Janie walked into Colton and Madison’s house with her mind abuzz. She needed to come up with a plan of attack for dealing with the trailer park drug lords. Did she want to go alone, or should she take a posse? Whatever she did, she wanted to do it quickly, and while Dave was otherwise engaged.

He had said that trailer park was filled with older people. That made things easier.

If the Hutchinsons were passing out guns, going alone wouldn’t be incredibly smart. At the same time, neither would bringing a bunch of people who might then get shot.

That was, if it was the Hutchinsons who’d furnished Betty with the gun. There might be more than one old-fart gangbanger in that run-down trailer park. At least it was unlikely she’d have to deal with actual drug dealers and real gangbangers. These old people were probably wily, and maybe a little dangerous, but the unlikelihood that they could physically keep up with her made Janie feel much more at ease.

“Knock, knock.” Noah glanced her way from the recliner. SportsCenter blared from the TV. “That was a hint.”

“Ordinarily I’d love to challenge you to a game of who has the best witty repartee, but I’m busy. You should know that Dave’s mom is in the hospital. She called him. I assume you know what that means.”

The blood drained from Noah’s face and he jumped up. “Is she okay?”

“For now. She’s into the pain meds. She’ll have to go to rehab.”

Sadness dragged down the corners of his mouth. “She keeps relapsing.”

“Yeah, but I’ve got a plan. Hopefully. Anyway, spread the word. Dave is at the apartment. He needs a nap and then he’s going to work tonight.”

Pain stabbed her chest at that last bit.

Her lips tingled from the memory of that kiss. Passion and desire and intimacy had unfurled in her body. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Her heart had swelled to abnormal proportions. She hadn’t wanted it to end.

It was only a fraction better than the hug before it, when he’d opened up and showed his soft, squishy middle. When he’d let her comfort him, clinging to her tightly.

She really needed to get over that, pronto. Dave wasn’t a one-woman guy. In fact, he was a lady magnet. She’d seen all those texts pop up on his screen while he was sleeping. One girl after another wanting to chat with him. To pay him for his time. One had even sent a nude photo.

That girl had been a stunner. A total ten.

And no, Janie shouldn’t have replied with a picture of Joe’s hairy ass, but really, what did the girl expect? Dave not to have a vindictive roommate who happened to live next to a couple stoners who would literally do anything for another “crazy as shit” painting? Ms. Ten’s shortsightedness was clearly to blame in that instance.

“You okay?” Noah asked, pausing as he passed her.

“Yeah, why?” She adjusted her ponytail.

“You looked a little sad.”

“Oh. Nah, it was just a little rough to see what went down with Dave’s mom. She was messed up. It was a close one.”

Confusion crossed Noah’s face. “You saw her?”

“Yeah. She wasn’t doing well.”

He turned toward her, the confusion growing. “He took you with him?”

“English is your first language, right?”

He shook his head. “He’s never taken anyone with him before. I’m just surprised, is all.”

“I forced my way.”

“Yeah, but…” Noah tilted his head, staring at her.

She bounced from foot to foot, the painting she’d visualized earlier burning her brain. It wanted to get onto canvas so bad. “Say your piece or move on. I gotta go.”

“Yeah, no. Sure, go.”

“Okay, Dr. Seuss.”

“Oh, by the way.” Noah watched her take the stairs two at a time.

“Yeah?”

“Madison is pissed at you over one of your paintings. Heads up.”

Janie rolled her eyes. She was pretty sure what that was about. “Tell her to stick it up her hole.”

Noah laughed. “Ten-four.”

Up in her asylum, she closed the door behind her and threw the lock. The blank canvas waited. She had some emotions to purge.

An indeterminate amount of time later, a knock jogged her out of her reverie. She blinked and looked away from the finished painting. Two others sat on easels beside it.

She was usually a fairly speedy painter, but never before had coughed them out this fast. Not back to back without a pause in between for mental preparation. Paint covered her nice jeans and dotted her not-as-nice shirt.

The knock sounded again.

Frowning, she checked her phone on the stool. Four in the afternoon.

Madison stood on the threshold with a firm expression. She pointed into the room.

“Is this a mime show, or charades?” Janie braced a hand to her hip.

“It is a what the hell is going on exposition.”

“I’m pretty sure that doesn’t make sense.”

