Four Sides of an Attitude: A Cufflinks & Austen Novel

by Myers, Heather C.

  And with Aiden…. Well, I can’t really blame him for staying away from me, can I? Not only did my sister do something so stupid, she did it with someone Aiden isn’t very fond of, and Aiden ended up securing Erin’s future, so to speak. Who knows where Erin would be at this moment if Aiden hadn’t let them borrow one of the many flats his family owns, hadn’t gotten Erin a job, hadn’t got her into Oxford? She’d probably be living on the street somewhere—with or without George—looking for a job in order to afford a plane ticket back home. Erin is lucky, and the thing that pisses me off is that she doesn’t even realize just how lucky she is. And even the job she has is something she loves. She lucked out, and it’s all thanks to Aiden Shawe.

  Why did he do all of that? Even today, it still boggles my mind. Because he doesn’t have a Facebook, I can’t write him a letter stating just how grateful I am and asking what in God’s name was he thinking. And every time I go to call him, something stops me. Because I still don’t know what to say. It’s been nearly three days, and I still haven’t gotten the words right. I wish I had the money to pay him back, but I don’t and until I write the novel that makes me a millionaire, I won’t. I have even contemplated writing him a letter longhand, but the words are just wrong and I highly doubt I’ll be able to express everything I want—I need—to say.

  So I’m stuck.

  My best bet is to wait for Hannah to invite me to a summer party or to conveniently let me know that Aiden is back in the States in order to tell him everything. That way, I can march right up to him and tell him exactly how I feel. About what he did for Erin. I highly doubt that he wants to hear that I may feel—

  But I don’t want to think about that. The only thing I need to discuss with Aiden is how grateful I am for what he did and ask him why he did it in the first place.

  “I don’t think you should mention it at all,” Kelly says as she locks the door to the store after I tell her what I’m feeling.

  “Why not?” I ask. “When we first met, I gave him crap for not telling me ‘You’re welcome’ after I thanked him for driving me to Irvine from Malibu in order to grab Taylor’s stuff when she was sick that one time. And now you tell me not to thank him for everything he’s done for Erin? Do I need to go into just what he’s done for Erin, Kell? Because it’s more than driving forty-five minutes on the 101 and 405 freeways two ways. A lot more.”

  “I know that,” Kelly says, shaking her head. “But he didn’t want you to know about it in the first place. Maybe you should just respect that. Any show of gratitude would make him uncomfortable.” I open my mouth to refute her claim but she continues on quickly. “And it’s silly for you to wonder why he did such a thing, Ronnie. He obviously cares about you. Who knows? Maybe he even loves you.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” I say. “You should have seen the way he looked at me the night he dropped me off, Kelly. It was like he was ashamed, you know? Like he couldn’t fathom something so disgraceful happening in his family.”

  “People don’t drop names and money like they’re hot for just anybody,” Kelly tells me.

  “How are you and Paul?” I ask, deciding a subject change is exactly what is necessary in order to stop talking about Aiden and what he doesn’t feel for me.

  Kelly smiles, knowing my intention, but decides to humor me. “Very well, actually,” she says. “We came home from Frisco with the dragon’s blessing, and I met his family. I think this is getting serious, Ronnie. I can’t be sure or anything, especially since the dragon’s back here, trying to make her LA gallery even better than it already is, which sends Paul into one of his moods. But I think I love him. And I think he loves me too.”

  “That’s great, Kell,” I tell her, and interestingly enough, I’m not surprised by the sincerity in my voice. If they are in love, who am I to stop them? Especially when I now understand falling in love with someone I never expected to fall in love with.

  * * *

  I get home just after six o’clock and Taylor already has my favorite dinner, spaghetti, waiting on the table for me next to a new thing of Parmesan cheese because she knows that I love to lather the cheese on my pasta. We talk over dinner about my job, her internship, and even the fact that Kat got another message from Erin on Facebook, talking about a potential visit. Taylor and I both have agreed to refuse going over to see Erin. Taylor has her internship, and I don’t want to see Erin or George right now.

