Page 2 of Dating the Bad Boy

“What?” Caroline’s brows furrow.

“The two of you and those looks. It’s goddamn annoying.”

“He’s cranky as fuck today,” Jeremy murmurs.

“I noticed.”

“You probably shouldn’t have launched a breadstick at his head.”

“Sorry, not sorry,” she says, shrugging.

“I know what the two of you are doing,” I growl, pointing at them. “You’re trying to distract me, but it isn’t working because you’re so full of shit the stench is pouring off you. What do you know? And don’t lie because you both suck at that.”

“I’m a damn good liar,” Jeremy protests. Which is true. No one knows he’s a fucking millionaire. I don’t know how, considering his brother owns a damn aviation company. But he drives a beat-up truck, lives in a modest house, and doesn’t advertise his wealth. Which isn’t the point. The point is… they’re fucking lying. That look says they know exactly who she is and why shewon’t leave me alone. I’m guessing she’s the same matchmaker who helped–or didn’t help, depending on who you ask–get the two of them together.

The question is how they’re involved with her blowing up my phone.

“What do you know?” I grit out, scowling daggers at them. “Stop pissing me off. My head hurts. Why is she calling and texting me?”

“Okay, so,” Caroline starts, grimacing. “Don’t be mad.”

“Too late,” I say, my tone dark.

“Jeremy agreed to convince you to be her next client.” Caroline smiles brightly. “It’ll be a good thing for you, Asa. You need someone in your life.”

I stay silent for a full five count, processing. And then I glance at my ex-best friend. “We aren’t friends anymore.”

“Fair.”

“I’m not talking to you anymore,” I say to Caroline, earning a pout. “And, fuck no, I’m not agreeing to this bullshit.”

“Asa!” she cries, launching a fry at me. “Why not? Be reasonable!”

“Reasonable? How the fuck is letting some mystery woman hook me up with some woman I’ve never met reasonable?”

“Uh, have you met you?” she asks, eyeing me like I’m the crazy one here. “If you’re ever going to get married, it’s going to have to be a blind date. Everyone in town thinks you’re the devil.”

“No, they don’t.”

She arches a brow at me.

“They don’t.”

“Okay, fine. They think you’re his assistant. Same difference.”

I smile at that because it’s not far off. I like to raise a little hell and cause a my share of trouble. Sue me. It keeps things interesting around here. And it solved my problem when I had one. Shit, maybe this will, too. But trusting my fate to a woman I’ve never met? There’s no fucking way it’ll work.

People in this town know me too goddamn well. As soon as my blind date realizes that she's been saddled with me, she's going to haul ass out of there and never look back.

“Give it a chance,” Jeremy says. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

“Uh, do you remember making my sister cry, asshole?”

He pales slightly at the reminder.

“Exactly,” I say, sliding from the booth. “There’s no way I’m agreeing to this. Never going to happen.”

“You have gotto be kidding me,” I growl later that night, scowling at my phone when it lights up with yet another message from the matchmaker. She is relentless; I’ll give her that much. I’ve met soldiers with less brass than she’s got. Jesus.

---