Chapter 12 #2
“Well, you’ve been busy.” Aunt Kitty adjusts the visor she’s wearing.
“I spent all morning finding music that would work for my new dressage routine. Couldn’t find anything that I thought would help with the crowd to get them pumped up but also offer me different beats.
Of course, I recorded it all, posted it, and guess who already commented on the post? ” She wiggles her eyebrows.
“Was it…Rupert?” I ask sarcastically.
“It was. He suggested I try the song ‘Pink Pony Club.’ I listened to it upstairs and I think it’s a contender.”
“Great,” I say, trying to smile, but really, I’ve got nothing.
“I’d assume since you were just staring at that beautiful specimen outside, roasting under the sun, that you’d be happier, but from the pout in your lips, I’m going to guess you’re still troubled.”
“Yes, I’m still troubled,” I say. “I walked past Rudder’s twice today.
There’s newspaper taped up on the windows with a sign that says Coming Soon.
A few people told me how excited they were to see what we were doing to the place, and…
well…the keys to the store feel like they’re burning a hole in my pocket. ”
“Just go in there.”
I shake my head. “I can’t. It will devastate me. The moment I go in there, memories will flood my mind, and I’ll feel like I’m letting down my dad and everyone else who loves that store.”
“That’s not true—”
“It is and please don’t try to tell me differently. I know what that store means to me and other people, even you. Okay. I just…ugh,” I groan, pressing my hand to my forehead and leaning back on the couch. “Theo offered me money.”
Aunt Kitty sits taller. “For sex?”
“What?” My brow creases. “No. He offered me money for the store. Why would you think it was for sex?”
“I don’t know, you seemed indecisive, like you were thinking about it.”
“I told you, we are not getting naked for money.”
“Okay, okay, just wanting to double-check. So…if he offered you money, why are you so glum? Why aren’t you cashing it right now?”
“I didn’t say yes.”
“What do you mean you didn’t say yes?”
“Because why would I? I’m not about to take money from a stranger.”
“You were going to when you thought he was a financier, so how is this different?”
I mean…she has a point.
A small one.
“Because a financier is looking to invest and make money back. I don’t know what his terms are.”
“Did you ask?”
“No.”
“Why not?” she asks.
“Because I don’t know, I guess…I guess I didn’t believe him.”
“Oh, for crying out loud.” Aunt Kitty shuffles out of her chair and then storms to the front door, where she flings it open.
“What are you doing?” I ask, chasing after her.
“Finding out the terms.”
She moves down the porch stairs and power walks across the yard.
“Wait, don’t!” I shout, catching up to her just as she stops in front of Rupert.
“Where is your lord?”
Rupert pauses his music, slowly lowering his sunglasses—along with his aluminum foil—and says, “You didn’t comment back on my song choice. You know, engagement with your fans will only pick up your algorithm.”
“I’m not about to give in to thirsty fans,” Aunt Kitty says with her chin tilted high. “Now, I asked you a question. Where is your lord?”
With a smirk, Rupert thumbs toward the house. “Last I saw he was working out.”
“Thank you.” Aunt Kitty starts to move away but then pauses, takes her phone out of her pocket, and snaps a picture of Rupert.
“Saving for later?” he asks.
“As a matter of fact, I am.”
Dear God in heaven.
As we walk away, Rupert shouts, “Why settle for a picture when you can have the real thing?”
“Because the real thing will only lead to disappointment,” Aunt Kitty replies and then knocks on the door.
“Listen, this is not a good idea,” I say.
“We don’t know this guy, we don’t know what he has planned.
It could be a con job for all we know.” I don’t really believe that, but then again, this is Aunt Kitty.
I have to talk carefully with her and not let her know that I slightly believe Theo is the way to go. “Let’s just go back to the house—”
The door opens and Theo stands on the other side in a pair of chino shorts, no shirt…and those godforsaken loafers.
“Hello, ladies.” He smiles. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Sweat speckles his chest and his hair is in slight disarray.
Aunt Kitty looks him up and down and says, “What on earth are you wearing? Are you really working out in that?”
Thank God she said it so I didn’t have to.
He rubs the side of his face. “Yeah, kind of forgot to pack my workout clothes. Have yet to find a store in town that can help me out. Not used to driving on these roads, so I haven’t been able to travel far. I’m at the mercy of these shoes.”
“Well good God, man. Ask for help. Renley here can drive you to a sporting goods store.”
He perks up. “That would be great. When should we go?”
“Uhh…”
“How about tomorrow?” Aunt Kitty asks.
“Brilliant. Thank you.”
What just happened?
“Now that we have that settled and I won’t have to see you working out in such garbage again, let’s get down to business. Did you or did you not offer my niece money?”
To Theo’s credit, he nods and says, “I did.”
“Did you offer it expecting sexual favors in return?”
Jesus, Aunt Kitty.
“I did not.”