  Just as we start cleaning up, there’s knocking on our door. Taylor tells me to answer it while she finishes cleaning up. I look through the peephole and what I see causes my heart to stop. I glance over my shoulder at Taylor before swallowing, and after an internal deliberation, decide to open the door.

  “Hello,” a familiar, soft-spoken voice greets me. “I’m sorry my arrival is so late. I just got in from the airport. Forgive me. I was hoping to speak to your sister. I mean, of course, if she’s willing to see me.”

  I look over at Aiden, who’s standing just behind Stephen Downey, but he’s look straight ahead, at my door rather than at me. Like he sees right through me. Or like he doesn’t want to see me at all.

  “Let me see if she’s decent,” I say in a soft voice. “I’m going to close the door for a moment, okay?”

  “Of course.”

  I shut the door and press my back flat against it. Stephen Downey is here to see Taylor? Just what does he want, exactly? Judging by his disheveled hair and wrinkled clothing, he really has just come from the airport, which is probably why Aiden’s with him. Aiden is probably his ride. But Stephen also has flowers with him. White lilies, Taylor’s favorite. He probably wants to—oh, but I can’t even think about it. Because if that is true, then why Aiden is at the door, especially when he was so adamantly against the pairing of Stephen and Taylor in the first place? He just probably wants to see Hannah’s room, the apartment Hannah will be living in during her college years. Or he’s making a last-ditch effort to stop Stephen. It can’t possibly be because he’s changed his mind…right?

  “Taylor,” I say in a soft, rushed voice, heading over to the kitchen. “Someone is at the door, and before I tell you just who it is, I want you to know that I support your decision, no matter what, but I really think you should see him. At least just hear him out.”

  “Him?” Taylor asks as she washes her hands. “Who’s at the door Ronnie, and why haven’t you invited this ‘him’ in?”

  I inhale deeply, preparing for her reaction. “It’s Stephen Downey,” I tell her. “And apparently he’s come from the airport, but I think he made one stop because he has flowers. Oh, and Aiden Shawe is with him.”

  Taylor accidentally knocks over a glass of water off the sink, causing shards of glass to fly everywhere. Her face has paled and it’s like she’s in some kind of frozen moment of her own. It’s only the sound of shattering glass that snaps her out of it.

  “Oh,” she says, surprised at the glass on the floor.

  “I’ll take care of it,” I say. “You need to decide what to do with Stephen.”

  “Do I look all right?” she asks after another moment, surprising me. Her damp hands have reached up to touch her hair and she swallows slowly.

  “Tay,” I say, placing my hands on her shoulders. “You always look all right. You always look better than all right.”

  She smiles and turns, but not before I see her eyes tear up. I turn my attention back to sweeping up the glass but I make sure to do it in a way where I can overhear the conversation Stephen has with Taylor. Because as much as I’ve changed in the past few months, I’m still the same. And I only want the best for my sister. Now whether she knows it’s best for her or not, I can’t say. But those tears seem to say so, and I hope that she listens.

  “Oh, Stephen,” I hear Taylor say after she opens the door. “Well, this is an unexpected surprise. And Aiden? Please, please come in.” I can hear in her voice that she’s offering them her polite smile. “May I ask what the occasion is to receive your visit?”

  “I kno
w that you probably think I’m the biggest arse on the planet,” Stephen says, and I slowly stand, the shards of glass in the dustpan. “And I am. I am, for letting the best thing that ever happened to me slip so easily from me. These are for you.” I chance a look and see Stephen offering Taylor the flowers. “I was hoping that maybe we could talk privately. That is, if you’ll hear me out. I completely understand if you don’t, though, but you should probably know that I endeavor to spend this entire summer trying to win you back. Longer, if necessary, though I hope that’s not the case, considering I start at UCLA in the fall.”

  I can’t help the smile breaking out across my face if I try. What Stephen said is perfect because it’s who Stephen is. And Taylor, whether she wants to admit it or not, loves Stephen. And I know, somehow I know, that those two are going to end up happily together.

