Crushing on Royalty (The Cuttings #1) [To Be Reconstructed]

7 | London Bridge is Falling Down, My Fair Lady

I was staring at the screen of my laptop, drumming my fingers idly on my knee as I sat on my bed at eight in the evening. My brother had been having fun playing with Cookie, whispering something in the freaking bird's ear during dinner and till now, they were both in the living room, watching Bob's Burgers.

But anyway, now that I was alone here, nursing a bruise, I began to sigh.

The mail came in today and Grams was really worried about our financial situation. We couldn't really pay our insurance anymore, and to top it off, our electricity and water bills were high above our roof now. We weren't rich, but we knew that if we worked together we could at least pay some of our bills.

I had nothing left except my couple hundred dollars, which I'd given to Grams. Tommy had given some of his as well, and even though he could be a pain in the ass most of the time, I couldn't let him give away all his cash. Grams had three thousand left, but that wouldn't shelter us for a long time. It was so horrible. Everything was bad already but then our financial problems had to add up. This was insane in so many ways possible.

It was like karma was after me! I didn't even think I'd done anything wrong. I'd been nice! Well...sort of.

Surely God understood my situation with Tommy, Michael and Cookie?

I took a deep breath. I didn't have a job because many people said that I had a temper of a boor to match with my haughty features. Not that I really cared, but now I regretted my attitude. Kind of. My temper was the only thing keeping me well at ease.

Ever since my parents died when I was eleven...I'd kind of changed. My attitude was the only thing keeping me strong. I shut my eyes as I felt something stinging. Now wasn't the time to cry. I had to help Grams and Tommy so that we could live off nicely. We were an average family that struggled with money. Perfect.

Grams had said she could bake and sell pastries, so I'd agreed to that. She was a master at cooking, especially baking. Tommy said he'd sell all my things on eBay, which had only made me smack the back of his head rather loudly, making Grams scold me several times in one day. But Tommy had given me an idea. I really could sell off my old things on eBay. But what? I didn't have much stuff in here.

With a groan, I heaved myself up and went for my laptop. When I went online, news popped that caught my eye. Marquess of Sterling: Finding a marchioness? it said.

Who was this guy, anyway? I mean, he didn't have any pictures at all! I searched on Google. There was nothing. Just: No results have been found about the Marquess of Sterling.

I did search the dowager Duchess of Rossington and her son, but they didn't have a picture with the marquess in it. Stupid internet. It was so not helping.

The dowager's features were very haughty, though, and so was her son's face. They looked like they hadn't seen happiness in a long, long time. They looked snobby and arrogant or maybe that was just because they were in a bad mood every time they had their photos taken.

Maybe they were different. But how should I know? I hadn't even met those Peer of the Realms.

Why did I care, anyway? I mean, I hadn't even known them until OK! featured their family, when Heather showed the magazine to us.

With a shrug, I pulled Sloan closer to me, proud of myself for keeping an eye on her all day. I went back to reading about this Sterling dude again, so I read on.

The young Marquess of Sterling, heir to the Rossington duchy, is said to be seeking a bride. Many of OK!, HELLO!, Elle, and Vogue sources were all in agreement about the dowager and the Duke of Rossington searching for a wife for the dashing young marquess, and Sterling himself.