Mixed Match

by MIA HEINTZELMAN

  She couldn't deny it. It would be kind of nice to sit back and take it all in from the sidelines. Zora was tough, and even though Mike had fully redeemed himself with Sophia, he still had it coming in a big way.

  "Mom?" Sophia called.

  "Yes?" Both mothers answered in unison.

  Sophia twined her fingers in Everett's, thinking about the mothers and their matchmaking. Mom seemed genuinely happy with Otis. Maybe she was on to something with her time limits and wagers. Maybe being on the outside looking in wasn’t without it’s advantages.

  "What are we talking, three months?" she asked. "Six like you gave me? It might take a year to help them see each other in a new light."

  Everett put his empty bowl on the table and shifted toward Sophia. "What exactly are you guys talking about? And who?"

  As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

  "Nothing important, just my meddlesome family," Sophia said, standing. She narrowed her eyes and shot them a knowing glance. A reprimanding, behave yourself look. "Go easy on them." She warned, amusement in her tone.

  Guilty as ever, they threw up their hands in synchronized, feigned innocence.

  "I don't want to tell you young ladies again, you hear?" Sophia eyed them one more time before she opened the door to greet Zora and Mike. "Come on in. Ice cream is in the freezer. Truffles are on the counter. We're just about to put on the next movie."

  They were in the living room for all of five seconds before Mom started to rub her forefinger over her top lip while she nibbled the bottom lip.

  "Hey, everyone," Zora said to the group as she made her rounds, giving hugs, as Mike followed suit behind her.

  Stanley took one look at Aunt Marian and Mom, who were both champing at the bit for the opportunity to seal off another couple. "Uh-oh."

  "It's so nice to see you two again." Aunt Marian cooed.

  Always a flare for the dramatics, Mom chimed in. "Yes, it is. You guys were an unstoppable pair at the wedding, the way you pulled off the surprise. What a match." She winked at Sophia.

  Everett raised a brow at Sophia, flashing his disarming, cocky little smile.

  "If I tell you, promise not to overreact?" She watched as suspicion twisted the lines of his handsome face. She pressed. "Well, do we have a deal, or not?"

  He nodded.

  “Love is love, right?”

  “Yeah,” he said tentatively.

  As Everett drew Sophia closer for a kiss, she couldn't help thinking how much her life changed.

  She stepped out on faith and a prayer, and somehow ended up surrounded by love on all sides. Her family was together and growing, she was smitten with a man she couldn't imagine living without, her restaurant dreams were turning into reality, and apparently she did have a (non-depressing) horror-movies-and-ice-cream phase.

  “I’m so glad you feel that way."

  It really was funny how sometimes things did work out.

  * * *

  <<<<>>>>

  Acknowledgments

  This was a fun one! Thank you so much for going along for the ride with me. That you chose my book in which to spend your time is my honor.

  More than anything this book is about new dreams, reimagining, and daring to journey down new paths. I’m so fortunate to be able to venture down the path of writing for a living, thanks to my husband, Daniel Heintzelman, who has allowed me to leap because he’s my net, supporting me.

  I have a ton of shout-outs to give because it took a lot of amazing people to help me get this fun story to market. Thank you to my Las Vegas Romance Writers family and especially my Thursday Night Therves. You are my fellow introverts uniting in dark corners and cozy nooks. You help me breathe life into my books and characters. Thanks for your invaluable, crazy, fun, and hashtaggable critique sessions.

  To my editor, Faith Freewoman, I’m indebted to your polishing skills. You make my work shine. Thank you for your clear eyes and encouraging feedback.

  A huge thank you to the librarians, bloggers, bookstagrammers, and reviewers. You are the unspoken heroes who spread the word like wildfire about stories, which feed the mind and nourish the soul.

  Big hugs and smoochie kisses to my family and friends. You are the petals on my flowering tree and the frame holding up my house. You understand and support me even though I’m always with my nose stuck in a book or with my fingers glued to a keyboard spinning tales.