  “Aiden,” Taylor says, turning her head from the flowers to give Stephen’s friend, who is standing by the doorway as though he can’t wait for this to be over so he can escape, a smile. “May I offer you a glass of water or some food? We have leftover spaghetti.”

  “I am fine, thank you,” he says in a curt voice.

  God, he looks so beautiful standing there. How could I have not noticed it before? I mean, I knew he was ridiculously good-looking, but he’s so much more than that. And now, there he stands after everything he’s done for my family, for Taylor—because if he’s not here to tell Stephen not to attempt to reconcile with her, than he must have suggested it to Stephen—and looking so heart-achingly beautiful. I love him. And, as crazy as it sounds, I think I’ve always loved him. And he can’t even look at me. Don’t get me wrong, I understand, but still. He can’t even look at me.

  I may love him, but we will probably never end up the way Taylor and Stephen will.

  “Stephen, I’ll be in the car,” Aiden says, and he turns and leaves, just as I take a step forward in order to…I don’t know what. To be closer to him.

  But the door is shut and I’m left in my place, with both Taylor and Stephen looking at me with expectant looks on their faces.

  “Right,” I say, hoping the pain doesn’t come out in my voice. “Um, I’m going to dump this in the trash, and then I’ll be in my room, Taylor, if you need me.”

  And I do just that. Because just like Taylor needs to be alone, I do too.

  * * *

  It’s not long before I hear the front door open and close and Taylor knocks on my door. I call her in because even though I may not get the fairytale ending, Taylor will, and I’m happy for Taylor. She crawls into my bed next to me and rests her head on one of my many pillows. I can already tell just how happy she is by the way her dark eyes are sparkling and my lips curl up in a grin.

  “Well?” I prod, pushing my brows up. “Aren’t you going to tell me?”

  Taylor bites her bottom lip and nods so a few locks of dark hair fall into her face. “Ronnie, he’s just so wonderful,” she says. “At least he knows that what he did was a douche thing to do—”

  “Did you just say douche?” I interject.

  She ignores me. “But he came back, Ronnie. Ronnie, he came back and he brought me my favorite flowers and he told me that it was all a mistake. Ronnie, he told me that he loved me! And I told him that I love him, because I do. We’re a couple, Ronnie, a truly serious couple who loves each other. And it’s wonderful because he’s going to UCLA in the fall and I’m going to go to graduate school there no matter how in denial Dad is and….” She lets her voice trail off. “I swear, I could die of happiness.”

  “I’m so glad, Taylor,” I tell her. “I always liked Stephen and I like you two together.”

  “If only there was such a man for you,” she continues. “Did you know that Stephen felt I wasn’t crazy about him? That that was why he left?”

  “Unbelievable,” I say, shaking my head.

  “That, and his sister,” she says, bristling at the mention of Farrah. “Thank God she’s still in England.”

  “Wow, Taylor, I think that’s the meanest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” I tease.

  “I’m just sorry Aiden was there,” she continues.

  “Don’t say that,” I tell her in a soft voice. She gives me an odd look. “I know I haven’t had the greatest opinion about him, but after what he did for Erin—” I stop myself before I tell her that he might have something to do with her renewed acquaintance with Stephen. “I’ve been such a fool, Taylor.”

  Taylor opens her mouth as if to say something but then shuts it and smiles. She brushes a stray strand of hair from my face, curling it around my ear.

  “You’re amazing,” she tells me. “Don’t forget that.”

  Before I can roll my eyes and thank her for her praise, there’s a knock on the door. We both look at each other, puzzled at who would be calling at this time. After we get up, we both head over to the door and I look through the peephole.

  “Oh my God,” I say to myself when I see who’s standing out there.

  “What?” Taylor whispers beside me. “Who is it? Is it Aiden?”

  “No,” I say and then give her a look. “Why would you think it’s Aiden? Actually, don’t answer that.” I unlock the door and open it. “Good evening, Mrs. Solomon. Is everything okay?”