“Are you having sex with Dave?” Madison crossed her arms. “Because you just got out of a long relationship. I don’t want to remind you that your rebounds never go well, and you usually end up doing something crazy.”

“I’m not, no. He’s just really hot. But thank you for asking about my day. It’s so kind of you to care. It was okay. A little on the horrible side, though.”

“So you’re not having sex with him?”

“No. But I kind of want to. He has…some really great tools. If only I had some money.”

“He always says he can’t give anything to a woman until he has less baggage. Today you found out what some of that baggage is. He won’t give you his heart, Janie. He’s a great guy, and he might try to, but he isn’t capable of it.” Madison held up her hands. “His words, not mine. You’re just getting back on your feet. You have a real good thing coming out of the rubble. I don’t want to see you get derailed.”

“If I punch you in the face, and you don’t notice it because you are harping on about something that is irrelevant, will it still have happened?”

“Really? Irrelevant?” She marched into the room and pointed at one of the paintings leaning against the wall, featuring the bare back of a woman who might or might not be Janie, riding an equally bare man who looked an awful lot like Dave. The woman was arched back in ecstasy. Her hair swung through the frame. The painting was intended to make the viewer think Dave—or the man who looked an awful lot like him—was mid-thrust. “This makes me feel like I am actually watching you guys screw. Which is gross, no matter how well you painted it.”

“Some people get off on voyeurism.”

“I do not.” She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. “When the subjects are friends.”

Janie huffed out a laugh. “And now we know a little more about each other, don’t we?”

“You already knew that.”

Janie frowned. Had she?

She shrugged. It didn’t really matter. “Truth?” Madison nodded and crossed her arms over her chest again. “I was blindsided by him in green briefs. He got hard. I got lady-hard. Since then, he’s been a sexual obsession. That’s where it ends. I haven’t touched him.”

That was mostly true. Ish.

Madison rolled her eyes and pointed at a different piece. “Sexual obsession, or are you falling blindly, hopelessly in love?”

Janie leaned to the side so she could check out the painting in question. It was a beautiful woman staring out through a window. She had been thinking of titling it Daydream. “That’s not me.”

“Uh huh.” Madison pointed at another. “Terrified of falling in love.” Another. “Hopeful to have finally found someone.” Another. “All of the freaking above, Janie. Those women might not be you, but they are the essence of you. And that one…” She pointed at the painting that was definitely Dave, completely nude, and very hard. “That one sums up the focus of these paintings, does it not? I’m not an art connoisseur, I’m a Janie connoisseur, and you are on dangerous ground.”

Janie sighed and grabbed her phone. She needed to make a decision about the Hutchinsons. “Look, I told you. I’m good. I’m just spitting all this out to get it out of my system. I doubt he’ll care that yet another girl is obsessing over him. He’s got plenty.”

“Exactly. He has plenty. You shouldn’t add to the list.”

“How long until you get over it? Also, why are you home so early?”

Madison rubbed her eyes, suddenly looking tired. “I’m home because I heard you were here. And I heard Dave took you along to sort out the situation with his mother. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Nope. I gotta go.” Janie hurried down the hall. Sooner rather than later, Madison would notice the giant painting right in front of her face. This one had a slightly different message—it was about doling out vengeance to a group of people harming the man she cared about. The scene was basically what a trailer park would look like on acid, but it was clear enough if you knew the real story.

A moment later, she was jogging into the kitchen. Colton, Noah, and Ethan, concerned expressions on all, hushed as she drew near. They looked her way as one.

“Number one,” Janie said, holding up a finger. “I’m not screwing Dave. Just in case everyone thinks it’s cool to go nosing around my paintings. It’s a poor man’s version of hiring a prostitute, okay? Don’t tell him. It’ll be embarrassing for me. Number two, stop nosing around my paintings.” A smile slid up Ethan’s face. “Number three, I need Noah and Ethan’s help. Do you guys have some time right now? I’ll make it worth your while.”

Unless they didn’t like ice cream or margaritas. In which case, bully for them.

The glances they exchanged hinted that they thought she was crazy.

“No, then?” She about-faced and headed for the door.

“Hey, wait.” Noah was jogging with her a moment later. “What’s going on?”

“I’m going to help Dave.”

“Is this happening?” Ethan called from farther down the hallway.

“Yup.” Noah made a circle in the air with his finger. “Load up.”

Well, that was easy, Janie thought as she headed out of the house. Now for the hard part.