by D. R. Graham
“I’ll be right there,” Erica says.
“Cassidy is my assistant. She’s going to meet with you and go over everything she needs you to do. Try your best to figure things out on your own, but if you get really stuck you can call me.”
“Okay. Thanks, Elizabeth. I really appreciate the job.”
“Don’t forget that it can always be more than a job. If you like it, it can be a career. Make the most of it.”
I nod and stand because the woman who I assume is Erica has just popped her head in. Her outfit is definitely not an outlet store find, and her hair and makeup look professionally done. Is that a thing? Do people have personal aestheticians working on them every morning? No wonder Elizabeth insisted on buying my wardrobe. I’m way out of my element here.
At one o’clock, I sink into the chair across from Cara in the café and exhale for what feels like the first time all day. “I can only spare about twenty minutes,” I tell her.
“They’re keeping you busy already?”
“Busy is an understatement.”
“Don’t worry. I felt the same way when I started. You’ll catch on quickly.”
“I’m not so sure. I know nothing about style. I don’t want to disappoint my aunt, but honestly, I’m probably not the best person to do this job.”
“You want to be an actress, right? Fake it until you make it. That’s what we all do.” She opens a lunch bag and pulls out a homemade sandwich.
“I didn’t bring a lunch. I have to buy something. Can I get you a drink?”
She shakes her head. “No thanks. They charge like six dollars for a tea.”
Hmm. I guess Sam wasn’t joking when he said their family business wasn’t doing that great. “It’s on me.”
She smiles. “Okay, thanks.”
I head to the counter to order a quiche, then sit back down and wait for the girl to bring it out to the table. I hand Cara her tea. “You think six dollars is a lot for a tea, you should see how much money this client is spending on her baby’s nursery. The crib alone is worth five thousand dollars.”
“Yeah, your aunt has some really wealthy clients. You’d be set if you wanted to follow in her footsteps.”
I frown and sip my tea. Ever since I hit the fifth grade my main focus was to avoid my mom’s footsteps. Acting has always been the one thing I’m really good at, so I assumed that was how I would get out. Making it on Broadway is a long shot since, unlike almost all of the people in my theater group, I didn’t attend a performing arts high school, and I didn’t have the advantage of acting coaches or summer drama camps when I was growing up. Those types of things weren’t really high on the list of necessities when I only had ten dollars to buy a week’s worth of groceries for Cooper. It had never occurred to me that following in Elizabeth’s footsteps would be an easier option.
The café girl slides the plate with my quiche in front of me. I take a bite then say to Cara, “Our brothers seem to be a good match.”
She nods approvingly and smiles. “Yeah. They look cute together.”
“Is Sam open with everyone?”
“No. How about Cooper?”
“No. Our mom doesn’t know.” I take another bite, swallow, and casually ask, “Why are you interested in dating Leland?”
“Besides the obvious facts that he’s sexy, single, and not gay?”
I shrug, hoping to look nonchalant.
“He was named one of the top twenty-five up and comers under twenty-five by the Madsen Business magazine. He was a really good student. Well, until he blew off school in his graduating year. He’s already pulling a salary in the high six figures at his dad’s company.”
“Why did he blow off his senior year?”
“I don’t know. There were rumors that he was having some personal issues. He partied too hard for a while, but he’s turned himself back around.” She sips the tea, then smiles. “And he plays tennis, which is one of my passions.” She bites into her apple and places it back down on the table as if she’s lost her appetite. “He never talks to me, though.”
“He definitely knows who you are. Maybe he’s just shy.”
“He talks to you.”
I nod, not sure how to respond.
“Would you go out with him if he asked you?”
“Uh, no. He’s not really my type.” I tuck my hair behind my ears. I’m worried that she’s not going to buy it, so I add, “Not that he would ask.”
“He seemed interested.”
“No. He was just being friendly. I’m pretty sure he’s into you.” I stand, partly because I’m afraid she’s going to see through me, and partly because I really do need to get back to work. “I should get going. I have to go on a home visit with my aunt’s assistant and pretend that I know what I’m doing.”
