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says, and Kyle lifts his head.
    â€œYou scared Jess. You shouldn’t have hidden on her. You’re not supposed to wander off. You scared us.”
    Kyle blinks at me. “You were scared?”
    I nod. “Yeah. Really scared.”
    Stella walks toward us. I didn’t even hear her come in. She kneels down beside us. “We were all scared. You have to be careful, Kyle. No hiding.” She stands, walks to her desk, and leans against it, her arms crossed.
    â€œNot even when we play hide-and-seek? I wanted to play hide-and-seek with Jess when she went to the bathroom. But I got tired of waiting, and I lay down and fell asleep.”
    â€œI’m sorry,” I interrupt. “I didn’t mean to leave him alone for long.”
    â€œNo,” Flynn snaps.
    I cringe, waiting for him to berate me, tell me what I already know. I’m irresponsible and stupid. I’ve got a bad track record.
    â€œIt’s not your fault.” He stands up. “Not cool, little dude. You don’t start a game of hide-and-seek without telling anyone. Especially not when you are being babysat.”
    â€œI’m not a baby,” he says. Kyle wiggles his head back and forth.
    â€œThen don’t act like one,” Flynn tells him.
    He looks up at his big brother and blinks. “Am I in trouble?”
    He’s so friggin’ adorable, but fear and attention get to Kyle, because he starts to cry too.
    Flynn leans down and takes him from my lap and stands him on the floor. “Apologize to Jess,” he says.
    I shake my head, but Flynn glares at me, so I stop.
    â€œI’m sorry, Miss Jess,” Kyle says, his little lip jutting out and quivering.
    I think before I say anything. “Um. It was a mistake. And we learn from those.” I wipe under my eyes and sniffle, and Flynn holds out his free hand and helps pull me to my feet. He flicks his hair back, and I have a brief desire to spin around and flee, because even now with all this drama, I still can’t help appreciating that he’s stupid hot. And I don’t know how I’m going to see him every day when he thinks I’m such an idiot. His lashes are longer than most girls who spend their money on Latisse.
    He smiles at me though, and my insides freak the hell out.
    â€œSorry for being a dick,” he says and glances at Stella. “I mean jerk. Kyle is my responsibility. I shouldn’t have put that on you.”
    â€œNo. I mean, you’d think I’d be able to keep track of a five-year-old for a little longer.”
    â€œIt wasn’t your fault,” Flynn says. “Anyhow, you found him.”
    â€œI used to have naps in the closet when I was a kid,” I tell him. I walk to the front of Stella’s desk, plunk down in a chair, and let out a big sigh.
    Flynn follows me to the other chair, and all at once, he’s staring into my eyes. It feels like he’s seeing things I don’t even know are there. There’s this huge swoop. It starts in my belly, and my whole body goes on its own roller-coaster ride. It leaves me with goose bumps. I stare down at my shoes, wondering if he can tell what I’m feeling.
    Stella clears her throat.
    â€œIs Jess your new girlfriend?” Kyle asks. I look up, and he’s standing beside Stella, watching us, his head barely visible over the top of the desk. He blinks at me. “He has a lot of girlfriends.”
    â€œDude,” Flynn says. “We’ve talked about that.”
    I can’t help laughing out loud, and Kyle giggles. Even Stella laughs. “You want me to clean this handsome boy up?” she asks Flynn.
    â€œYeah. One second though. Come here, big guy.” Kyle scoots around the desk, and Flynn bends down so he’s at the same level as him. “No more running off?” Flynn says.
    Kyle’s eyes fill with tears, and his lower lip goes in and out. “I promise,” he says. It’s about the cutest