by Cee, DW
Michael took out his phone and dialed. “Mother. I’ve run into Laney at the bakery and am trying to get her to dine with us tonight, but she says she can’t because she’s not properly dressed. What shall I do?”
After a few uh-huhs, a decision was made.
I chuckled. “What’d Mum say?”
“She told me to take you to Harrods and buy you whatever your heart desires.”
“Damn! I like that Lizzy Bennington! And she has yet to know about my penchant for clothes.”
“Or, she says she’d bring the duke-in-training out to meet us for dinner right now. I chose the latter option.”
“But what about all these baked goods we just purchased?”
“We’ll have Finneas take them home for us and you can pick them up later.”
“What’s for dinner?”
“There’s a little French Bistro just a stone’s throw from here. You want Finneas to drive us there, then go pick up my parents or you want to walk?”
“You seriously bothered your driver to bring you here?” I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t know what you Americans think, but we English do not walk as much as you believe we do. Belgrave to South Kensington is not that close.”
“My bad. You probably don’t need it, but I need the exercise so let’s walk to the restaurant.”
Several times, this blackguard attempted to hold my hand. And every time I attempted a set-down, he’d send my attention elsewhere and have me laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Mrs. Bennington inquired when she and the duke-in-training, as Michael called his father, approached us.
“Hello.” I greeted them with a smile. “Your scoundrel of a son continues to take liberties with me.” Not able to say this with a straight face, Michael held my face with both his hands and kissed my nose this time. “You see what I mean?” My appalled tone wasn’t too appalled.
Mr. Bennington cracked a smile. “Son.” He pulled out his duke-in-training voice. “You shall not take liberties with any woman who is unwilling to participate.”
“But how will I know if she’s unwilling unless I first try?” Michael asked in earnest.
Mr. Bennington was stumped, but not for long. “I guess you don’t. You’re doing just fine, Son. Keep up the good work.” We all cracked-up and opened dinner with a good laugh.
“What have you done with your time since we last met?” Mr. Bennington asked.
“I’ve unpacked all the boxes that arrived from the States, seen a few shows, visited some museums, and walked a good portion of this city.”
“What shows did you watch?” Lizzy asked.
“I saw Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre and Macbeth at the Globe.”
“Did Michael and Ruby take you? Thanks to Grandpa Harry being a generous patron of the arts, we get good seats everywhere.”
“No, Mum. This crazy girl went to all those places, alone.” Michael was annoyed. “Not once did she invite her two English best friends.”
“Why in heaven’s name would you go watch a show alone? How dreadfully lonely.”
As Lizzy Bennington said this, a dozen Hama Hama oysters came out and I was transported back to the beach where Donovan and I had kiteboarded and sat through a cozy meal. That day was the first day I thought, not wished, but thought, maybe Donovan had feelings for me. He’d taken me to his beach house, we’d learned a new sport together, had a meal together, and after falling asleep at the movies, he told me I looked adorable when my brother thought I looked like I’d just woken up from the dead.
“You didn’t have to bring me home. I could’ve jumped in the car with Doug.”
“It seemed only right to bring you home after the day we spent together.”
“Thank you for today. I loved the water and spending the afternoon learning a new water sport...with you...was...incredible.”
“I had a great time too. And if I may…? Yesterday was a shit of a day for many reasons and Jane was also having a shit of a day with Max. We were two friends having drinks, consoling each other. It was nothing more, nothing less. Jane and I have become close friends and I like her as a person.”
“All right…”
“Delaney. I don’t know where you fit in my life right now. I’m conflicted in many ways, but I know whenever I’m with you, I can’t help wondering when I’ll be with you again.”
“Laney?” Mr. Bennington was calling my name.
“Huh?” I was caught thinking about Donovan again. Shit. “I’m sorry. Since I was little, everyone told me that my head was in the clouds all the time. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t read and walk at the same time, anymore.” This self-deprecating humor lightened the mood.
“As I was saying, we are taking our holidays soon and would love for you to join us.”
“Where are you all going?”
“We will spend some time at my father’s country home in Derbyshire, then we are thinking about maybe taking our holiday in the Seychelles. That’s where all the fashionable people appear to go, so Lizzy and I thought you, Michael and Ruby might like it there too.”
I was stunned at their generous heart. They’d met me once, and their children had known me for what the English would call a fortnight. The Benningtons wanting to take me on their family vacation humbled me.
“Without a doubt, I am honored you and Mrs. Bennington would offer to take me on your family vacation. May I think about your offer for a few days?” I hoped I didn’t offend them by not jumping on their offer.
“Of course! We don’t leave for the country house for another few weeks and the Seychelles won’t be till August.” Mrs. Bennington answered.
“Thank you. I’ll let you know soon.”
“My parents like you a great deal.” Michael said while walking me home. We finished off a fun dinner with his parents, and Finneas had driven us back to the Benningtons so I could pick up my cupcakes, and Michael offered to walk me home. “I want you to know, neither Ruby nor I asked them to invite you on our summer holiday. I was going to invite you myself, but surprisingly my parents beat me to it.”
