Stirring Up Trouble (Stirring Up Trouble Trilogy 1)

“You don’t have a choice.” I looked him right in the eyes and put my hands on my hips. That flirting practice was paying off. “If you cut me loose, you’re on your own with John and Sheree.”

His eyes widened in mock horror. “Dear God. No!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Anya demanded, plunking her books down on the desk the next morning in English class.

Uh oh. “Tell you what?” That I’ve been in love with your boyfriend for three years? I braced myself.

Her bracelets jangled as she flipped her hair. I hated it when she did that.

“That your mom’s doing Jake’s room!” She crossed her arms as if she had any right to be offended.

Well, I wasn’t going to let her get away with that. “I didn’t tell you because you aren’t speaking to me. Remember?”

“Don’t be silly.” She quickly dropped her arms. “Of course I’m speaking to you.”

Stand your ground. “Okay then. I guess I’m not speaking to you.”

“Don’t try to pick a fight, Zoe. I’m sorry I made you mad. But that’s how I really feel.”

“How’d you hear about Jake’s room anyway?” I whispered as Mrs. Moore started talking.

She rolled her eyes. “Everyone’s talking about it.”

“So how come you didn’t know yesterday?”

She actually looked guilty. “I’ve been really busy.”

“With Brad.” Keeping my eye on Mrs. Moore, I said, “If you’re so busy, why do you care who Jake spends time with?”

“I just do.”

After school, we took the bus again so we could check on Mom’s progress. This time, we were the last ones on. Jake sat with Kent. I found a seat with a girl from my English class.

Despite the signs that the set was closed and visitors were not allowed, the place was a madhouse.

I spotted my dad’s Prius and hoped he hadn’t been there very long. Mom didn’t like distractions when she taped her show. And Dad fawning over Sheree certainly qualified as a distraction.

“Your dad’s here,” Jake said.

“I saw.” I couldn’t tell if Jake was unhappy about it on my behalf, Mom’s, or his own.

“Won’t that bug your mom?” he asked, moving closer so no one would hear us.

Jake really was a sweet guy. “Yeah,” I answered. “He shouldn’t be here.” Then, I realized how close he was and moved away, because suddenly all I could think about was our kisses.

We entered the house, and I saw Mom’s producer. He really was a hottie. For an old guy. He was too young for Mom, but I’d always thought he had a thing for her.

“Hey, Dave. Is Mom still upstairs?”

“Hi, Zoe. Yeah. We just wrapped.” He gave me a look. “I know she’ll be glad you’re here.”

So Dad was bugging her. “Thanks, Dave.”

“Will you take her a Sprite, Zoe? I need to talk to the guys for a minute.” He gestured to his ever-present clipboard.

“Sure.” I turned to Jake. “I could use something to drink, too. Where’d they put the cooler yesterday?” They always traveled with a cooler and makeshift snack bar.

“In the kitchen,” Jake said, leading the way.

Over his shoulder, I saw Dad and Sheree standing by the fridge. They were totally locked in a gross embrace, kissing.

“Mom,” Jake yelped.

Chapter Seven

“Oh. Hi, honey,” Sheree said, pulling away from Dad.

I maybe, sort of, lost my temper because I said, “Aren’t you guys old enough to keep your hands off each other?”

I didn’t wait for an answer and ignored Dad’s pleas of “Zoe, wait.” Instead, I stomped over to the cooler on the table and grabbed two Sprites.

Then, as Jake said, “Mom, that really isn’t appropriate,” I ran for the stairs.

My poor mother. Here she was working and Dad was making out in the kitchen. Making out in the kitchen was fine for teenagers. I mean, we’re supposed to. But for parents, it’s just wrong!

Think of Mom, I told myself as I reached the top of the stairs. I managed to paste a somewhat normal smile on my face before heading into Jake’s room.

“Hey, Mom.”

She came over to hug me and take her drink. “I didn’t know you were coming by again today.” She looked toward the door. “Where’s Jake? He can’t see it yet.”