“Look on the bright side. At least you get paid.” She holds up the expensive cup of tea as proof that there are perks.
“True.”
“Hey, I think Sam is going to invite Cooper over for a hot tub and a barbeque at our house tonight if you want to come too.”
Cooper, me, and two non-snobby, non-rich rich kids having some burgers sounds like something I can handle. “Sure, if Cassidy doesn’t make me work all night.”
Chapter Six
It’s after six o’clock when I arrive home from work. Cooper is walking up the sidewalk as I pull into the driveway. I don’t know if he notices first or if I do, but Aiden is sitting on his bike across the street. He’s gripping the handlebars and I can see the tension in his muscles from here.
Conflicting emotions keep me in the car until Cooper opens the door for me. “Go talk to him,” he says as I get out.
“No. I’m not talking to him and neither are you. Just get in the house.”
“At least give him a chance to explain. You’ve been best friends since birth and dating for almost three years. Are you sure you want to end it over one issue?”
“It’s not just one issue.” I shoot Cooper a look and point at the door to signal him to get in the house.
“Why don’t you want to work it out?”
Because I love him to death, and if I talk to him I’ll get back together with him, but I don’t want that life, so I need to stay away from him. “He cheated on me, Cooper. Why do you want me to just take that like I’m a stupid whore?”
“Look me in the eye and swear to me that he cheated on you.”
After a long hesitation, I still can’t say it. Cooper waves. Aiden nods to acknowledge him and, when I still don’t move, Cooper gives me a stern look. “What’s really going on?”
Overwhelmed, I shake my head and run up the path to the front door. When Cooper comes into the house, he studies me. “What?” I demand. My blazer entraps me in a suffocating hold as I flail to remove it. Outside, Aiden’s bike revs loudly before he takes off.
“I didn’t say anything.” Cooper slides his school bag off his shoulder and drops it in the closet.
“I know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong,” I snap.
“Really? What am I thinking?” He heads to the kitchen and I follow.
“I don’t know.” God, this is frustrating. I wish I did know what he thinks, and what Aiden thinks, and what I think, for that matter. “What are you thinking?”
“Nothing.” He opens the fridge and grabs the filtered water pitcher. “What are you thinking?”
Forget it. This is stupid. I want to forget. That’s the whole point. “I’m thinking that I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
He pours two glasses full. “Talk about what?”
Gah. Stop it. That’s so annoying. “Aiden. I don’t want to talk about Aiden.” Because it feels like my heart is disintegrating. “All right?”
He tips his glass back and eyes me after he takes a sip. “It’s not fair to make him into some horrible guy in your mind if he didn’t really do anything wrong.”
I sit on a stool and tear a paper napkin to shreds. “Who says he didn’t do anything wrong?”
“You kind of did when you couldn’t say anything at all.”
My gut clenches in response to a dreadful terror feeling that just swept through. “Regardless of what he was or wasn’t doing with Leah the other night, he’s a gang member, Cooper.”
He shrugs and washes his glass. “So is pretty much every person we know.”
“Exactly. And we don’t need that shit in our lives anymore, no matter how much we love the people who bring that shit into our lives. I don’t want to talk about Aiden. You’re going to make me cry. Change the subject.”
“Fine. How was your first day working in the corporate world?”
“Hard.” I slide my arms across the granite and clunk my forehead down.
“Sam invited us over for a hot tub. Do you want to come?”
I turn my head to glance at him. “Do you think I made a mistake with Aiden?”
He chuckles, obviously because I was only able to stop talking about him for thirty seconds.
“What? Do you think I did?”
“I can’t answer that for you, Ti. Are you coming with me to Sam and Cara’s?”
“Yeah, fine.” I sit up. “Do you think I made a mistake with Aiden?”
“Either you love him or you don’t. It’s that simple.”
I sigh.
He smiles and circles around the kitchen island to hug me. “Don’t worry about it right now. Go get your swimsuit.”
