Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
RENLEY
“Oh, this is good stuff,” Aunt Kitty says, examining the bottle of tequila.
“Real top shelf.” She lets her nose trail over the length of the bottle.
“This is the kind of alcohol you drink out of a Bahama-Mama-bathed belly button.” She holds her hand up to me before I can say anything.
“Don’t ask me how I know that, just understand… that I do.”
I lift myself up onto the kitchen counter and pick up one of the cactus glasses that I find to be annoyingly charming.
I’ve seen these glasses several times in one of the gift shops in town and I’ve always found them to be adorable, but I never purchased them because they’re overpriced and our mugs always worked fine.
But now that I have them, I will definitely use them.
“What do you think his angle is?” I ask. “Why is he so persistent?”
“Maybe he likes you? Ever think of that?”
I shake my head. “No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t even know me. There has to be a reason he’s sticking around, trying to gain my attention. Frankly, I find the whole thing creepy.”
“Creepy? Oh no.” Aunt Kitty shakes her head. “It’s not creepy. It’s charming. A tendency toward stalking is a great sign now, shows that they’re committed.”
“Did you just hear yourself?”
“Trust me.” She puts the bottle down on the counter. “It’s all the rage in romance novels. Stalking: a new way to show you care. A lot of women find it flattering.”
“Not me. I hate that he knows where I live. I hate that he can just pop over whenever he wants. But most importantly, I hate that he’s not the person I thought he was, because besides the fact that he could attempt to murder us in our sleep, he doesn’t have any interest in investing in Rudder’s.
Which means…we are back to ground zero and I had so much hope.
I thought that we found a solution, as silly as that sounds given the circumstances, but now…
now I’m just going to prove everyone who doubted me right. ”
“No, you won’t. We just need to find another solution.” She taps her chin. “Just to clarify, you’re opposed to nude work?”
“Yes,” I answer sternly and then hop off the counter. “Tilly was saying that I should try striking a deal with some of the other business owners, see if they can lend a hand to get us off the ground and then pay them back over time.”
“It’s a risky move; what if they talk to the business society and tell them you’re looking for money?”
“That was my thought too, but Tilly pointed out that I’ve helped them so many times for the past few years with all their repairs that they might feel like they have a responsibility to help me.”
Aunt Kitty slowly nods. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to at least feel them out.”
“The question is, who do we ask first?”
“Now remember, don’t say anything. Just act like you’re shopping. I love you, but you come on too strong and you’re a loose cannon.”
I blink a few times. “Uh, do you think you’re talking into a mirror?”
“No, I’m saying that to you.”
“And I was under the impression that you weren’t going to be doing any talking,” I say as we stand outside Threads by Theresa, the local clothing store that sells upscale beachwear.
“I know you want to help, but please just let me talk to Theresa. If we can’t get her on board, then there is no use asking anyone else.
She’s the nicest out of all of the business owners. ”
Aunt Kitty thinks about it for a second and then agrees with a curt nod. “But if I see you floundering, I’m stepping in.”
For the love of God, I hope she doesn’t.
I hold the door open for Aunt Kitty and a wave of cool air hits us as we step in.
The shop is exactly what you’d think you would find in a Cape town.
White walls, teak shelving, anchors and thick twine netting strung all throughout, with an inventory of cover-ups, bathing suits, and sun hats.
Not to mention the blue-and-white-striped towels, tweed bags, and a rack of sandals.
I’ve purchased a few things from Threads before, and I mean a few, because it’s very expensive, but the items I have purchased have lasted a long time. So there’s something to say for the quality.
When my eyes adjust to the light, I move toward the register in the back, where I come to a complete halt.
“Ah, hello, love,” Theo says, leaning against the counter. “What do you think of these sunglasses? They’re unisex.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
How could it possibly be that in one day, I’ve run into this man more often than my own freaking shadow?
He flashes me the Ray-Ban knockoffs and smirks.
“Do you two know each other?” Theresa asks as she moves around the counter.
“No,” I answer.
“We do,” Theo says, contradicting me. “She likes to pretend we don’t know each other, but we actually met online.”
“Oh really?” Theresa asks, looking far too intrigued.
“Yeah, it was a romantic arrangement,” Theo says, making me want to groan out loud.