  Mommy and Daddy I love that I’m equally both parts of your (semi-) social butterfly (okay, sometimes, anti-) and bookworm because you’ve given me a hungry mind and wings to soar.

  My sister, Melissa DeGrazia, we’re basically the same person in two bodies fighting with our reflections, but who better to have in my corner to support and uplift me? Thank you. Cheers to leaping in faith!

  Finally, to my two daughters and my nieces and nephews, I hope my daring pursuit of greatness is inspiration and wind beneath your wings.

  Mixed Emotions

  THE ALL MIXED UP SERIES

  BOOK THREE

  COMING 2020

  Chapter One

  Zora Monroe rubbed her arms as she looked up at the old building wishing she took one more shot of tequila before she left the house. “Brr. I’m freakin’ freezing.” Her top lip curled as she sighed. “Tell me again why we couldn’t meet somewhere else…indoors, brighter, maybe less sketchy-looking.”

  She and her best friend Olivia were at some place a few blocks off Burnside Street near the concert hall, but she’d never been to this particular spot. From the outside it looked like any other gray, unmarked hole-in-the-wall. Nothing fancy that would have caught her attention otherwise. If not for the glare of the neon lights from the Portland sign, Zora’s guards might have been raised higher than they already were. Shoot, aside from the skimpy blue dress Oli forced her into, the building left the hairs on the back of her bare neck standing taller than the spikes of her pixie cut.

  “Try to remember this is a night for celebration and not some deranged plot to get you out the house. We’re going to toast to you getting the best agent out there for your cookbook and then we’re all going to dance and drink way too much, and hopefully…we won’t remember any of it in the morning.” Oli flashed her a wide-eyed, batted-lashes, pleading expression that read, please let loose for a night.

  Though she was still feigning irritation, a smile crept across Zora’s face because all of it did sound amazing. Well, except for the whole drinking way too much part. She and alcohol were a slightly less greasy version of oil and vinegar: they did not mix.

  She blew out a sigh, but then her mind snagged on the word her friend was obviously trying to glaze over.

  We.

  “Wait a minute. Who is ‘we all’?” she asked.

  Oli grinned and moved forward in the line before she turned back and settled her gaze on Zora.

  “The thing is…Sophia’s too scared about going out with her little baby bump and Everett goes where she goes, so they won’t make it, but Kara, Steph, Remi, and Lexi said they should be here.” Oli’s brows danced and she bit back a shit-eating grin like she was going to burst if she held the rest in too long. “And…you’ll finally get to meet Andre,” she sang. Yippee!

  Andre. As in the dude Oli met at a concert a few months back, smashed, friend-zoned, and apparently decided was the perfect leftover to re-gift to her best friend.

  Yay me!

  “Yeah, no thanks. I’m good. Who else?”

  Oli folded her arms and aimed a pointed stare at Zora. “Oh you mean, is Mike coming?” She cocked her head and her brows braided together. Zora studied her as she pursed her lips and lightly tugged her earlobe. Then, way too adamantly she answered Zora’s unasked question. “Nope. I didn’t invite him.”

  I hate it when I can tell you’re lying?

  “I almost believe you.”

  With an extra dramatic eye roll, she avoided meeting Zora’s scrutinizing glare. “Seriously, I didn’t.” Zero conviction. “I could be wrong, but you seem super concern
ed about it considering the man’s with Kate.”

  Yes. The current, likely flawless, stand-in.

  Zora pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and narrowed her gaze on Oli for a sec. “We’re friends, so relax. I was just asking.” Zora shrugged and rubbed her arms deciding to leave well enough alone.

  When she allowed Oli to talk her into the skimpy dress she might have imagined Mike’s tongue falling to the floor. He was her brother’s best friend. Or, rather her brother’s older, disarmingly scrumptious best friend who’d been around the family for years. And Zora’s fun-sized kid crush had developed into an insanely good-looking, green-eyed stunner with a lean build and muscly broad shoulders over those years.

  Her pulse quickened.

  Gah, Zora hated how her hopes skyrocketed at the prospect of Mike seeing her in something other than Boho jeans and t-shirts. She tried not to let her shoulders slump all at once.

