A LONG, HOT SHOWER DOES a little bit of good for my mood, although it doesn’t fully restore it. I don’t think that’s even possible at this point. There’s too much unresolved in my life and too many unanswered questions about my near future. But at least the horror that was my hair is now gone.I’m sporting long, smooth locks with a light curl to them instead of a helmet o’frizz. I use the straightening iron to get every last bit of crispiness out of my dark, kinky hair. As ridiculous as it sounds, I want to try and fix things that can be fixed. My life is a mess, but my hair? … Not so much. At least I have that going for me. I just wish I could care about my eyebrows too, but I don’t. I keep looking in the mirror and wondering what Mick sees when he looks at me. It makes me sad when I realize it’s probably nothing special.“Hey, ho,” says Teagan, walking up the hallway and stopping in my doorway.“Hey, ho,” I say back, pulling a cardigan over my arms. “Time to make like a baby and hea

ALISSA STARES AT THE FLOWERS as if in a trance. I’m distracted from her zombie act by Teagan coming out of the kitchen with three glasses of ice water in her hands.“Wow. Those are impressive,” she says, putting the glasses down on the coffee table and touching one of the flowers.“These are from Colin, for me.” I take her by the elbow and bring her back into the kitchen, trying to be mindful of Alissa’s delicate condition. “They’re just a friend thing,” I whisper when we’re out of earshot. “I pulled that friend card out and used it immediately, too.”“How so?” she asks, also whispering.“I made him go to the hospital and apologize to Mick.” Teagan lifts an eyebrow. “Is that a good idea?”“Of course it is.” I start to doubt myself immediately. I guess he could decide to pulverize a few more of his brother’s organs. That would be bad.Teagan pulls her phone out of her pocket and texts out a message. A few seconds later an answer arrives with a beep.“What’s it say?” I ask, trying to lo

REBEL, COLIN, AND MICK ARE all standing outside waiting for Teagan’s arrival. As soon as she sees that wall of gorgeously muscled badassery, she starts crying all over again.I can’t help but be a little stunned by the picture they make myself. Get in my panties, boys. Holy, holy.As soon as Rebel opens the door and scoops his girlfriend up into his arms, my brain goes back to normal function. Mick is here. There will be no sexy talk, so sexy thoughts, and no sexy sex. We are just friends because our favorite people are in love. That’s it and that’s all. Ten-four, over and out.“What in the hell are you doing out of the hospital?” I ask, slamming the door shut. I sound mad, but I’m not. I’m worried. What if his stitches rip and his guts fall out? How will I save him then?“They let me out. Colin gave me a lift.”I raise an eyebrow at the mess of Trouble standing next to Mick. I suppose I should be happy Colin didn’t manage to murder his brother on the way home. “That was nice.”Colin

“YOU’RE NUTS,” MICK SAYS. “NO way you can pull that off.”“Let’s do it,” says Colin, holding his chest and rubbing it a little as he lets out a burp.I lean back to stay in the safe zone. He’s drunk way too much carbonation for my comfort.“I’m in.” Colin holds up a hand and gives his brother a challenging look before smiling way too big at me. “We’ll keep the handicapped dude on the bench. It’ll be just you and me. Bonnie and Clyde.”I smile and high-five him back. Tag-team teasing Mick is way too muchfun.“Fuck that. Neither one of you should go,” Mick says. “First of all,Rebel’s going to tell you no way. We have a schedule and those cars need to go out. And second, it’s a bad idea. Just bad all the way around.”“We can be up and back in two days,” I say, my words coming out hurried. “We’ll go Friday morning and be back on Sunday.” I’m bouncing on my toes, praying Mick will change his mind. “Come on … what do we have to lose? Nothing! It’ll be fun.”“You better not say anything to

I DON’T KNOW WHY I’M surprised to find that Mick and I like the same kind of music. And, oh my g-spot, does he have a great voice. He can sing anything. When we do a duet of Pink’s Just Give Me A Reason, my panties pretty much melt right off me. I’ve never sang with a guy before and it’s almost to the point of being intoxicating. The whole thing of Mick and me being a really bad idea and a non-starter is going right out the window.Music is a seriously powerful aphrodisiac. My mind is going into all kinds of dark places. I’m ready to demand that he pull over into a rest stop so we can do it in a bathroom when Alissa leans over into the front seat.“Pee stop. I have to pee,” she says.It’s a sign. I was thinking Mick and I could do it at a rest stop and now Alissa needs a rest stop. I squirm in my seat as I imagine getting all hot and heavy with Mick in less than five minutes. Could it really happen? Should it happen? Would he be into it? Is there something seriously wrong with me that