“I like them very much too. They’ve gone out of their way to make me feel comfortable in a foreign land. I appreciate what they are doing in my parents’ stead, and I promise to give it serious thought once my house guest leaves.”
“What? You’ve got a guest already?”
“I do!” I was all smiles about seeing Bee again. I explained to Michael about Bee Taylor and how excited I was to have someone from home visiting me.
“Well, I’ll help you pick her up.”
“Michael. I’m sure you have better things to do than pick up my friend from the airport.”
“Can you drive on the other side of the car and road?” He had a point there. “Are you confident you’ll find your way to and from Heathrow?” Damn! Another fine point. “Do you know it’s nearly impossible to park at Heathrow?”
“I guess I should actually beg you to help me pick up Bee?”
“That’s the attitude, Laney Reid. What time is she landing?”
“Noon.”
“I’ll pick you up at ten, we’ll go grab some coffee, then head out to meet your friend.”
“Thank you, Michael. You and Ruby have become indispensable in my life these days.”
“I like that, Laney. I hope to stay that way, and I hope one day you’ll find me as endearing as I find you.”
“In good time...I hope so too…”
Like an alarm clock, Michael rang the doorbell at ten and we were on our way to get coffee at half a minute past ten.
“Hello!”
“Well, hello to you, beautiful lady! That is a stunning dress. I wouldn’t think a blonde could pull off a bright yellow dress, but you look like sunshine, today.”
“What a compliment! Thank you. This is one of Bee’s creations and my personal favorite.” It had nothing to do with the fact that Donovan had purchased it for me and
that he told me I looked beautiful the last time I wore it…
“What do you mean one of Bee’s creations? Does she design clothes?”
“She does. She designs, makes, sells, she does everything! She’s super talented is what she is.”
“Can’t wait to meet her.”
We got to Heathrow and it was mayhem. Michael waited in the car while I ran in to collect my dear friend.
“BEE!” I yelled when I saw her with a cart-full of bags. We ran and hugged each other. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been so homesick and haven’t been able to express this to anyone. Can you stay with me for a month?” I smiled to show her I was kidding.
“You trying to run my business to the ground? Some of us work for a living!” She tried to sound condescending but her laughing eyes made me feel like I was back at home. “Where are you parked? These bloody bags are damn heavy, even in a push cart.” She stopped to pull out some money and handed it to a guy who was pushing her second cart! “Thank you.” She called out then pointed for me to take the cart.
“You Taylors are all so damn pushy,” I grumbled while pushing the heavy cart.
“Speaking of Taylors, they are all pissed with you right now—down to every last sister.”
“Whatever. I can’t worry about Mr. Taylor’s bruised ego. He’ll get over it in a week or so, trust me. He’s only pissed because I won’t follow his edicts.”
“Laney.” She stopped me at the curb. “Donovan’s a mess right now. He’s…”
“Laney! Over here.” Michael waved from the back of the queue.
“Who’s that handsome fellow?” Bee stared.
I laughed. “My friend. He offered to come pick you up because he didn’t trust me to be able to drive on the wrong side of the car and road.”
“I did wonder about that one myself, since you never seemed to like to drive even in LA.”
We got to Michael’s car and his eyes bugged out. “Do you Americans usually come with a Topshop-sized closet when you travel?”
“Michael, I’d like for you to meet Bee Taylor. Bee, this is Michael Bennington. He and his sister Ruby are my only two friends in this entire country.”
“Very nice to meet you,” Michael greeted and started loading up the car. “Good thing I decided on the bigger car.”
After Bee and I helped Michael, we both got in the back and started chatting away. “So tell me what’s going on back home. Nick?”
“Every Taylor is in mourning because the most important male Taylor is in mourning and as for Nick, nothing to tell.”
“You’re so full of shit. Spill it, Bee Taylor. What have you and my handsome cousin been up to lately?”
“Um...ladies?” Michael interrupted our fun. “Will both of you be sitting in the back and making me feel like the chauffeur? Should I have worn Finneas’ uniform? You’re going to ignore me the whole time?”
“Do you mind if we do?” Bee asked, point blank.
“As long as I get to spend time with two beautiful ladies, I suppose I don’t mind at all. Where to, ladies? May I offer to take you both to lunch?”
“Michael, you don’t have to do that. You can drop us off at Gram’s. There’s so much food at home Mrs. Haines has prepared, and I’ve yet to touch any of it.”
“Does that mean I’m getting invited to lunch, too?” He looked like a kid waiting for his lost invitation.
I put my hand on his arm and answered, “You are always welcomed at our home for a meal. You and your sister have become very important people to me, and I thank you and your family for your friendship and kindness.”
He grabbed my hand, but I gently got out of the embrace he was intending. Bee tilted her head and questioned what was going on. Lunch turned into unpacking and organizing all of Bee’s clothes. One big box Bee brought with her was all her rolling racks disassembled. It was Michael’s job to assemble the racks so we could hang and press the clothes that were to be shown to vendors.
