Bad Reputation. Melinda Lorenzo Di

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      “No,” I stated quickly at the same time as Joey nodded and said, “Yep.”

      Amber laughed, but I could tell it wasn’t real.

      “Not officially,” I muttered. “First, he was in my dorm, then he was in my business meeting.”

      “Was he?” Amber’s voice was high.

      She wriggled away and began setting up her table in jerky motions. Joey met my stare and shook his head slightly.

      Did he want me to protect him? Fat chance of that happening.

      I shook my head, too, and went back to unpacking my own stuff.

      I watched Joey from the corner of my eye. He looked annoyed, but also a little amused. He took a step closer to Amber and whispered something into her hair. I watched in amazement as all the tension left her body. She smiled, leaned against his chest for a second, and then pushed him away playfully.

      “Seriously?” I said out loud to myself.

      The little display reminded me exactly why I’d been steering clear of men since Mark betrayed me. Manipulative, unpredictable and full of themselves. As a species.

      I stacked up my pamphlets irritably.

      “So…what are you selling?” Joey’s voice, right in my ear, made me jump and knock over half of my display.

      “I’m not selling anything. Were you paying any attention at the meeting?” I asked, wondering how the heck he managed to get hired at the paper at all.

      Right, I reminded myself. He’s good looking. And has money.

      I knelt down to pick up the mess, and just about toppled over as Joey bent down beside me. His arm brushed mine, and a startling heat rushed through me. I jerked away. I was glad that Joey was staring at my promotional materials rather than at me. The last thing I wanted was for him to see the blush creeping up from my neck to my cheeks.

      I glanced over at Amber. She was chatting pleasantly with a group of potential customers. She’d unpacked a whole pile of expensive-looking jewelry and held up a particularly sparkly bracelet to one of the girls in front of her.

      When I looked back at Joey, he was staring at me.

      “You’re a gardener?” he wanted to know.

      “Yes,” I snapped.

      “And that’s how you’re raising money for this pet project of yours?”

      I didn’t like the way he said pet project.

      “I told you I’m not doing an interview,” I reminded him.

      “Why not? The press would be good for your cause, wouldn’t it?”

      I clenched my teeth. “It’s personal, okay? I just don’t want my name splashed all over the place. I’d rather have the charity speak for itself.”

       Why am I even telling him this?

      Joey tapped his chin thoughtfully, then grinned.

      “Maybe I’ll come at the story from a different angle,” he stated. “I can see the headline now. Secret identity of altruistic student, once shrouded in mystery, revealed here for the first time at the Trans U Tattler.”

      “You wouldn’t dare!”

      He shrugged. “Probably not. But why risk it?”

      I met his eyes. They were oh-so-green, and maybe almost kind. But too damned curious, and too damned smart. I got the distinct feeling that in spite of his flippant attitude and too-shiny smile, there was something more to him.

       But what?

      “What’s so interesting over here that you’re practically ignoring me?” Amber’s teasing question made both Joey and me jump.

      I broke off my stare, and shuffled the papers on my table. Joey just continued to grin.

      “I was just telling your friend Chipper a little about your jewelry business,” he stated.

      She stared at me blankly for a minute. “Oh! Don’t listen to Joey. It’s my little sister’s jewelry. A project for the seniors at her school. They have to make something, sell it and donate ten percent of the money to charity.”

      “But you’re selling it,” I pointed out.

      Amber didn’t even have the grace to blush.

      “It’s not cheating,” she assured me with a dismissive wave. “Mom and Dad took her to the Caribbean for her birthday. The money’s due Monday and they’re not back until late Sunday. Anyway our parents said they would buy it all, but…you know how teachers are.”

      “Right.” I barely managed to keep my sarcasm in check.

      “Well, what do you sell?”

      I did blush. “I’m not really selling a product, either.”

      “So what are you doing here?”

      “I’m a gardener,” I started to explain, then stopped.

      I felt silly, confessing my need to protect the community center. It was exactly the kind of thing that got me teased in high school. My home life made me hyperaware of the need around me, but when you’re the only girl out of four hundred who cares about something other brand name jeans, people notice.

      Amber was looking at me expectantly.

      “Altruism,” Joey finally said. “She’s fundraising, too.”

      Amber frowned. “By selling gardening services?”

      “Why don’t you show me some of your sister’s stuff?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from me.

      Joey met my eyes again, and when he winked knowingly, I blushed.

      Amber grabbed my hand and pulled me over to her table, where she pointed out delicate earring sets and long, beaded necklaces. They were a far cry from the usual hemp and stone jewelry available at the market. The prices were high—between fifty and a hundred dollars for each item—but I suspected the materials were worth even more. I didn’t know what a Swarovski crystal was, but I was sure it was something fancy.

      “You want that one?” Amber asked.

      I was running my fingers over a long string of polished rocks. I dropped it on the table abruptly.

      “I can’t afford it,” I blurted.

      Amber tilted her head to one side as if trying to figure out if I was kidding. “It’s only seventy bucks.”

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