Chapter 28...

TWO GUYS AND A GIRL

Breaking her glance away from her newly-painted cherry-red nails, Maryse let out a not-so-discrete yawn. The sun was hot, the sky was blue, and there she was, sat on the bench watching Jack and Miz play tennis. "I'm bored!" Her exasperated call echoed through the Swaggers' private tennis court, so the two males stopped playing and turned to look at her. "I want to play." She announced, when all eyes were on her.

"You wanna play?" Miz didn't attempt to hide his sexist tones. Instead, he swaggered over to Maryse and mockingly waved the racket in her face.

"I didn't wear my tennis clothes for nothing." Snatching the racket out of his grasp, she got to her feet before using her available hand to smooth down her pink polo and tiny white skirt.

"Thank God, it's about time I got some competition." Jack winked at his ex-girlfriend.

There weren't many sports Maryse was fond of – there was too much sweat involved in sport – but tennis and cheerleading were the exceptions. Her father, a keen player himself, had personally coached his daughter before getting her her own instructor, one of the best in the world. Once a week, Maryse could take her aggression out on a small, innocent yellow ball; it was therapeutic for her.

"So how's the plan going?" Maryse asked, stepping onto the court and serving the ball to Jack.

"Not good," He replied, "We make out all the time, but the second my hands go under her clothes, she freezes. It's so weird."

"How strange," The French-Canadian commented, before thrashing the ball. "My point."

"Damn, I forgot how good you were, Ouellet."

"Looks like Kournikova's not the only hot blonde tennis player," Miz grinned from the bench. Maryse was even hotter when she played tennis; her face was concentrated and her tanned limbs glistened in the sunlight. Plus, she even had her own tennis grunt.

"Please," Maryse scoffed. "I'm way hotter than Kournikova."

Jack hit the ball a little too aggressively, causing Maryse to help and spring backwards. "Hello? Back to my problem?"

"Whiny bitch," Miz's smirked remained as he got up and leaned back against the wire fence. "How do you plan on getting Eve if she's going to freak out at your very touch?"

"I feel like I'm making progress." Jack put down his racket and picked up a water bottle, as Maryse continued to play, bashing the ball against the fence and hitting the rebound. "Eve's the kind of chick you need to butter up a little before you're in her good books. "

"With presents?"

"Kindness." Jack corrected. For years, he'd gained Maryse's approval through his wallet; exotic flowers, expensive restaurants and exquisite jewellery were the only way to gain her favour, but with Eve, it was a totally different ball game. The Denver beauty appreciated the simple things; pulling her chair out for her when she sat down, driving her to and from places, even watching a football game with her.

"So, you plan on screwing her with a few compliments? Seriously?"

"That's how you do it," Maryse piped up.

"Touché." Miz glanced over at the attractive French-Canadian blonde, as she dropped her racket on the ground and walked over to the side of the court. She grabbed a towel off of the ground and laid it out on the floor, before lying on top of it. Pulling down her sunglasses so they covered her eyes, she let out a lazy yawn, her whole body stretching upwards so a sliver of her toned stomach poked out from under her t-shirt, and her skirt just got a little high.

They'd known each other for years, yet somehow, over the past few weeks, something had changed about his feelings towards Maryse and Miz wasn't sure of what. Of course, Maryse had always been beautiful, but he now found himself lusting after her, which he'd never done before. After all, Miz knew he was a jerk, but he'd never go after with someone else's girl; it was too much baggage.

Now? She was available; a free agent and that meant anything could happen.

"Matt Damon's hot," Eve mused, pulling some pepperoni off of her pizza and sticking it in her mouth. "And he's even hotter when he's a former CIA agent. He's definitely in my top five."

"Your top five?" Ted drew his eyes away from the screen.

"Everyone has a top five!" She exclaimed, pausing the movie to explain. "It's the top five celebrities you're allowed to sleep with, regardless of your relationship." Of course, there was an irony in this, seeing as Eve would barely sleep with her own boyfriend, let alone a celebrity.

"So who's in this top five?"

"Well, Matt Damon, as I said. Then Chad Michael Murray, Leonardo DiCaprio, – only in his Titanic days, though – Chace Crawford and Heath Ledger."

"You are aware Heath Ledger's dead, aren't you?" Cody pointed out, munching his way through the last pizza slice in the box. "It's never gonna happen,"

"Oh, but Chad's just dying to go out with me?" She added sarcastically. "Okay smartass, who'd be on your list?"

Cody didn't have to think for very long. "Marissa Miller, Blake Lively, Jessica Alba, Audrina Patridge and Lauren Conrad. Easy."

"I wouldn't have had you down as a fan of The Hills."

"He loves it," Ted grinned. "He had a Heidi Montag poster on his bedroom wall for years until she messed her face up with all the surgery."

Cody dipped his head in sadness. "May her old face rest in peace."

Eve was glad Cody was there. There was an undefined tension between her and Ted, and Cody being there and being...well, Cody, eliminated any of that awkwardness. Since coming to California, Eve had the most fun when she was with Cody and Ted, just hanging out. Her feelings for Ted – whatever they were – seemed regardless; they were both in relationships, and Eve didn't see that changing.

"Alright, you guys have gotta scram." Eve got up and turned off the TV, beginning to clear up the pizza boxes. "Jack and I are have a date tonight, and I've gotta start getting ready."

"Good point," Ted grabbed his leather jacket off the back of the sofa and slung it on. "Layla and I are going out and I've gotta finish some math homework before I go. Exams are coming up and I can't be flunking now."

"So you and Layla are going on a date?" Cody then turned to Eve. "And you and Jack are going on a date?"

"Well done, Einstein, what's your point?" Eve raised an eyebrow as she picked some cushions up off the floor.

Cody knew Ted would kill him for this later, but he couldn't resist stirring the already boiling pot. "Well, if it's date night all around, maybe you could...double date?"

Both Eve and Ted felt their hearts stop, and the same thoughts ran through their heads; that would be uncomfortable. Neither one was particularly happy with the others relationship, and the idea of spending a night chewing their way through appetizers to avoid awkward conversation was torture. But there were reasons to go; neither wanted to show how they really felt. By turning down the date, they'd be showing the other they were weak; showing the prospect of confrontation scared them.

"So?" Cody broke the silence.

"I guess I'm okay if you are," Eve said reluctantly.

Ted spoke through gritted teeth. "It's a date."

Well, bringing Maryse & Miz into it? Thoughts? :P
It's shorter than usual, but I've spent a lot of time sorting out where this story is going.
There's going to be 38 chapters in total, so there's about 10 left, but don't forget, there is a sequel :)
Next time you'll see the double date, so make sure you read on!
Please review :)