“How the hell are you going to get all these clothes to the showroom?” Michael asked. “You brought a bloody lot of samples.” Bee laughed at Michael as he was sweating, trying to screw on every last piece. “Doesn’t your Gram have air conditioning in this palace of hers?”
Holding back a laugh, I brought a fan and directed it at Michael, only. “There’s an air conditioner on every floor, but I don’t know how expensive it will be for me to run it so I haven’t turned it on, yet.”
Michael got up, went straight to the controls, and blasted the cool air. Immediately, our room cooled down. “Have you been sleeping in this heat without the air on? It’s hot and humid, Laney. Don’t suffer.”
“Damn!” Bee looked relieved. “I was about to pass out in here. I just thought you idiotic English didn’t believe in air conditioners.”
“It wasn’t that bad.” I tried to justify my frugality.
“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable, Laney. Come stay with us if you don’t want to run up the bill, but don’t do that to yourself. As it is, it bothers me that you’re in this big place by yourself. I worry about you.”
Something in Michael’s statement broke my heart, and it always led back to the man who broke my heart. Donovan’s messages were always about how he was doing and what I was doing to him. Never once did he ask how I was faring in a foreign land. It would behoove me to fall in love with a man like Michael who cared for me every which way, but I needed to fall out of love first.
“Does she do this often?” Michael whispered to Bee. “She goes into a trance every time I see her, but she won’t tell me what’s going on in her head. We’ll be having the most delightful conversation, and she’ll turn into a hypnosis patient.” By his chuckle, we all knew he was teasing me.
“Laney never did that back in the States, but I can tell you my nephew has been doing that a lot lately as well. Perhaps they caught some rare disease and they can only bring each other out of it.” Of course, Michael had no idea who Bee’s nephew was, and the two of them had a good time making fun of my many quirks.
“Laney always does and says the cutest things where she makes me want to kidnap her and keep her in my pocket so only I can play with her.”
“That sounds very much like something a child molester would say…” Bee came over and pretended to protect me.
“He keeps stealing kisses from me, Bee,” I complained jokingly.
We worked tirelessly to help Bee get ready for her showing tomorrow and after a simple dinner with the three of us, Michael left with the promise to be back in the morning to help us one more time.
“He’s in love with you,” Bee said in a warning tone while biting into a cupcake.
“He’s not in love with me; it’s more like a crush.”
“Where’d you meet him?”
I told her the story of our first meeting and all the other times we’d spent together. Purposely, I left out the love at first sight conversation.
“Tell me about this buyer you’re meeting tomorrow.”
“I will, but I need to know about you and Donovan. I’m here on business and of course to see you, but I’m also here as the Taylor family ambassador. We are all worried about Donovan.”
“Bee. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll tell you why he’s been trying to get a hold of me and why I’ve kept him at arm’s length.”
“OK. Do explain.”
“The night before I left LA, I went to his house to confess everything. Jake and Emily finally convinced me I had nothing to lose. I figured he didn’t return my feelings, at least I’d leave knowing it was all in my fancy-filled head.”
“So did he reject you outright? Is that why you’re not willing to see him?”
“No. I got to his place close to midnight and Kate opened the door. Then Donovan greeted me looking disheveled and told me to go back home and wait for him because he wanted to see me. Like the good little girl I’ve always been, as well as a freakin’ idiot, I waited for
him. And as it has always been in my life, he left me hanging. I didn’t sleep a wink that night because I believed he was sincere in his wish to see me. That’s how we left one another, and that’s why he’s been trying to make things up to me.” My heart hurt so very much again. “And that’s why I don’t want to be a pawn in Donovan Taylor’s chess board. I don’t want to be sacrificed so he can conquer the queen.”
“And you don’t believe you are the queen?”
I laughed. “Did you know Donovan is attracted to my cousin Jane? And worse, Jane likes him back—even with Max in her life. How can I compete with Kate and Jane when he’s put his hat in the ring for both of them and I’ve only been called ‘a pain in the ass’ by him? Would you want to put yourself out there, as I have so many times? I don’t know what Donovan has told you, but he’s only feeling guilty about that last night.”
“Have you ever thought he might be in love with you too?”
“There were a few times I thought he might be interested. That night he took me to the observatory was like a page out of any fairytale. I was on such a high the next day. But you know what happened the moment he saw me after that night? He barely said hello and he never looked my way again.”
“Maybe he’s confused.”
“Bee. When you like someone, you want to be with them, sit next to them, talk with them all night, get to know every last thing about them. You know that feeling. What I’ve seen of Donovan Taylor tells me he has not an iota of interest in me beyond a mild curiosity. Who he really wants is a toss-up between Kate and Jane. I think if Jane and Max were to break-up, Donovan would get right in there and swoop her up.”
“What I saw was a hurt and confused man. My nephew’s lost without you right now.”
“I wish I could believe that, Bee, but I know it’s not true. I heard him tell Jane that a chance to love her is what was keeping him from accepting Kate’s proposal of marriage. Being rejected time and time again is not a fun feeling.”
“No, I suppose not. I guess listening to Donovan’s side of the story got me upset with you, but now that I know both sides, I don’t know what to think.”