Hellion, a New Adult Romance Novel(56)
“That was nice. Thanks for that.” I flick imaginary burp shrapnel off my cheek.
“You’re welcome. Mick’s fine too. He had a ruptured spleen from the fight. They took it out and sewed him up.”
“Can I see him?” I ask, my voice going weak.
“I don’t know…” Teagan sighs. “Are you sure you want to?”
“Of course I’m sure. Don’t be ridiculous.” Now she’s got me all pissed off again. “Why would you say that?”
“Because … I guess Rebel and I were thinking that maybe you had something going on with Colin and maybe you don’t want to rock that boat.”
“Jesus, Tea, sometimes you make me want to rip your head off with my teeth.”
“Really? That’s kind of violent.” She doesn’t appear scared.
“Do you not know me at all? I mean, can’t you tell? I don’t like Colin like that. He’s like … a brother.”
“A brother.” She clearly doesn’t believe me.
“Yes. A brother. Okay, so he’s good looking and charming and talented. But he’s not Mick.”
Her eyebrows go up. “He’s not?”
“No.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Not being Mick … That doesn’t make sense.”
I realize I’ve said too much. I’m not even sure it makes sense to me, so I don’t know how to explain it to her. “I don’t know. Whatever. Forget I said it.”
“No way, Q-Baby. Tell me what’s going on. Come on, I know you’re stressed about your brother and all that. We need to talk.”
“You have enough on your plate,” I say, refusing to give in to her puppy dog face. “What’s going on with your case? Anything new?”
“I did get a call from the lawyer today which is a super big deal since it’s the weekend, but I’m not sharing until you share first.”
I’ve seen that expression on her face before. She can be very determined when she wants to be, just like me. I taught her well. And to be honest with myself, I’m getting tired of being so confused about my own feelings. Talking to her usually helps me sort them out, so I go ahead and cave without a fight.
“Mick is different. I don’t know how else to say it.” I toy with the edge of my sheets to hide my nervousness. Even just talking about it makes me go all frizzy fuzzy whacky inside. “I hardly know him, so it sounds ridiculous, but he just has something special about him. A confidence. An air of class, even though he’s standing there in a t-shirt and jeans and has grease under his fingernails. I like him, even though I don’t want to like him and even though I think liking him is a really dumb idea.”
She nods sagely. “I know what you mean.”
“Right?” I lower my voice, eyeing the curtain that closes me off from the door to the room. “I mean, what’s with these Rebel Wheels guys, anyway? Do they have superpowers?”
She smiles. “Maybe. So what are you going to do about it?”
“About what?”
“Mick.”
I roll my eyes. “Nothing.” I’m all of a sudden depressed. Welcome back to the real world.
“What do you mean, nothing?”
“Nothing is what I mean. I’m doing nothing. Nada. Zip. Look what’s already happened! I agree to go out on one date and now we’re both in the hospital and his brother’s probably on his way to jail again and my parents are going to freak like nobody’s business. My life is over. I might as well become a nun. Do they still have those? Where do I sign up?”
“First of all, Colin is not going to jail. Mick told them some stranger punched him. And second, your parents are a little freaked out, but I explained that you were rushing your date to the hospital and that the cop misunderstood, and they got it. Okay? They’re on board. The cop told them the same story, so you’re good.”
“That’s a pretty cool cop.” I frown, not sure I believe my good fortune. “I’m not under arrest when I leave?”
“No, you’re not. He knows Rebel and Mick and Colin too. His name is Dickerson.”
I’m still frowning, my memory conjuring images of his car’s grill almost on our ass. “More like Dickweederson,” I say, pissed he got the drop on me. Who shoots a girl in bedazzled shorts and heels who’s yelling Emergency!? He should at least be demoted or something.
“Seriously.”