  Again, why on earth did I let Oli talk me out of staying in?

  “I’ll have you know I’m missing an eighties movie marathon for this. They’re starting with Weird Science, too.”

  “Oh ’you know, your basic high school orgy type of thing.’ ‘It’s a mindscrambler.’ ‘Hurts so good’,” Oli said in her best eighties superhuman, sex goddess voice. She was mocking Kelly LeBrock, but her brown eyes skewed into beady lasers beneath a pair of thick brows. With her blunt cut black bob hitting just below her olive hued chin and the wine-stained lipstick lacquered over her full pout, everything about Oli fit the bill. Her acting chops not so much, but she was perfection science couldn’t manufacture.

  “Whatever, butt wad. The fact that you quoted the movie proves my point.” Zora hugged her arms closer to her chest and bit back the chattering of her teeth.

  “Oh the horror.” Oli pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. “It’s been out for almost thirty-five years. I’m sure you already own it, along with every other movie released the entire decade. Tonight is going to be so much fun and all you have to do is enjoy yourself.”

  In the midst of all the shivering and merriment, Zora’s phone pinged and now she really was excited.

  It was her turn.

  After a couple of minutes of debating whether or not to ask Mike if he was coming to the party, she bit her lip and decided he might be with Kate, which would just be awkward. She tapped out a message rapid-fire on her phone, her thumb hovering over the small green vertical arrow while she considered and reconsidered sending it.

  Zora: Your turn.

  1. Haggis burgers are going to be the secret weapon for my cookbook.

  2. I’m home with Oli on the couch binge-watching the second season of Stranger Things.

  3. I’ve been forced to listen to Ev and Soph have sex for the fifth time today.

  Ugh, this is too easy.

  Zora could feel a serious case of side-eye coming from Oli’s general direction. Together they inched forward between the black velvet ropes. Before she could second-guess herself, she pressed send and almost instantly, the phone pinged again.

  “You’re about to meet a fine ass man, and while you should be practicing your stale flirting skills, you’re seriously texting Mike?”

  “Relax. I’m just—“

  “Playing games? In denial that you’re in love with him, have been since the butt-crack of forever?”

  Zora ignored Oli and read Mike’s message as a second one popped up on the screen.

  Mike: First off, if you ever plan on beating me at this game, the two truths shouldn’t be glaringly obvious. Lol. Your life and your career are food, so I already knew number one was true without reading it. But, for the record, haggis is disgusting. Not a clue how you’re going to mix Scottish and Creole food into one book. Second, if Ev and Soph weren’t screwing like rabbits, I’d be worried they were calling off the engagement.

  Butterflies fluttered in Zora’s stomach as she pulled her bottom lip into her mouth stifling a smile.

  Mike: #2. You suck at lying. Where are you?

  Oli grabbed for the phone, but Zora yanked it back.

  “What did he say?”

  “Mind your own business. When you were over there sending mysterious texts with your back turned to me, I wasn’t all in yours.” She shot Oli a steely glare, but it didn’t deter the woman with balls of steel.

  “Seriously, what did he say?”

  Zora bit the inside of her cheek because she was dying to show Oli, but she liked to see her sweat. After a few seconds, Zora flashed the screen to her and Oli burst out laughing. “I love you Zo, but he’s right. You really can’t lie for shit.”

  “Hello pot, I’m kettle.”

  “Dumb,” she dragged out the word. “Even if he did think the haggis thing was a lie, why did you include me in it? Literally, my motto, my mission, my mantra is to never be home on a Friday night. The day I’m bundled up on your couch on a Friday night fantasizing about the Upside Down is the day I’m officially old.”

  Damn, I knew it was too easy.

  Zora grabbed the phone back.

  “And don’t tell him where you are,” Oli muttered. “Why does he care?”

  As if to underscore Oli’s rant and rub it in Zora’s face, the phone pinged yet again. Word for word, Mike reiterated the point about Oli’s Friday night motto then listed his own three truth/lie options before sending another message.

