student, running the show, checking kids in, assigning them to