After I got home, I took a good look in the bathroom mirror at that hickey Elizabeth gave me. She went all out that thing was really noticeable on the lily white canvas that was my skin. I didn't think there was any possible way for me to conceal it apart from wearing a turtleneck or putting a huge bandage on it and pretending it's a scrape. Then again, I could wear it and show it off proudly like a medal of manliness. But I shrugged that idea off. I wasn't hankering to brag over it.

There was still the issue of dealing with the thing, though. I curiously held...