Anger?
Fear?
I don’t know, but it’s not a look I like seeing on Colt’s face.
“C’mon, Colt, we’re leaving.” Grabbing his hand, I shake my head at Joseph, who actually looks regretful.
“It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Norman,” Colt calls out as we walk down the stairs and into the rose garden.
“Don’t talk toher, Colt. She’s as much to blame ashimfor this damn charade,” I say loudly enough so they can hear me.
“Nice music, Ford. Classical Beethoven. Very upmarket,” Joseph babbles.
“Yeah, not like the rubbish that thing plays,”Dadreplies, and this time I hear Colt scoff. He’s always been silent when it comes to my father’s degrading comments, but he is obviously over it all.
“We can hear you, arseholes. Oh, and Joseph…”
“Yes, my love?”
“I’ll be coming over to pick up Princess Sophia while I am here in England,” I yell, hearing an audible gasp from Joseph before Colt chuckles. We walk through the archway, then back up the cobblestone path toward the manor.
“Oh my God, Colt. I’m so sorry. That was a complete mess.” I look at him, fearing he’ll tell me exactly that.
Who could blame him after the nonsense that played out like a damn nightmare in full, unedited Technicolor?
“It wasn’tthat bad,” he replies, and I exhale, calming instantly.
“Really?”
He stops before the stairs to the manor and turns me to face him. “No, it was horrible, and I honestly have never been so insulted in all my life, but it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than that to rattle me, Dee. You got that?” He picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. I scream and laugh simultaneously while he chuckles, walking up the stairs and inside the manor.
“Colt, what are you doing?” I ask through a fit of laughter.
“Being the typical guy from Croydon, taking his groupie chick for a shag,” he answers.
I hear a gasp and look up to see George standing in the doorway with a tea tray, watching as Colt manhandles me all the way out to the car.
I can’t help but laugh hysterically.
This situation is beyond a joke, but somehow, I see the funny side of it.
“Bye, George, nice to meet you,” Colt says, slapping me on the ass as we pass him.
“Oh, um… goodbye, Mr. Slade. Miss Norman, will you be returning?” George asks, looking at me with a horrified expression.
“No. Oh, and please tellthat manin therefrom me that he’s a complete…arsehole,” I call out as Colt walks us down the stairs of the manor and to his car.
George smirks and nods as Colt cracks up laughing.
Eventually, he sets my feet back on the ground in front of the car and takes my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. “You know why I can’t say it, don’t you?”
“Huh? Can’t say what?”
“You know… like, how I feel. You knowwhyI can’t say it, right?”
I exhale, knowing that might have gotten to him. “Colt, I know Macy left you right after you told her you loved her. You’re scared I’m going to do the same thing. But Colt, I’mnotMacy. I amnotgoing to leave you. But I will alsonotforce you to say something when Iknowyou feel it. You can say it when you’re ready, and if you’re never ready, I’m fine with that too. Just know that I know you love me. I know because of the way you hold me and the way you look at me, the way that you sing to me, and the way you make love to me and need me as much as I need you. I know, Colt. I know you love me. So don’t worry about anything, my stupid, arrogant father said back there. He’s an imbecile and—”
“Did you just say imbecile?” he interrupts.
