So Many Boys (The Naughty List #2)(53)

“Well, that was fun,” Leona muttered, climbing down from the wood bench and smoothing out her skirt. “Can we talk about how the hell we’re going to catch this copy-Kitten now? I have a strongly worded letter that I need to write.”

The plan was simple, really. The weekend after next was the homecoming dance, the primo event for Washington High—a time when relationships (and affairs) were forged. Since the copy-Kitten was so interested in me, even when I wasn’t a subject, they’d surely be interested in investigating me for real, now that I was officially named.

Leona would send in a cheater request form pretending to be Kira and name Joel and me as the targets. The tough part was going to be trying to pull this off without letting Joel in on our plan. Surely he couldn’t know that the Smitten Kittens were SOS, or rather the real SOS.

I would just have to be seen with him. We’d considered setting something up for Chris’s party on Saturday, but Kira had told us that Joel wouldn’t be there. I admit, I was a little disappointed. After seeing Aiden with Mary, the thought of another date with Chris made me slightly nauseous. It would have been nice to see a friendly face.

So we decided that the best place for Operation Knockoff would be at homecoming, with Joel and me in a compromised position. And even though Kira refused to participate in the sting or talk to me other than in short sentences, she was still up for going to Chris’s party on Saturday with us.

However awkward that might be.

SOS CHEATER REQUEST

CASE: 005

CLIENT: Kira Reynolds

SUBJECT: Joel Fletcher

Due to the sensitive nature of this assignment, we will keep this notice brief. SOS will be investigating Tessa Crimson, free of charge, in the suspected cheat of Joel Fletcher.

Although pictures were supplied already, from your sternly worded letter, we gather that you’re not ready to accept this crime.

Because of that, SOS will confirm the cheat and provide revenge tactics.

SOS will inform you of our findings as soon as possible. We would also recommend that you no longer associate with Ms. Crimson or the Smitten Kittens.

Keep kicking ass,

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“HURRY UP, LEONA,” KIRA CALLED FROM THE driver’s seat as Leona walked out the front double doors of her huge brick house. Her dad’s vintage cars were in the driveway, making her already-impressive house that much more eclectic.

We’d parked on her street, sitting at the curb for close to fifteen minutes while we waited for her. But the second I saw her, I knew why. She looked delicious. Her brown hair had been set in curlers, leaving it all wavy, with her fringed bangs brushed to the side. She’d gotten new contacts and lined her eyes heavily with liner, giving her that model-just-out-of-rehab look. Her black minidress with strappy heels was a total ensemble!

Izzie whistled from the passenger seat as Leona climbed into the back with me. I smiled.

“You look ravishing,” I said, reaching up to touch one of her curls.

She shrugged. “No big deal.”

“It certainly is,” Kira announced before checking her mirrors and pulling out into the street. “You finally look like a real Kitten.”

Not true. Leona always looked like herself, which was exactly right for a Smitten Kitten. But Kira and I were only speaking to each other when necessary, and contradicting her right now didn’t qualify as necessary.

“Shove it, Kira,” Leona said, reaching over to adjust the strap on her sandals. “I just wanted to put myself back on the market. Worry about your own boyfriend.”

“When were you off the market?” Kira laughed. “And don’t worry about Joel. He’s just fine.”

Leona shot me a glance, then turned to look out the back window at the passing trees. “Let’s drop it. I’m just ready to have fun. That’s all.”

After the week I’d had, I was hoping that Chris’s party would be more on the hook than off, but I was wrong. There were at least twenty people standing on the front lawn of his two-story, red Craftsman’s-style home. A few were playing horseshoes (which I’m sure the neighbors loved), and some were just sitting on the porch watching and drinking, occasionally calling out winners.

Kira bumped the curb as she parked in front, causing the crowd to taunt us.

“Nice,” Leona murmured. I could see the splotches of red appearing on her neck and chest. It wasn’t a common thing for Leona to look petrified.

Izzie sighed longingly from the front seat. “I bet Sam liked horseshoes.”

“He probably did,” I said, trying to be supportive. Then I leaned over and pushed open the door. As the rest of the girls filtered out, grouping around me, I became uncomfortably aware that I was underdressed.

Leona was in a minidress, and Kira and Izzie were both in short skirts and ballet flats. I, however, was wearing a white T-shirt with jeans and sandals. They seemed to notice my clothes too.

“Jeez, Tessa, could you have even tried to impress Chris?” Kira said, fluffing her blonde curls. “I could have let you borrow an outfit.”

I wasn’t sure if Kira was trying to be friendly or if she was putting me down because she was still upset about the Joel misunderstanding. Either way, I decided to just be polite.

“Thanks for the offer.”

“Let’s go,” Leona said, looping her arm in mine and heading across the soft grass and toward the party. A few people said hi to me as we walked. I sensed that just by being here, I was getting part of my reputation back. Although at this point, I wasn’t really sure how much I cared.