  Mike: BTW, congrats on the lit agent. I’ll buy you a round when I see you.

  * * *

  Zora: Thanks!!! I still can’t even believe it.

  Beaming, Zora circled her focus back around to his latest three options. She could feel the heat of Oli’s eyes beaming down on the screen as she stared at the bullet points. “Shhh.” She waved her away. “I can’t hear myself think with you hovering, helicopter.”

  “When you make your choice, will you please put the phone away before you ruin the whole night?” She folded her arms, her tone more than playfully pissed. Why she was being so touchy about the phone, Zora didn’t have a clue, but just when she was about to delve deeper into it, the corners of Oli’s mouth lifted. “I want you to have some bubbly, get loose, and maybe try Andre on for size. Pun intended. You have an agent and a hot guy chilling on ice, waiting for you to uncork him.” A squeal escaped her lips as she held up her hand for a high five.

  A new group of people filed into the line behind them, laughing at Oli’s hysterics.

  Come on Tequila, kick in.

  Reluctantly, Zora slapped her hand, but Oli held onto it for a second.

  “Besides, I swear you and Mike act like freaking two year olds. Truths. Lies. It’s all the same thing. I wish you guys would go ahead and smash again then you could decide whether he’s worth all this torment and angst you’ve been putting yourself through. Maybe give someone else a chance. You’re adults now, it’s safe to stop playing games.”

  “I’m not listening to you.” A giggle spilled out, but Zora only shook her head.

  “Fine. Don’t admit it. But Andre does kind of remind me of Mike—same

  light-skinned, baby face, full-lipped kind of brother, but think less cerebral and brooding, and more swaggalicious. He’s a little bit taller, and a doctor. Think of the role plays you could do.” She swooned. “Plus, he’s single and you look fierce tonight. You’re like this sleek, tall, Amazon bombshell dipped in bronze. That dress never looked that good on me.” Doubtful.

  Zora snickered. “Fierce isn’t exactly the word I’d use. Between the thread dress and these drop-it-like-it’s-hot heels, I don’t even know what to say.” She shook her head in disbelief through a fit of giggles. “And if Andre is so fine, why aren’t you still with him?”

  Before Oli could answer, Zora dropped her gaze back to her phone and selected option number three followed by a long nose liar emoji.

  “You know he’s way more your type than mine. And anyway, can’t you stop texting Mike for a night? Or else tell him how you feel and see what happens. It can’t be that hard.”

 
“Because I don’t know that’s how I feel. I just…I like what we have. It’s fun and comfortable.” And perfect. He’s perfect. “I don’t want to mess it up and I don’t want all the awkward insecurity and second-guessing. We’re friends. Practically family.” The inflection in her voice rose to a high-pitched squeak.

  Oli pressed her fist to her mouth and pointed at her. “Oh, now there’s a lie. A bold faced lie. You should’ve chosen a different game because it really isn’t your strong suit.”

  Zora sighed and shrugged, but Oli’s gaze narrowed in on her.

  “Yeah. Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that. The way you act around each other? I should snap a picture to let you both in on it.”

  Shit.

  The thing about falling for a guy before you hit puberty is it has a way of ruining it for everyone else down the line. Whether Zora wanted to pretend or not, no one else but Mike stood a chance. It certainly didn’t make matters any better he happened to be her brother’s best friend.

  “Look, let us be. We’re good the way we are. We’re just…having fun together. I don’t need any distractions—my plate is full. The agent gave me twelve weeks to get this book ready. She wants me to find my ‘niche’ and come up with a new title to go along with the pictures, recipes, and personal stories. I don’t need a man right now.”

  Well, maybe for a few things, which didn’t require her to buy batteries in bulk at Costco. But, no, really she didn’t want a man at the moment. Not just any man.

  “Let me remind you again. We are celebrating how amazing you are. This is not just about a cookbook or Mike. Or Andre. Not even the dress. We both need to let down our guards and have some fun.” She squared her body to Zora. “Just for tonight, let’s lose ourselves.”

  Oh, just…lose ourselves. No big deal. Nothing to write home about.