  Before I can invite her in, she walks inside. Though she’s a petite woman, she has a commanding presence and the look that she’s giving me at this very instant makes me agree with Kelly’s dragon nickname. She’s dressed in a red Chanel suit, her long gray hair swept up in a nice bun. It’s past nine o’clock and she looks better than I do. And she looks pissed about something, though I’m not quite sure what it is. From the way she’s looking at me, I assume it has to do with me but I can’t recall anything I’ve done recently that would arouse such anger.

  “Mrs. Solomon,” Taylor says in a gentle voice as I close the door. “May I offer you a cup of tea, some water maybe?”

  “Absolutely not,” she snaps, her blue eyes blazing into mine. I think I gulp but I’m in such a state of intimidation that I really can’t be sure. “Don’t mistake my presence here, girls. I wouldn’t be here if I did not think it utterly important. I need to speak to Marion Bixby alone.”

  I want to give Taylor a pleading look that would tell her not to go anywhere unless she wants to start planning my funeral. But I can’t look away from the woman so I can’t send Taylor my message. It’s not long before Taylor excuses herself and heads into the room we share, leaving me alone with the dragon and no defense system.

  Chapter 21

  “You must know why I’m here,” Dragon Solomon says, staring at me with her beady eyes. Her lips are curled into an unpleasant frown, which just enhances the wrinkles around her face. I’m sure that if she just smiles, she’ll look a whole lot younger.

  “Actually, I have no idea why you’re here,” I tell her in what I hope is a calm voice.

  “Don’t play me for a fool, Ms. Bixby. I have heard many stories about you from various people, and even though they are certainly mixed concerning your character, there is one theme that remains the same. You have an attitude, Ms. Bixby, and whether that’s admired or not, it still rings true. As your elder, you are not to give me any of it, especially when I have traveled all this way just to speak to you.”

  “Ma’am, I’m sorry if you believe I’m giving you attitude right now. I can assure you that I’m not.” I’m still trying to figure out why she’s here, other than lecturing me on my supposed attitude, of course. I would have to have a chat with Kelly and her boyfriend, because the only bad stories about me and my attitude most probably came from him and his big Harvard-graduate mouth.

  “Yes, well,” Mrs. Solomon says, glancing around the small living room with what appears to be disgust. “A most troubling story has reached my ears.” She takes a step forward, as though she wants to capture my attention even though she most certainly already has it. “My sources tell me that you are to be united with my nephew, Aiden. As an American, you probably don’t
understand what I mean by the phrase; when I say united, I mean be romantically involved with.”

  “I am an English major, ma’am,” I tell her in a gentle voice. At least I think it’s gentle. “I know what you mean by united.”

  She ignores me. “I know this rumor is just that,” she continues with a dismissive tone. “A rumor. But to ensure that the rumor stops, I had to come to the source. I do not want this spreading any more than it already has. You must know that such a rumor would most certainly injure Aiden’s reputation, and if he is ever to find an honorable woman to settle down with, the rumor that he’s to unite with you in any way needs to cease to exist.”

  “If you don’t think that the rumor, as you have so delicately put it, is true,” I say, and I can’t disguise the hurt in my tone if I try, “then I have no idea why you’ve come so far at such a late time.”

  “I expect you to tell me that it isn’t true,” she tells me, raising an expectant brow.

  “By coming here, you are only confirming the rumor, if such a rumor exists,” I point out.

  “If?” she asks. “If? Are you telling me that you have not heard of this? Am I to believe this, when I am most certain that you are the source of the rumor?”

  “I’ve never even heard of it.” This time, I do snap and I don’t even attempt to water that down.

  “And you will also tell me that there is no basis for such a rumor?”

  “I’m not as blunt as you, ma’am. My private life is important to me and I plan on keeping it private. You may ask me a question, but that doesn’t mean I have to answer it. And I will not answer that question.”

  “Has my nephew propositioned you?” she asks me and her eyes actually look worried by the prospect that Aiden would actually want to be with me. “Has he asked you to engage in a romantic relationship with him?”