Her Sexiest Mistake

'Just lock up anything of value, Ace.' And without another word, she drove off into the morning sun.

Kevin watched her go, then looked down at his jeans, which were staining a bit in front. 'Down, boy,' he murmured and headed to face his day.

School went as fine as it could possibly go for a bunch of lazy slackers, but near the end of his class, he realized the Lakers knit cap he'd found the other morning was missing from the lost-and-found box in front of his desk. A quick glance across the classroom had him groaning inwardly.

Adam had it shoved on his head. Adam was the resident jock and, now it appeared, also the resident stoner. Before he could confront that situation, he received a frantic call from Sara at the teen center. Someone had rigged the ice maker on the refrigerator to continuously make ice cubes, and by the time it was discovered the entire kitchen floor was covered with ice.

Kevin rushed over there and found everyone having an ice fight in the kitchen.

There were injuries. A freshman girl had taken an ice cube to the lip and was screaming bloody murder. A sophomore boy had slipped trying to skate on the slick linoleum floor and now had a nice bump to the head, which Kevin figured had a shot of actually knocking some sense into him.

In the middle of the chaos, Hope sat on the ratty couch in the front room, arms crossed defensively, looking straight ahead.

Kevin took one look at her and knew. 'Whatcha doing?'

'Taking a time-out from the sandbox,' she said stiffly. 'I don't belong here.'

Kevin looked around at all the kids-diversified, but all basically privileged, and spoiled. 'I guess they could use a bit more black in their color scheme.'

She snorted, then chewed on her lower Up. 'About that ice thing. Anyone really hurt?'

'Well, Katie can't wear lipstick for a few days, which she thinks is a felony, but as for Chris, he has a hard head, thankfully. He'll live.'

She studied her boots.

He crouched in front of her. 'Hope.'

It took her a moment to look at him. When she did, she caved like a cheap suitcase. 'I'm sorry,' she whispered.

'Are you really?'

'It's just that the girl told me I was stupid. And the sophomore? He thinks he's Tony Hawk. The only one who's nice to me is Adam.'

Adam being the stoner, and also a first-class jerk who bed-hopped with shocking ease among the younger, easier influenced girls. If he was being nice, it was to get into her pants, but Kevin kept that to himself. 'Adam is a player,' he said careful;;y. 'Know that now.'

'He said you'd say that.'

Kevin kept his face even. 'I've been trying to get that ice machine to work forever.'

'It was no sweat.'

'If it was no sweat, and if you really pulled off all that stuff at Mia's work-'

'She ratted me out?'

'Nah. The grapevine.' He eyed her for a moment. 'Pretty impressive list of feats.'

'I didn't steal the money.'

'What about the other stuff? The phone rerouting, for instance?'

Hope looked away. 'Maybe I did that.'

'Do you want to know what I think?'

'I dunno,' she said warily.

'I think you're incredibly smart and also incredibly bored, and that you should be in my summer science class.'

'I failed science.'

'No possible way.'

'The teacher didn't like me.'

'Well, I like you. Take my class, do well and pass it, and get credit for it.'

'I'm getting shipped back tomorrow.'

'What about your car?'

'Mia said she'd pay me what it's worth and I can buy something else back home.'

'Do you want to go back?'

Another hesitation, then a lift of her shoulder.

'Think about it,' he suggested.

Hope let out a laugh that sounded rusty but genuine. 'Yeah. Maybe…'

***

When it came to advertising, Mia had worked her way up the old-fashioned way-from working the mail room to lowly assistant, to gofer, to creative team member, to ad exec, and she'd loved each and every job as she'd climbed the ladder.

But she especially loved where she was now, in a corner office with a glorious view of downtown LA, with accounts stacking up and a reputation for being the best of the best.

A reputation that was taking a beating within the building this week, thanks to Hurricane Hope. For three days Mia had been trying to get Sugar to nail down the plans for tomorrow because one thing Mia wouldn't do was blindly put Hope on a plane heading east.

Finally, Friday afternoon, Sugar answered her phone. 'Tomorrow doesn't really work for me,' she said right up front.

Mia's eye twitched. 'Sunday then.'

'Well…'

'Sugar. You are coming, right?'

'Actually, Apple, I need another week.'

Mia thunked her head down on her desk, imagining what her hips would look like with another week of bacon and eggs for breakfast, imagining also the look on Dick's face when she continued to leave the office on time to pick up the kid. So much for senior butt-kissing… 'Another week?'

'You have no idea what it's like, being in charge of a teenager.'

Mia was beginning to, and she had to admit, she actually felt some sympathy for Sugar. 'I'm not sure Hope wants to stay.'

'She doesn't have a choice, if her car is really broken.'

'It is.' She sighed. Hell 'Promise you'll come next week then?'

'Promise.'

Only problem, Sugar's promise had never been worth much.

***

That night Mia let Hope cook chili dogs and French fries. They had salad for 'something green' as Hope said, seeming quite happy loading up her arteries with a year's worth of cholesterol.

Because the kid looked so… content, Mia waited until afterward to tell her the news. 'I talked to your mom today.'

In the act of clearing the table, Hope went still. 'What time is she coming tomorrow?'

Mia stood up and took the plates from Hope's hands, setting them in the sink before turning back to Hope. 'She's not.'

Hope nodded, giving no sign of whether this was a good or bad thing.

'She said next week,' Mia said.