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like mice. February nodded to herself and went up the grand staircase, leaving Kelli and Arno alone together. Kelli put her finger on Arno’s nose and pressed.
    â€œYou’re pretty cute,” she said.
    â€œThat’s different from what you are. I would describe you as extremely hot.” He took her finger in his hand. He put it in his mouth and said, “Come home with me now.”
    â€œYou know, with Jonathan gone for who knows howlong, I would’ve done just that. But I don’t think my mom’d appreciate it. Besides, he’s at the door.”
    The front door opened and there was Jonathan, fighting to catch his breath.
    â€œHey,” he said. “Kelli, we better get home.”
    â€œI want you over at my house tomorrow night, early, for cocktails,” Arno said. He looked into Kelli’s eyes.
    â€œYou’re pushy,” Kelli said. “I like that.”
    â€œWe’re—” But Arno caught himself before he said
meant for each other
. He was embarrassed that he’d thought it, because it sounded completely cliché unless you meant it, which he didn’t. Of course, normally he didn’t have to come up with smart lines. Normally, he just kept his mouth shut and got laid.

mickey makes good use of his hospital bed
    â€œWill you marry me?” Mickey asked.
    â€œWhen I grow up, I can,” Philippa said. “In like a year.”
    They dissolved into laughter. With his good arm, Mickey pulled her toward him. She’d shown up a little while earlier, in a white fleece jacket, Prada sneakers, and a Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress. And once she was pretty sure Mickey was fine, she’d gotten up on his hospital bed and unwrapped.
    Mickey had woken up a few hours earlier and stared out at the Saturday morning haze. He missed Philippa. He’d really broken some bones, too, but by the time she’d arrived and climbed on the bed, he figured out that they’d kept him overnight because they’d seen the psychotic episodes on his chart, not because of his arm.
    Now Philippa, who had long, gangly legs and a moonface that didn’t fit with them, big, pouty lips, and high, arched eyebrows, was sitting in the middle of his bed and playing a game with him. She kissed his noseand he tried to move quick, so he’d get a kiss on the lips instead. Mickey had taken off his hospital smock. Neither of them cared that they couldn’t lock the door.
    â€œI heard from Liza that Jonathan brought some gross relative of his last night and everybody was trying to get her bombed so they could sleep with her,” Philippa said.
    â€œIt’s your direct manner—that’s what I love.”
    â€œYou didn’t do that, though,” she said, and slowly pushed his broken arm back, above his head. She raised an eyebrow. Mickey held his breath. He knew that if she found out he cheated, she would break it again. Luckily, he hadn’t.
    â€œIt hurts,” Mickey said. And she bent over and kissed him. “Forget school. I’m going to stay in this bed till you marry me.”
    â€œI will marry you,” Philippa said. “I said I would. Tell me more about Kelli.”
    â€œIt’s weird, I remember her as sexier than she actually is. Like somebody in a movie.”
    They were kissing when Jonathan walked in with cups of strong black coffee and a mouth that was so wrinkled and downturned that he looked about twenty-five.
    Mickey pretended not to hear Jonathan, and so did Philippa. So Jonathan went to the window and openedone of the coffees. He got out his phone and called home.
    â€œHi, Mom. Did Kelli wake up? I just wanted to ask her something. No, don’t bother. I’ll be home later, probably. Yes, your dinner was wonderful and everybody was terrific and totally beautiful. Totally, yeah. Bye.”
    â€œI think someone’s here,” Philippa said, and laughed.
    â€œCould you two not always be completely