I sigh again, then head up to my room to change into a bikini. Aiden sent five texts today. The last one is: I’m going to give u some space. Call me when ur ready to talk. Love u 4 ever.
I decide not to delete that one.
There are about ten people at Cara and Sam’s when Cooper and I arrive. They live in a large, older Cape Cod style house with a gorgeous kidney-shaped pool in the backyard. More people flood out onto the deck behind us. I didn’t realize it was going to be a whole big party, and I suddenly wish I hadn’t come. Concocting an excuse to leave would be easy, but Cooper and Sam seem happy sitting at the edge of the pool talking and laughing. In their Burberry bathing suits, they look like an ad from a men’s magazine. I’m wearing a sixteen-dollar turquoise string bikini I bought at Walmart two years ago. It looks good on me, but if anyone asks who the designer is, I’m going to have to make something up.
“Hey, Tienne.” Cara waves from the hot tub. “Come join us.”
Before I have a chance to go over, the gate opens and a bunch of guys enter the backyard. The last one is Leland. He’s wearing khaki cargo shorts and a light pink polo shirt like he’s Ralph Lauren’s grandson. He smiles when he sees me, so I glance over at Cara to check if she noticed. Shit. From her pinched frown, she definitely has. To do damage control, I walk to him and stop when we are inches apart. “Thanks for the flowers. I told Cara that you’re into her, so act like you are and give her a longing, love-struck gaze.”
I glance up to see if he’s going to do it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t be looking at me with more intensity if he tried. “Why did you tell Cara that I’m into her?”
“I have my reasons,” I say. “Just do the look.”
He glances over my shoulder and flashes the cutest shy-guy smile at her. “How’s that?”
“Not bad.” I place my hands over the fluttery feeling in my stomach. “I’d probably fall for it.”
He produces the same smile for me before I turn away and speed walk over to the hot tub. The warm water laps up over my shoulders as I slide down next to Cara. She lowers her eyelashes in a flirty way and glances over at Leland. He’s staring at us intently, so I lean my head back on the edge of the hot tub and close my eyes.
The other people in the hot tub talk about tennis, sailing, and polo. I’ve got nothing to contribute. I just listen to how they all speak—worldly, educated, and kind of stuck up. After about fifteen minutes of feeling out of place, I climb out to get a drink from the posh outdoor bar. Two athletic guys are sitting on stools, with their backs up against the bar, facing the pool area. I walk up unnoticed, pick up the knife that is sitting on the wooden cutting board, and cut myself a wedge of lime.
“Livingstone and the new kid look like a pair of homos.”
“Do you think they’re faggots?”
“How would I know? I’m not gay.”
The one guy shudders like it disgusts him to imagine two men together. “If I ever see homos kissing or holding hands or something I’ll kick their asses.”
“Yeah, I’ll help you. Fucking queers make me sick.”
Normally, I don’t waste my time on enlightening ignorant losers, but the fact that he threatened violence rubs me the wrong way. I can’t let that slide. “Hey, boys,” I say in a sweet voice.
They both turn around and smile at me. The one on the right rests his elbows on the bar. “Hi. I haven’t seen you around before. What’s your name?”
I wink at the guy who is closest to me. He glances at my chest and leans in eagerly as if he expects me to whisper my name in his ear. I grab his hair and slam his head against the bar. Then I press the point of the knife up under his chin. He angles his head back to try to get away from the blade. My muscles tense and the point presses in harder. “My name is Tienne and you better be careful who you’re calling a faggot.”
“What the hell? You’re crazy, bitch!” the guy gasps as he struggles to lift his face off the stone bar. The other guy stares at me in complete shock.
“Yeah. Don’t forget it.” I let go of his hair and jab the knife into the butcher block.
They both step back cautiously as if they’ve enraged a cougar, but then the bigger of the two puffs his chest and postures as if he plans to somehow defend his manhood.
“Is there a problem?” Leland asks from behind me. “Are these guys bothering you, Tienne?”
