Chapter 19♥Agent E
Marianne came home on Saturday to an overjoyed mom and sisters and a lot of news she didn’t understand. But rather than absorb the gossip along with their hugs, she marched straight to the fridge and put up what she’d written out in bold Sharpie. It reminded Elinor of another infamous paper, only this one was covered in financial truths instead of exercise innuendos.
Plane Ticket: $200
Luggage Fees: $50
Uber Ride from Airport: $145
“Brandon paid for these.” Marianne whirled around. “Jenny said my company was all the payment she wanted for the ride up there and staying with her, and I can accept that. I played piano for a three-hour dinner party for heaven’s sake, but all this… I can’t let Brandon tell me it was nothing.”
She stalked down the hall. “I’m going to shower and change. I have a job interview in forty-five minutes, and I hear Date Night Soda isn’t interested in hiring Dashwoods these days. Way to stir up trouble, Elinor. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Elinor laughed. She was quite proud of herself, despite the fact that she couldn’t answer her phone anymore. It couldn’t be quantifiably traced back to Lucy, but every five minutes Elinor’s phone would ring with a robocall asking if she’d like to be a secret shopper, or renew her car warranty on a car she didn’t have. And the most diabolical part? The calls spoofed Edward’s cell and office number so she never knew if it was him or a spam call. Soon, she and Edward would be reduced to communicating through flag waving from her house to his.
“How are you getting to the interview?” Elinor called down the hall. Mom would be taking the Civic to work in a bit. She was cutting it close as it was just to be part of Marianne’s reunion.
“Brandon is driving me,” Marianne yelled back. “Add it to my fridge tab. You can put the cost as the last shred of my dignity.”
Elinor turned and gave Mom a hug before she could apologize. “Don’t say it. We’re grown girls and we can fend for ourselves. Mostly.”
“But are you happy here?”
Elinor’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? Yes. A thousand times happy. Even if Edward and I have to go live under a rock for the next ten years.”
“I love you. Give Marianne a good-luck hug from me before she leaves.” Mom went to get her purse and her floppy hat from the hook at the front door. “Greta, get your chores done and keep Elinor in line, will you?”
“Will do.” Greta blew her a kiss. “And I won’t eat all the sweet rolls.” She gave Mom a grin that was all teeth.
“Greta.”
“Kidding.”
There was a twinkle in Mom’s eyes and a spring in her step that hadn’t been there in a long time as she left for work. Having Marianne back home was part of it, but a big part was her new job. Mom worked at the tree nursery, and while it didn’t have dream pay, it did have unlimited sunshine, quiet, and fresh air.
Elinor sighed. Life was good. Messy, but good.
“Are you thinking about Edward again?” Greta asked.
“Always. But I’m here for you. What chores do you have?”
“How about we just wait until Edward comes over and you forget about them?”
“You wish.”
Although, speaking of Edward coming over… What was that banging noise outside? She really hoped it was Edward getting out his frustrations through another home improvement project and not flying monkeys attacking the house on Lucy’s errand.
Greta parted the blinds. “Yourboyfriendis outside on a ladder, Ellie.”
Hurray! Elinor ran outside to see what he was up to with Greta on her heels. Edward was installing little brackets under the eaves, and spread out in a semi-circle on the lawn were what looked like video cameras with trailing cords.
“Are those security cameras? For us?”
Edward gazed down from the ladder at Elinor, looking determined and delicious. His eyes seemed to hold a message for her, one she’d enjoy answering later. “Yes, they are. I have an extra monitor from the office you can put in your kitchen, and when I have everything wired and set up, you’ll be able to see the outside of your house from every angle. No intruders will catch you unawares.”
“Like gorgeous handymen?” Elinor asked.
“Only if they’re me.” Edward reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone, lightly tossing it down to her. “I got you a burner phone. The police are diligently looking into whether Lucy is messing with our numbers. And by diligently looking, I mean they’ll probably get back to us the Tuesday after never.”
