Pride and Popularity

I grimaced. “But I tried really hard to be happy. I’m not sure it worked, though.” I wondered if I should bring up what I had heard about Taylor. I didn’t want Blake to be embarrassed.

“Oh, so I guess my nemesis was there, then?” he asked. “Is that why you weren’t happy?”

“Your nemesis?” Is he talking about Taylor?

Blake snorted. “Yeah, you know, that Collin guy.”

“Yes. My mom invited him.” I rolled my eyes and turned the page to a really cute advert for makeup. “It was no big deal, though.” At least compared to everything else. “Madison came to my rescue.”

“What do you mean?”

“Every time Collin came near me or started to speak to me, Madison would get his attention. She totally saved me.”

Blake laughed. “Are you telling me the guy actually tried to talk to you this time?”

“Yeah, apparently he tried. It was kind of weird now that I think about it.”

“So who was Collin?” Blake asked as I flipped another page. “What? Oh, you mean, who did he come as?”

“Yeah.”

“He came as the Fonz. You know, from Happy Days?”

“Really! I’m surprised. That’s not a bad costume choice.”

“Well, he didn’t look quite as good as Henry Winkler, and he really couldn’t work the mannerisms and accent. But all in all, he wasn’t too bad. I was surprised too.” I decided to brave it out and bring up Taylor. “So do you know who Mangus PI is? Some guy came as him last night.”

“Do you mean Magnum PI?”

“Yeah, that’s it.” I laughed.

“Uh, yeah,” Blake answered. “That was one cool show back in the ’80s.”

“Really?”

“My dad owns the whole DVD collection of that series. So get this. The guy, Magnum, used to be a navy SEAL, right? Well, now he lives in Hawaii on some millionaire’s property, as a private investigator, which is what PI stands for.”

“Oh?” I asked, trying to feign interest. I flipped another page of the magazine.

“Yes.” Blake was really getting into it. “You know the best part? The guy got to drive a Ferrari 308 GTS. I don’t know what guy on the planet wouldn’t want to drive one of those.”

“Wow, it sounds neat,” I commented.

“You have no idea. He totally lived the dream life. They just don’t make shows like that anymore. So who dressed up like Magnum? Is he part of our four-wheeling group?”

“No.” I hesitated. “It’s—well, his name’s Taylor Anderson. I don’t know if you know him.”

“Taylor?” The anger in Blake’s voice surprised me. “It would be him.”

“So you know him?”

“Yeah. Unfortunately, the aaa—the—the . . . what’s the word you use for the A-word?”

“Oh, uh, chicken butt,” I said sheepishly.

“Chicken butt?” All at once, Blake began to laugh. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“Nope. Wish I were, especially right now. You have no idea.” I giggled, totally embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. I can’t say it.” He chuckled. “I just can’t.”

“You already have,” I pointed out. “But if it helps, I personally use the words ‘stupid,’ ‘imbecile,’ ‘jerk’ or ‘egotistical moron’ to describe Taylor.”

“Really? You’re kidding me. There’s actually a girl alive who doesn’t like my cousin? You are so lucky we’re on the phone right now. Because if we weren’t, I’d grab you and kiss you so hard your head would swim.” 

Fourteen Double Trouble

My head swam. I decided to ignore his comment about wanting to kiss me. “You’re Taylor’s cousin?”

“Regrettably, I have to say that is my lot in life—to play second fiddle to the pampered Taylor Anderson,” Blake replied.

“You’re kidding! I had no idea.”

“Yeah, well, not very many people do. I try to keep it secret for as long as possible. That’s why I moved here, though. Lionel Anderson’s my uncle. He offered me a job. I needed one, so I came.”

“But I thought Taylor was surprised to learn your name,” I blurted without thinking.

“Oh, you heard about that?” Blake sighed. “Yeah, that would be Taylor, all right. He was surprised to hear my name was Blake Winter, since he calls me Blake Wilder. Wilder’s my real name. I changed it because I wanted to make a new start with you guys.”

“Well, for the record I like Winter. I think it’s a great name.”

“Thanks. Apparently Taylor doesn’t. I don’t get that kid. He never lets me have a moment to myself, you know? Sometimes I wonder if he’s jealous his dad and I get along so well. For some reason, no matter how nice I am to him, Taylor and I have never gotten along. This isn’t the first job he tried to get me fired from, either.”

“No way.”

“So have you always detested Taylor, or is this a new feeling?” he asked.

“Oh, always, ever since I first moved here three years ago.”

“When do you turn eighteen?”

Huh? “Not till April. Why?”

Blake muttered something under his breath, then said, “You better call me the second you’re eighteen, you hear?”

“Why?” A giggle escaped my throat.

“Because” —his deep voice sent exciting chills down my spine— “then you won’t be jailbait.”

Jailbait? “Oh.” I gulped.

His sexy laugh would’ve caused my knees to buckle if I’d been standing. “Don’t worry—I won’t ravish you before then.” 

“He said what?” Taylor almost bellowed behind me.

I had whispered it to Madison and Alyssa as Taylor walked over to get his art supplies on Monday. But obviously he overheard me when he came back. My girlfriends and I had leaned in to talk over—again—what Blake had said on Saturday. It had been all we had discussed that whole weekend. The fact that Blake was Taylor’s cousin was mind-boggling. But adding in the jealousy between the two was more than any girl could handle, especially when you had to face the fact that Taylor wasn’t as perfect as everybody thought.

I had just finished exclaiming over the “jailbait” comment again, which was definitely the worst thing Taylor could’ve overheard. Why does he always manage to unnerve me?

Taylor dumped his art supplies on the table. He pulled out his chair and loomed over me. “Did you just say that Blake wanted to know when you were eighteen so you wouldn’t be considered jailbait anymore?”

Does he have to say everything so flippin’loud? “Will you sit down?” I hissed.

“Not until you answer me.” His stubborn face reminded me of a two-year-old.

I used my sweet smile. “Well, then stand. I don’t care. Until you learn to treat me with some respect and courtesy, you’re not getting any answers anyway. I don’t care how loud you are about it. If you want to discuss your cousin at all, then I suggest you get on my good side and treat me a little nicer.”

Taylor sat down. “Why do you have to get so defensive about everything?”

“Excuse me?” I turned to face him. “I was under the impression the only one having defensive issues about anything was you. I’m just here to make sure you behave like a decent human being when you voice them, because obviously you’re going to voice them whether I want you to or not.”