“That’s the right answer, even though I’m unclear whether or not she’d offer sexual favors—”
“Noooooo,” I say. “There will be no sexual favors for money. How many times do I have to say that?”
“Just checking, just checking. Sometimes desperation creeps up on us, and I just want to double down on your hard line.”
“It’s firm, the line is not breaking.”
“Did you hear that?” Aunt Kitty asks Theo, pointing her finger at him with authority. “A hard line. Are you going to be okay with that?”
“Perfectly content with not having to pay money for sexual favors.”
Lowering her finger, she smoothly runs her eyes over him before saying, “That’s very mature of you. So then, you actually have the money?”
“I have the money.”
“Very well.” She adjusts her visor. “We’re going to need one hundred thousand dollars.”
Dear God.
“Thirty,” I say. “Only thirty.”
“Shhhh, let’s see how much we can get out of him,” Aunt Kitty says. “Aim high, sweetie, don’t settle for the bare minimum—a life lesson you should learn.”
“No.” I glance up at Theo. “It’s only thirty thousand dollars.”
“Either way, I’m good for it,” he says with a smirk.
He’s good for one hundred thousand dollars? By God, is he the lord of a money forest where bills just fall from trees?
“And you could cut us a check, right here, right now, converted to dollars, not pounds?” Aunt Kitty asks.
“I would be able to transfer the thirty thousand U.S. dollars right now, yes, even though technically, you would receive more in pounds,” he says with a nod.
“Well, then if that’s the case, we agree. We will take your money. And we want it in pounds.”
“Aunt Kitty, that’s not—”
“Great,” he says casually. “Under one condition.”
He pauses, studying us with a conspiratory smirk.
“I knew it,” I say with a head shake. “I knew there was some sort of angle. What is it? I have to marry you to get the money? Well, guess what, I’m not that desperate. I will not stoop that low to get money. I’d rather…sell feet pics online than marry someone for money.”
“Trust me, sweetie, no one is buying those pics. We discussed this.”
“You know what I mean. I can’t believe you think I’d marry you for money.
You must have a really low opinion of me.
Well guess what, we’re not taking it, so keep your money.
Good luck finding someone to drive you to the sporting goods store, and I hope that you slip and fall down your porch stairs because those shoes are so ridiculous. Good day.”
I turn to walk away just as he calls out, “Are you done?”
“Uh, yeah, that’s what ‘good day’ means.”
“Then can you hear me out first before you walk away?”
“Are you going to tell me that you’re not asking for my hand in marriage?”
“I’m not.”
“That’s what I…wait, what?”
He leans against his doorframe and gives me that devilish smirk of his again. “I said I’m not going to ask for your hand in marriage for the money. That’s not my condition.”
“Oh.” I clear my throat, slightly embarrassed at my outburst. But can you blame me? “Well, sorry about that. I’m a bit stressed, as you can see, and I seem to jump to conclusions. I get it from her.” I point to Aunt Kitty, who raises her hand.
“Guilty,” she says.
Theo chuckles. “Well, let me ease that stress for you. I have no intention of trying to take your hand in marriage or ask for sexual favors, or anything so reprehensible. My only condition is that every morning, while I’m here, you allow me to join you for your walks.”
Walks? That’s it?
Why does that seem like it’s an even bigger angle than I was thinking?
There has to be more, something else that he’s hiding.
“What are you not telling me?” I ask. “There’s something you’re hiding.”
“I’m not hiding anything. I just want to go on walks with you, get to know you. That’s it, but you have to talk to me, you can’t be silent on the walks.”
Damn it.
There goes that loophole.
“You’re not going to propose or anything on the walks?”
“That’s correct.” He shakes his head. “Just two people, enjoying a walk together, getting to know each other as friends.”
“That seems simple enough. We accept.” Aunt Kitty holds out her hand and Theo shakes on it.
“Perfect.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper. “Here you go.”
Aunt Kitty takes it, opens it up, and then holds it up to me.
I, Theodore Williams, will transfer the amount of 30,000 USD to Renley Lynn Gossage within an hour of receiving bank account details.
Holy.
Shit.
“Ah, one more thing,” he says, holding up his finger. “You have to take me to the store today to get new shoes. My feet will be shit if I walk in these.” He smirks. “What do you say? Do we have a deal?”
He holds his hand out to me, and I stare down at it.
Do I want to do this?
Why does it seem like if I shake his hand, I might be making a deal I can’t maintain?
Then again, I can’t really afford to not shake hands.
It’s some walks and a trip to the sporting goods store. What harm could that really do? It’s not like he’s going to be able to charm me into marrying him over a few walks.
That’s crazy.
So, on a deep breath, I take his hand in mine and shake on it.
“Brilliant,” he says. “Let me have a shower and then we can head out to buy me some shoes.” He winks and then yells down to Rupert, “We’re headed into town. Come get dressed, we’re going shopping.”
“Ooh, a family occasion, brilliant,” Aunt Kitty says in a British accent.
Yeah…brilliant.