I WOKE UP WITH A HEADACHE like I’d never had before. My mouth was the inside of a hamster’s cage and my hands felt too big for my body. Even my hair hurt. I rolled over and buried my face in my pillow so that I wouldn’t have to open my eyes. I rummaged through the bedding to find my phone—when had I climbed into bed and under the covers?—and I felt the cool glass screen against my fingertips. Slowly, I turned over. Even more slowly, I opened my eyes.

Two missed calls and a “where r u?” text from Austin.

But of course, the person I was thinking of was Kael.

Great.

It was bad enough that he was the last person I thought of before I fell asleep. Did he have to be the first person I thought of when I woke up? I could picture him sitting there on the bed next to me. I could almost feel the impression his body made on the bed. And I could see his face as he walked out the door, leaving me behind.

I had to do something about this situation.

I had to keep away from this guy.

Where did he get off thinking that I would be there for him whenever he felt like showing up? Who did he think he was with this on-again, off-again bullshit? This guy was playing me with his So it did bother you when I didn’t come back? line. Of course it bothered me, Kael. Just like you knew it would.

Last night he had opened up, let down his guard, and let me inside. He talked. He listened. He laughed. And the way he started to roll up his jeans … We were getting so close, and then he turned back into the stranger Elodie’s husband happened to know.

I never wanted to see him again.

I needed to see him.

I didn’t want to know where he went last night.

I needed to know.

I should never have let him stay over that night Elodie brought him home. I should never have brought him to my dad’s for dinner. And I sure as hell should never have brought him to this party.

I didn’t like all this anger and regret. How dare he make me feel this way.

Lesson learned. Remind yourself about that, Karina, as you go about your day.

Shit! My day!

I had to work. I did a quick phone check for the time. It was nine and I had to be at work at ten. It didn’t matter that I felt like hell. No way could I get my shift covered on such short notice. Anyway, I needed the hours to pay that last cable bill, so I’d just have to suck it up. I was used to that. At least I didn’t have anyone scheduled until after lunch. I’d be the one taking walk-ins. That wouldn’t be so bad, though, because most new clients didn’t talk much at all during their first treatment. That was something, at least.

Rolling out of bed was the hard part. The first hard part, that was. After I did that—and it was more belly flop than roll—I shimmied into my pants, then my T-shirt. I pulled one of my vintage hair elastics off my dresser and stuck my hair in a ponytail, replaying the events of last night over and over in my head.

I didn’t want to admit it, but I was starting to feel that addictive pull. Addicted. There was no other word for it. His beautiful face. His strong body. His confident voice. I loved the way he didn’t bother with small talk, as if he knew instinctively what was important. I could tell that the other guys looked up to him. But what else was going on. What was it that made him go from being just another guy at a party with a beer to a soldier, hyper-vigilant and on guard. What had Mendoza been trying to tell me about his boy?

Kael’s voice in my head was drowned out by the sound of my brother’s snores as I passed his room. I was glad he was asleep. I didn’t want to talk to him. Or anyone else for that matter. Just a quick pee and I’d—

“Oh crap! Oh … I’m so sorry. I had no idea anyone was in here.” I edged my way out of the bathroom, trying to avert my eyes. Did that just happen?

I backed out into the hallway, not knowing if I should leave or if I should wait until she came out. I was trying to figure out what the etiquette was in a situation like that when the bathroom door opened and Katie appeared.

“You sure know how to make an entrance, don’t you?” She had a toothbrush in her hand and her hair was brushed neatly to rest just above her shoulders.

“Hey, um, hi.” As if this wasn’t awkward as hell. “Hey, I’m sorry.”

“This is getting to be a habit with us. Me surprising you. You apologizing to me.” She laughed, then. I guess it was kind of funny. “Look, it’s okay,” she said. “Really. No harm done. I was caught off guard last night. By what you said, I mean.”

“Yeah, about that …”

“No, it’s okay. Really. Well, the stuff about me still being in high school wasn’t cool at all, but that other stuff, about your brother, you didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know.”

“Wait. You mean …?”

“I’m not an idiot, Karina. I’ve heard a lot about your brother. But, just like you, I don’t listen to everything I hear.” The look on her face was a knowing one. Her blue eyes honed in on me. She certainly didn’t seem like a high school girl now. I didn’t know if it was the hangover or the shock of walking in on her like that, but, what the fuck?

“And that means?”

“Maybe another time, okay? It was a late night.” She paused to make an exaggerated stretch, causing the oversized tee shirt she was wearing to ride up high enough to show me that Nurse Katie was overdue for a bikini wax. “I’m tired and I really want to get back to bed. Besides,” she added, “it’s chilly in here.”

And with that she turned on her heels and went back to join my brother.