Her Sexiest Mistake

She sighed. 'Don't you hate it when you can't just fix stuff? And make it right?'

He absorbed the unexpected wisdom. He couldn't fix things. He couldn't make it right. Some things just had to go the course. The kids in his class. Mike, Mia… 'Do you have any idea how smart you are, Hope?'

She met his gaze straight on. 'Smart enough to know which kind of love it is you have for Mia.' She smiled at his shock. 'Don't worry. Maybe it won't be fatal this one time.'

She left him after that, but there was no way he could sleep. He tried late-night TV and had just watched some stupid infomercial on exercise equipment and was contemplating a way to wake up Mia when his cell vibrated to life. He looked at it and knew.

Mike, in trouble again.

Don't you hate when you can't just fix stuff? Hope's words echoed in his head as he watched the cell shimmy and shake. He couldn't fix his students; they had to want to learn. He couldn't change Mia into wanting something she didn't.

And he couldn't rescue Mike by bailing him out over and over again. Shouldn't.

After a moment, the phone stopped vibrating, and with a sick, heavy pit in his gut, he got up and went to bed.

***

The next morning Mike slammed into the house, stalked down the hall, and went straight to his room. Kevin came out of his room and shouldered his way into Mike's before he was locked out. What happened? he demanded as his brother stripped out of his shirt.

Mike snorted. Now you want to know? Fuck off.

Tell me.

I was arrested for disorderly conduct for a bar fight which, by the way, I didn't start. You'd know that if you'd have picked up your phone. He started to brush past Kevin, who blocked him with a hand to his chest.

I told you I was done bailing you out.

Mike stared at him, then shoved him back a step. Get your smug self-righteous face out of my room before I smash it.

Mike -

Look, you're done saving my ass? Fine. No doubt I deserve it. But I sure as hell don't want to see or talk to you right now, so get out.

How did you get home?

Concern? Is that concern on your face? A little late, isn't it?

Mike-

I spent the night in jail and was picked up by Tess. Satisfied?

You called Tess?

For a ride home. She gladly gave it, unlike my own brother. Then she said I disappointed her, that she expects more from a man than I can give. Said I shouldn't call her again. Mike punched the wall, then rubbed his knuckles. Look, just get the hell out.

Mike-

But Mike turned and walked into his bathroom. The lock tumbling into place echoed into the silence.

***

Hope sat in science class, riveted by the lesson. They were learning about the effects of the moon's pull on the ocean, and she was taking notes, dreaming about swimming with the dolphins.

Kevin-Mr. McKnight here in class-was tense today. She knew something was going on when she'd entered his kitchen that morning because he and Mia had immediately stopped talking. They'd both looked extremely unhappy, which she assumed was Mia's doing. Why couldn't the woman get it together?

Adam touched his foot to hers, and Hope looked over in surprise. He passed her a note.

When are we getting together?

Though she'd been the one to say they could, she was avoiding actually doing so. She didn't know why. So she smiled but didn't answer, didn't know what to answer.

After class, he took her hand. 'Walk with me to the teen center?'

She wasn't supposed to-they were supposed to walk in groups of three or more, and always with at least two girls-but he was pretty cute, and smiling at her with those eyes. ' 'Kay.'

But instead of going straight to the teen center, they veered off the path and entered the woods. There, with the trees all around them, the day dim from the low clouds, Adam kissed her.

'Um-' she began, but he thrust his tongue in her mouth.

Jeez. Still too much slobber. She tried to pull back, but he held on tight, then stuck his clammy hand beneath her shirt. She jerked free.

'What?' he asked, lifting his hands.

'Um… wait a sec.'

His eyes filled with impatience. 'Jesus, it's always wait with you.'

She knew she'd given him mixed signals, and she felt bad, but she felt like a walking mixed signal. 1 m sorry.

'If you're sorry, then kiss me,' he whispered in that sexy voice and leaned in.

Okay, fine. One more. She let him stick his tongue back down her throat and put his hand back up her shirt, hoping he wouldn't unhook her bra. She tried to stand still to wait him out, but she just couldn't do it. She was about to shove him away when the twigs and branches on the path crackled beneath someone else's feet.

Adam jerked back.

And Hope looked up into Kevin's face. He looked pissed, and Hope wanted to crawl into a hole and die.