Page 76 of When Sparks Fly

“Hazel!No!”

Mike hurriedly tried to cover his backside with the shorts, making sure she couldn’t see his front.

“Mom?”Hazel’s voice was confused at first, then rose an octave. “Oh. My. God.Mike?What are you...? You’renaked!” Hazel let out a scream. He couldn’t move, not even when he heard another set of footsteps hurrying up the stairs.

“Hazel? What’s wrong?” It was Mary’s voice. As if this couldn’t get more embarrassing. “Oh! Oh, shit! Uh...come here, honey, let’s give your mom and herfriendsome time to getdressed.It’s okay...don’t cry...go on downstairs...” The door slammed shut behind him, then flew open again. It was just Mary this time, her voice hissing like a serpent.

“Are you fucking kidding me in here? It’s the middle of the morning! Get your asses dressednow. And you’d better come up with a damn good story for that girl.” Mike looked over his shoulder and Mary closed her eyes. But not before he’d seen the corners of her mouth twitching with laughter. “Jesus Christ,Magic Mike. Get some pants on and get out of here.”

“Get out where?” He started looking around, as if a new exit would appear.

Mary stomped to the bed and tossed a robe at Zoey, who was white as a ghost. His sister gave him a withering look as he made a feeble attempt to cover his privates now that she was in front of him.

“I don’t care if you slide down the waterspout and get yourself a buttload of well-deserved splinters. Get dressed and get out.”

“I can help explain to Hazel...”

“No!”This time it was Zoey who’d spoken. “She’s right. You need to leave. You won’t be able to help with anything right now.” She looked at him, her face a picture of devastation. He wanted to help her. But he didn’t know how. He felt useless. He yanked on his shorts without bothering to look for his briefs. He scooped up his polo shirt and pulled it over his head. He had no idea where his shoes were. Probably downstairs.

Mary picked up the empty brandy bottle and waved it at him like she wanted to throw it at him.

“Seriously?What are you, seventeen?”

Zoey was moving, but she looked like she’d collapse into a puddle at the slightest provocation.

“Why are you here, Mary?” She sounded shattered. “Why isHazelhere?”

Mary’s expression fell. “I’msosorry. She forgot to pack a shirt for today, and she’d spilled something on the one she wore last night. I didn’t think twice about letting her run inside to get a clean one...atnine thirtyin the morning. I never saw your car...” She looked at Mike. “Where is it, anyway?”

“Back by the barn.”

She nodded sadly. “We came in the front door. I had no idea that you two would be...where you were. Doing whatever you were doing.” She held her hand up. “And I donotwant to know what that was. The scene is already burned into my eyeballs for eternity without knowing details.”

Downstairs, they could hear Hazel banging around in the kitchen, slamming cupboard doors and crying. Zoey looked at Mike, her eyes filled with unshed tears. She pulled on a pair of shorts and took a T-shirt from the dresser. “This is my worst nightmare times ten. Both of you go out the front door. I’ll go talk to her.” She looked to Mary. “I don’t think she’ll be babysitting today.”

“After this, I don’t think I’llbe working today anyway. I’ll take the kids to the park or something.” She pulled Zoey in for a tight hug. “I really am sorry. If I can help...”

“It’s not your fault. We were careless.”

“But weweren’tcareless,” Mike insisted. “We had no reason to think she’d—”

“We werecareless.” Zoey’s eyes were hard, still shimmering with tears. “And my daughter has been hurt because of it. She saw younaked.In mybedroom.”

“Technically, she only saw me from behind. For a split second. I’m sure she’s seen bare butts before, probably on a cartoon. Or some video game or TV show.”

Yes, this was bad. But it wasn’t the catastrophe she was making it out to be.Was it?

“Are you trying to make a joke out of this?” Zoey stopped next to him in disbelief. “Is thisfunnyto you?”

His sister was behind Zoey, making frantic slicing moves with her hand at her throat in the universal hand signal toshut up.

“It’s not funny, babe. I’m just saying...” What was he saying? Mary was still slicing at her neck, but he had to finish the sentence. “I’m just saying it could have been worse, right?”

Mary covered her face with her hands behind Zoey, who was staring at him, color rising in her cheeks. “You were dancing. Naked. In front of me. While I was naked. The fact that she didn’t get a full frontal isnota comfort to me, Michael.”

He didn’t think he’d ever heard her call him by his full name, except in jest. She was definitely not jesting right now. Her shoulders dropped sharply.

“Just go. Please. Leave me alone.”

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