The Troublemaker

“Not if you want to live,” Mitch adds.

I feel myself go hot and cold at the same time and bite my lip. I hate that his words, as fake as they are, affect me. When I look over at him, he’s leaning back in his chair, long legs sprawled out, looking at me with those seductive green eyes. I snap my attention away quickly, unwilling to allow him to get to me. Not today, Mitch. Not today.

* * *

“We’re telling this story because a group of athletes decided to do something that no one expected them to do, so forgive me for not trusting what anyone’s motives are,” Valerie says.

The blond guys shakes his head. Mitchell sighs heavily, kicking his foot out even further as he fixes his dark wavy hair underneath the baseball cap before putting it back on. He leaves it backwards. The three of them are wearing their hats like that and I don’t know what it is about backwards caps that makes me hot and bothered, but I swear it does it for me.

“Just move her in next door,” Valerie says again. “If I was in her position, I’d definitely want my own space.”

“I have my own space,” I say. “I have an apartment.”

“Thirty minutes away,” she responds. “By signing up for this, you’re agreeing to go to their meetings, practices, away games. It’s a lot.”

“It’s a two-week gig,” Mitchell adds, lowering his voice slightly. “You might as well stay close.”

“Of course you’d say that.” I roll my eyes and glance away quickly when he smirks.

Our brief dating history aside, he can be a real jerk sometimes. My dad is Mitch’s godfather, and that always meant seeing him once or twice a year. For a while, my sister and I were able to escape those visits, but ever since we’ve been in the same place, he’s unavoidable. It doesn’t matter that I go to school on the other side of town since we go to different universities. It doesn’t matter that I’ve made myself unavailable to him to the point that my resting bitch face deserves an Academy Award. Every time I see Mitchell, he comes on to me. Every single time. Whether it be innuendoes or straight up asking me out. It’s as if he enjoys watching my discomfort, because even though to someone else I’d look like an ice queen, Mitchell knows me better than that and he knows I’m affected. I sigh heavily and look at Valerie, who’s waiting for me to chime in about the living arrangement.

“When do I move in?”

“Tomorrow?” she asks rather than says. “There’s a dinner party at your uncle’s restaurant. I can give you the key there. The place is fully furnished, so you only need to bring your clothes.”

“I have plans tomorrow night.”

“Plans?” That’s Mitchell. “What kind of plans are more important than writing this piece?”

“The kind I simply cannot break.” I shoot him a look.

“So you wouldn’t be able to make the dinner party?” Valerie asks.

“I guess I can try.” I bite my lip as I think about my options. I can always take Austin as my date to said dinner party and kill two birds with one stone. I look at Valerie. “Can I bring a date?”

“Of course you can,” Valerie says.

“Why would you bring a date?” Mitchell says at the exact same time.

“Mind your business, Mitchell.” Valerie glances over at him. “This has nothing to do with you.”

I smile while Mitchell glowers. Maybe this assignment won’t be as difficult as I thought.

Chapter Four

Archer shakes his head as I tell him about my assignment, and again when I tell him I’m taking Austin as my date to the dinner tonight.

“Are you trying to make your ex-boyfriend jealous?”

“What? No.” I scoff. “Mitch isn’t the jealous type. He’s the type who thinks everyone is lucky to share the air he breathes.”

Archer laughs. “I bet Austin wasn’t thrilled to learn your first date was going to be surrounded by jocks.”

“I gave him an out. He seemed to be totally okay with going.”

“Or maybe he doesn’t want to cancel on you because he doesn’t think he’ll get another shot.” Archer raises an eyebrow.

“In any event, we’re going tonight.” I smile. “What’s up with you and Soleil?”

“We’re also going out tonight.”

“Where are you taking her?”

“Yeah right.” Archer chuckles. “You think I’m going to tell you and spoil the surprises I have planned?”

“Surprises. Multiple.” I raise my eyebrows. “Someone is feeling very sure of himself and this date.”

“Or I decided to pile up all the date ideas I’ve been saving in case she turns me down for a second.”

I laugh. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”

“I’m sure you’ll be hearing from one of us by the end of the night. I hope it’s me showing off and not her complaining.”

“It never occurred to me how weird it might be for two of my friends to start dating.” I lean against the counter and watch as he finishes capping the new bottles of whipped cream.