“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 onlydoes 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 wordABORTwritten 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 butditch 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.”
Chapter Eleven