“He’s downstairs with Sheree and Dad.”

Mom rolled her eyes. “I should have known your father couldn’t stay away.”

“Has he been bothering you?”

“No.” She popped open her drink. “Not really. He’s distracting Sheree a little, but we’re getting the work done.”

I looked around the room at the giant entertainment center they’d built on the black wall. “It’s looking great. You finish up tomorrow?”

“We should,” Mom said. “I’m making a few changes to my original plans, but—”

I had to laugh. She always changed her plans. She was a perfectionist. Sometimes, she stayed up all night working to get things the way she wanted them. And she was never happier than when her design came together.

“The entertainment center is awesome,” I said. She’d had her carpenter build it. Since Jake had three gaming systems, she’d made room for those as well as the games, and his giganto television.

“Turned out well, didn’t it?” She practically glowed with pride.

“What color are you going to paint it?” My eyes roved over the unfinished wood.

“That’s top secret information,” she said with a wink. “You’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see it.”

A knock at the door drew our attention to Anya. “Hi, Zoe. Mrs. Miller.”

“Oh. Hi, Anya.” Anya probably wouldn’t notice, but Mom’s greeting wasn’t as warm as usual.

“I had to come by and see what you were doing in here.” Anya came into the room and looked around. She’d obviously run home to redo her makeup and hair.

Anya wanted to be a designer, and she pretty much worshipped my mother.

“So much for the closed set,” I mumbled.

Mom glared at me. She didn’t like it when I was rude. Even if she was on my side, which I knew she was.

“I’d love to help,” Anya said. “If there’s anything you need. I know Jake really well, of course.”

She always liked to look at Mom’s sketches before the project when she could. Mom didn’t mind because Anya was genuinely interested.

We’ve done two rooms in Anya’s house for the show. Her living room and her mother’s room. She’d decorated her room herself,

and Mom said it was good.

“No one’s seeing the sketches,” Mom said. “I want Jake to be surprised.”

“I wouldn’t tell him,” Anya protested.

Mom didn’t have to say anything.

“Okay,” Anya said. “I get it. But can I be here tomorrow for the reveal?”

“Sure,” Mom said. “As long as we finish on schedule.”

When I finally went back downstairs leaving Anya to bug my Mom, Jake was waiting on the porch. I laughed. “You’re not allowed in your room, but I think you can go in the house.”

He shook his head. “No way. I can’t even breathe in there.”

“Where’d the lovebirds go?” I asked, my nose wrinkling in disgust.

He gestured toward the street. “Out for dinner.”

I checked my watch. “It’s not even five.”

“I guess they wanted to be alone.” He made a disgusted face. “What about your mom?”

“She’s got at least another hour meeting with her production team.” I didn’t want to stick around.

“Can I walk you home?” he asked, the corner of his mouth twitching.

“Sure.” Like I’m going to say no.

“Let’s get Indiana. He’s been tied to a tree in the backyard all day.”

As the three of us walked along together, I asked the burning question, “So, did you name your dog after Indiana Jones?”

He grinned. “I was eight.”

I wasn’t sure why he was walking me home other than to get away from the chaos at his house, but I didn’t mind.

“We need a plan,” he said after a few minutes. “Would it totally freak out your dad to catch us kissing?”

Was he actually suggesting what I thought he was suggesting. “Yeah.”

“I know my mother would freak. I think we should do it. Let’s make them miserable.”“By pretending to date?” I skirted a tree root in the sidewalk.

“Yeah.”

We crossed a busy street to cut through another neighborhood. Indiana watered a few bushes.

Jake said, “I think they deserve a little payback.”

“That scene in the kitchen was beyond gross.”

As we cut through a yard, he said, “Maybe if they walk in on us making out, they’ll understand how disgusting it is.” He stopped. “Not that it would be disgusting for us. Or me at least. Because you know I like kissing you.”