Does he know nothing about small towns? You never divulge that kind of information to anyone, because within an hour, it’s all everyone will be talking about.
“A romantic arrangement, oh, that’s wonderful to hear. I can’t recall you ever being romantically involved with anyone,” Theresa says.
That’s because I never talk about it.
“Is that right?” Theo asks. “You didn’t tell me that.”
Uh yeah, because we haven’t really talked at all.
“Haven’t gotten to it yet,” I say, attempting to make sure my anger doesn’t show.
“Well, something to discuss over dinner tonight. Shall I make reservations down by the rocks?”
Why does he say that like he’s lived here all his life?
“I heard the summer special is lobster mac and cheese with a truffle breadcrumb topping. Theresa was telling me all about it.”
“Oh, it’s an absolute must for a date night,” Theresa says, her face beaming with excitement.
Theo pockets the sunglasses and presses his card up against the credit card machine, clearly having been in the process of checking out when I arrived. When he finishes up, he asks, “Shall I make the reservation?”
Uh, no.
You shall not.
“I don’t believe she has anything going on,” Aunt Kitty says, making herself known in the worst possible way.
“Uh, yes, I do,” I say. “I have plans with Tilly.”
“You do?” Aunt Kitty asks, genuinely confused.
“Yes, I do. So sorry, going to have to take a rain check.”
“Oh, that’s a shame,” Theresa says, looking disappointed. “Theo here was telling me how much he’s looking forward to finding friendship while here for the summer. Shame you can’t be that person for him, especially since there’s a possible romance budding between the two of you.”
“It’s okay.” Theo pats Theresa on the shoulder. “It was a last-minute invite. I’ll be sure to plan something in advance next time so we don’t have this problem again.” He approaches me and, to my surprise, cups my cheek. “Until next time, love.”
Then he takes off, leaving all the women befuddled in his wake.
What the hell was that?
“Honestly, Renley, that man is so kind, how could you blow him off like that?” Theresa asks.
“I didn’t blow him off,” I reply. “I just had plans.” When she gives me a judging look, I say, “Because…you know, I would have totally enjoyed going out with him.” When she’s still not convinced, I add, “Because who doesn’t like meeting a random stranger off the internet?
I do. That’s my favorite way to meet people.
And if I didn’t have those plans with Tilly, well, you would find me eating that lobster dish tonight, because not only does it sound good, but any recommendation from you is a recommendation I can trust.”
She purses her lips, and I can feel myself drowning.
“Do you have this in my size?” Aunt Kitty asks, holding up a sun hat and breaking the tension.
Theresa gives her an exhausted expression. “It’s one size fits all, Kitty.”
“One size, huh?” She examines the hat, turning it every which way. “Ehh, that makes me feel uneasy. How do I know it won’t blow off? Best I keep looking—thank you for your time.”
And with that, Aunt Kitty takes me by the hand and leads me out of the store and to the sidewalk.
“We didn’t get to ask her about—” I pause as movement from across the street catches my eye.
Theo, leaning against a tree with his new sunglasses on, is waving at me and flashing that perfect smile of his.
God, I can’t get rid of him.
Turning my back, I speak quietly to Aunt Kitty. “We didn’t get to ask her about the loan.”
Aunt Kitty shakes her head. “You were drowning, that mission was total suicide, and I had to get you out of there. I saw the word ABORT written across your forehead.”
True, but she didn’t help in the matter.
“Why did you tell him that I was free? That made me look bad in front of Theresa.”
“I was trying to make you look good.”
“How could that possibly make me look good?”
She shakes her head in disappointment. “My dear, it was obvious that Theresa was infatuated with Theo, therefore if you accepted his dinner date, it would have seemed like you’re amiable and looking for love, which she lives by.
Therefore, she might have been more receptive to our money request. I assumed you would accept his dinner date in front of her but ditch him after we left the store.
That way, you get what you want on both ends.
Now it seems like she just thinks you’re a coldhearted bitch. ”
Huh.
That actually would have been a really good idea.
Damn it.
“I can tell you’re regretting your decision now.”
“Uh, yeah. Do you think I should go back in there and tell her that I accepted his date after all?”
“No, it’s too late, dear, it’s too late. Now we have to move on to plan B.”
“And what’s that?” I ask.
She looks me up and down and says, “Getting nude.”