Stirring Up Trouble (Stirring Up Trouble Trilogy 1)

“Bye honey,” Sheree said. “Now John, don’t overreact.”

“See ya’, Zoe,” Jake said.

I stole a glance at him, and he was smiling. I guess he wasn’t worried for his life now that my dad was leaving. Deep down, I knew the whole thing was really funny. But meanwhile, I had one uptight nuclear physicist on my hands.

I followed Dad out the door and to his car. The whole time, I just kept thinking that we had planned this for a month. The PDA, and getting caught. And how ridiculously ironic was it that we’d called it off, started dating, and gotten caught with the PDA after all. And like Jake said before, my dad was never going to let me out of his sight. So I could forget being alone with Jake, and I could forget about kissing him.

I caught myself grinning like an idiot at the memory of his kisses. Oops. No good for Dad to see that.

Luckily, he had gone straight for his door and climbed into the car. I hurried into my side and buckled up.

“I’m really not comfortable with this, Zoe,” Dad said, starting the engine and backing out.

Well, that made two of us. “Comfortable with what?”

“You dating Jake.” He practically spit the words out. “You’re only fifteen.”

“Well, I’m not comfortable with you making out with Sheree in her kitchen.”

“I asked you before about my dating Sheree. You indicated that it was okay with you.”

“I lied,” I admitted, crossing my arms over the seatbelt in the best defiant pose I could manage while seated. “What was I supposed to do?”

“Tell the truth?” he suggested in a harsh tone.

“Or we could both lie. We could pretend that all of this is okay. And then, we can just go on with our lives.” Now that I thought about it, it was the perfect solution.

“We are not pretending.”

“Haven’t you heard ignorance is bliss?”

“How can it be ignorance when I know you’re dating him?” He gripped the steering wheel so tight I knew his patience was about to snap.

“Pretending ignorance could be bliss too, right?”

“I’m losing track of your logic here, Zoe.”

Dad and his freakin’ logic. “Always with the logic.” Oops, did I say that out loud?

“There’s nothing wrong with logic, Zoe.”

“Dad, I know you like Sheree, and you know I like Jake.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t until five minutes ago.”

“But now you do. So can’t we just drop this?”

“No. I don’t like you growing up. I know it’s silly, but dating? And then Jake. You guys have been alone together a lot lately because of me and his mom. Now, instead of enjoying myself with Sheree, I’ll be worrying about what the two of you are doing.”

“Now, you know what I’ve been going through.” I pushed the button for the airflow and aimed the vents my way.

Dad groaned. “I didn’t think about it like that.”

“Well, now you know.”

He glanced my way, his expression softening. “You really like him?”

“Yes. I really like him.”

Dad sighed and slumped a little in the driver’s seat. “I guess he’s a good kid.”

“He is.” Not too good though, thank goodness.

“Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

“Are you calling my boyfriend a devil?” I tried for a lame joke.

“No. I doubt my girlfriend would appreciate me calling her son a devil.”

“Okay, how about I stop reminding you I’m dating Jake and you stop reminding me you’re dating Sheree.”

Dad pulled through the gates of his apartment complex. “It’s after midnight. How about we go to sleep, and deal with this in the morning?”

Thank God. “Deal.”

First thing in the morning, I called Mom. She was up, of course, and headed to aerobics. Dad was up too, and I had to call from the bathroom to make sure he didn’t hear me.

I told her about our new boyfriend/girlfriend status and about Dad’s reaction.

Mom laughed. And laughed.

I started to wonder if she was able to control her car laughing so hard.

“I’m going now, Mom. Thanks for the help.”

I knew Mom well enough to know she was laughing at Dad being tormented rather than the resulting torment to me, but still.

Since I didn’t think Anya would be the best person to talk to about the whole Jake situation, I texted Jake. “Have you left the country?”

I put my phone in my pocket in case he replied, and then I opened the bathroom door and braced myself to face my father.

Dad wasn’t in the mood for talking. In fact, he moped around all morning. I counted fifty-six sighs. Finally, I asked him to take me home.

Mom ran to the door when I came in. “Is your father still out there? I want to see his face.”

“Thanks for being supportive, Mom.”

“I’m kidding, Zoe.” She hugged me. “I’m glad you and Jake are dating.”

“Me too.”

Camille called to tell me Jake and I made a cute couple. I congratulated her on snagging Kent.

“I tried to call Anya, but I can’t get her. Did you see her last night? I don’t think she and Brad showed up at the dance.”

“She did. Brad didn’t go with her, but I think she was okay. She danced with Josh, and then said she was leaving.”

“I guess she’ll call me back.”

“I should probably call her too.” My phone beeped, and I took it from my ear to see who was calling in. “Oh, Camille. It’s Jake.”

“Kiss-ee, Kiss-ee,” she said.

“Goodbye, Camille,” I said with mock exasperation.

I took a deep breath and disconnected Camille. “Hi, Jake.” I tried not to jump up and down.

“Hey.” I lowered my voice. “So did you leave town?”

A chuckle rumbled through the phone. “No. I’m still in town.”

“What did your mother say after we left?”

“We can talk about that after you answer the doorbell.”

“Doorbell?” I had no sooner spit the word out than the doorbell rang. “Jake?” I said into the phone.

He didn’t answer. I closed my cell and threw it on the

bed.

After clip-clopping down the stairs, I pulled open the front door.

To find Jake grinning at me.

“Nice trick,” I said.

With a step toward me, he put his hands on my hips and gave me a kiss on the lips. “I thought you’d like it.”

“Yummy,” I said.

“Is your Mom home?” he asked, running his finger over my cheek.

“Out back. Planting mums.”

“Good.” He pulled me close again and kissed me thoroughly. “I don’t guess we could lock the back door.”

“Uh, no.” Although it wasn’t a bad idea. “She’d just come in the front.” He didn’t smell like cologne but soap and essence of hot guy.

He gave me a crooked grin and the glint in his eyes turned mischievous. “Yeah, but that’s what, two extra minutes?”

“And one angry mother. Not the trade-off I’m looking for.”

As if on cue, the back door slammed. “Here she comes now.” I pulled him further into the house and shut the door.

We headed back to the kitchen where Mom was washing her hands.

“Zoe, I should do more gardening,” Mom said without turning around. “It really is therapeutic. And if my yard looks better than Mudhead Mack’s, so be it.”

“Mom, uh, Jake stopped by.”

“He did?” Mom switched off the water and turned around. “Well, hi, Jake. It’s good to see you again.”

“Mrs. Miller.” Jake nodded politely.

Mom grinned. “Well, you make yourself at home, Jake. I’m going to make a quick landscaping sketch of the yard before I say anything to embarrass Zoe. Like how if John marries Sheree, you’ll be dating your sister. Or something petty, like how funny I find it that John’s getting a taste of his own medicine.”

I dashed across the kitchen to open the back door. “Bye, Mom.” With an exaggerated gesture, I motioned for her to leave.

Mom laughed. “Let me gather my sketchpad.” She picked up her pad off the kitchen island. “And a pencil,” she said pulling one from the pencil jar. “And I will leave you two to yourselves.”