Page 63 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

Thinking back on his own romantic past, he was constantly changing and adapting who he was to get whatever woman he wanted. The girl in high school who had liked long hair, or Ashley, who had wanted a guitar-playing rocker boyfriend with tattoos. He’d gotten one in a place hardly anyone ever saw. Even for Gemma, his best friend, he had become everything and anything she needed. He had changed everything about himself except his outsides to give them what they wanted and it hadn’t been enough.

Wasn’t he doing the same thing now? Or was he finally exploring who he was? He had always wanted to grow a goatee, but had been told it made him look like a derelict from his mother. He loved the motorcycle and how relaxed and free he felt not having to please everyone all the time and live up to some ideal he had created.

And Ellie had helped him with that. What had started out as him changing for some unknown woman, he found himself coming into his own and women were noticing.

Even Ellie.

But did she just like who he had become or did she like who he was as well? Did she want the computer expert with the hidden comic book collectables, or did she like the daring motorcyclist?

Would the real Mike Stevens please stand up?

His phone rang and he picked it up, pushing his dark thoughts aside.

“Bits and Pieces Computer Repair.”

“Michael, it’s Mr. Greenfield. Our alumni mascot is too sick to play in the game tonight and I was wondering if you still had your costume.”

Mike paused. “Yeah, I do.”

“Will you fill in tonight? We could really use you and you know it’s for the kids.”

“Can’t I just donate the suit for someone else to wear?” Mike asked, grimacing. Just another of his many stunts and regrets, something else he’d done to get a girl.

“To be honest, Michael, I have called everyone and no one wants to do it. You were so good.”

“Yeah, when I was in high school. I don’t really want to be jumping around in a funky mascot costume at my age.” Or have anyone know it was him.

“We’ll keep it between us, I swear.”

Mike wanted to say no so bad, but Mr. Greenfield had probably used him as a last resort because he knew Mike wouldn’t say no. Mike was the go-to guy, the one that bailed everyone out of a jam.

And as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t say no and screw over the school. The mascots competed at halftime and people put money in the bucket of the best one. It was one of the biggest events and could get hilarious.

Mike did like to make people laugh.

“What time do I need to be there?”

Ellie was busy getting changed that evening for a relaxing night at home. Without having to go to the alumni game for Forrest tonight, she could just curl up with an episode of Firefly. Mike had introduced her to the series the other night, and she’d become addicted to it.

Plus, she loved to watch Nathan Fillion in a pair of tight trousers.

She was just pulling on her sweats when the phone rang. Picking up her cell, it was a blocked number.

“Hello?” she said, taking a chance that it might be her dad again.

Heavy breathing echoed in her ear.

“Hello. Who is this?”

More breathing. Ellie’s skin prickled with apprehension and anger.

“If you think some mouth-breather is going to scare me, you’ve got the wrong idea, asshole. Why don’t you—”

“You’re gonna pay, bitch,” the raspy inhuman voice hissed.

The line clicked dead and Ellie threw it on the bed, her hands shaking. It wasn’t her first death threat, and they’d all amounted to nothing. Most of the time it was a guy she’d rejected who felt like she owed him.

Still, it didn’t help that she was home alone and pretty sure the front door was unlocked.

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