I wait for one of them to admit that they felt threatened by a tiny girl pointing a knife at them. Neither one of them says anything, so obviously they realize how lame it will sound if they accuse me of being a freakishly strong, homicidal pixie. They both walk away.
Leland slides his arm around my waist. “Are you okay?”
“Sure.” I glance around to see who else may have witnessed my anger management issue. Fortunately, there isn’t anybody paying attention.
“What was that all about?”
“They said something they shouldn’t have. Hopefully it doesn’t happen again.”
He grins and looks me up and down. “Did they say something about how good you look in that bathing suit?”
“Nope.” I twist so his arm will drop away, then head toward Cooper and Sam. I sit beside them and dip my feet in the pool. “Hey, guys. Don’t look right now, but I had to educate the two homophobes standing by the arbor.”
Cooper doesn’t look, but Sam does. “Jocks,” he says and takes a sip from his cup. “They’re not that receptive to being educated.”
“When she says educate, she means threaten with a knife.” Cooper shakes his head as if he’s partly annoyed that I’ve already started trouble and partly touched that I stood up for him. “Was that really necessary? We’re trying to be normal, remember?”
“Sorry.” I sigh. Maybe if I could learn to keep my Noir et Bleu genetics under control, defending Cooper wouldn’t cause more damage than not saying anything at all.
Sam looks unsure whether to take Cooper’s comment about the knife seriously or not.
“Maybe we shouldn’t hang out together in public,” Cooper says to Sam.
Screw those assholes. Pulling a knife on them was dumb, I admit, but my brother should be allowed to hang out with Sam if it makes him happy. I shake my head at Sam in a pseudo-apologetic way. “I’m going to do something that is likely going to be quite uncomfortable for you so that you two can hang out without any rumors. Do you trust me?”
He checks with Cooper and shrugs. “I guess.”
I move to straddle his lap and press my chest against his. “Just close your eyes and think of somebody else.” He smiles and closes his
eyes. I run my fingers into his styled hair and lean in to give him a hot kiss. He places his hands on the small of my back, but doesn’t move them. We both almost start laughing, but I hold it together to make sure that everyone gets a good show. When I eventually pull back, he chuckles.
“You’re not too bad at that,” I say to Sam and wink at Cooper. Cooper chuckles as if he thinks I’m a very entertaining lunatic. Over in her lounge chair, Cara sits with her mouth hanging open. The two homophobes look pretty surprised, too. Leland’s expression, though, is hard to read. We definitely caused a reaction, I’m just not sure it was the reaction I was going for. Regardless, it’s time to close the curtain on this show. “Well, Bro, I might have reached my quota of poor decisions for one day. We should probably go.”
“Yeah,” Cooper agrees and stands. He’s not embarrassed—we’ve dealt with way worse—but he does seem disappointed to cut the evening short.
I step closer and whisper, “You can stay if you want. I’ll come back later and pick you up.”
He blushes, torn between wanting to hang out to flirt with Sam and not wanting to bail on me. “Are you sure?”
“I’m absolutely positive.” I kiss his cheek. “Call me whenever you’re ready.”
“Thanks.” Cooper sits back down at the edge of the pool.
“Don’t even mention it.” I lean over in a sexy way to give Sam one more kiss. “See ya.”
“Your sister’s a little bit nuts,” he says.
“You don’t have to tell me that.”
Sam’s smile definitely has a hint of a Cooper-crush in it. It’s so cute. I pull on my T-shirt and jean shorts over my wet bathing suit. On the way out I thank Cara for hosting, but she appears to be too stunned to really respond. Leland is standing next to the gate and I have to pass him to leave. I walk by without looking at him, and for some reason I feel bad. The staged kiss was to convince people that Sam isn’t gay. I didn’t think I would care what Leland thought about it.
Shit.
I push the gate back open, and poke my head in to see if Leland is still standing on the other side. He is, and he looks as if he’s not sure how to act. I wave him to join me on the outside of the gate, which he does. “The Sam thing wasn’t what it looked like,” I say.
