He said nothing as they drove. She could feel his eyes on her profile more than once, but she kept her gaze fixed on the window. They ended up at one of The Silvering. Rune knew the place well. Gareth, the owner, had been a friend of her dad's for years, and his daughter Lowri had gone to school with Rune.
"Look what the cat dragged in," Gareth grinned, giving her a quick hug. Lowri waved from behind the bar, her eyes darting between Rune and Dorian, curiosity sparking. Eli had already provided a full, dramatic report of how the village had ganged up on them for Rune’s entertainment.
They were led to a quiet corner booth.
Gareth flipped open his notepad. "What'll it be, love?"
"Just water for me," Rune said quickly.
"Morning sickness?" Dorian asked, glancing at her.
She shot him a look. "Some of us are growing actual people. And I think ‘morning’ is a deceptive word clumped with the sickness to fool women."
His mouth twitched. "I'll have a pint of the house lager, please" he told Gareth.
"Coming right up," the man said, giving Rune a small wink before heading off.
The silence stretched uncomfortably between them until he broke it . "So... are you keeping the babies?"
Rune blinked, startled, eyes widening. "Why?" Her voice was threaded with hints of Siberian weather. "Do you want me to get an abortion?"
"What? No-no!" Dorian's hands went up in alarm. "It's just... you weren't happy about having one of my babies before. I just thought with two-"
"I'm keeping them," she said flatly.
"Good." His shoulders, which had been taut as wire, eased a fraction.
"Not that your opinion on the subject matters one bit. Iwantthem even if you don't," she added.
"I'm glad," he said softly, "And I want them too."
"Besides," she went on like she didn't hear him, trying to regain control of the conversation, "My parents are Catholic. They'd support me either way, but... I want these babies."
"If they're Catholic," Dorian asked carefully, "How do they feel about you being an unwed mother?"
Rune blinked, speechless at his complete lack of self-preservation. She vaguely wondered if Lowri would mind if she got blood on her wooden floors. "So, you'll be needing a husband," he continued, as if that were the most logical conclusion in the world. Her mouth fell open. Dorian went on, obviously not taking the hint. "I'm willing."
Rune sputtered, choking on her water. "I think I'll have to decline thattemptingmarriage proposal."
"That's not, I didn't mean-" Dorian raked a hand through his hair. "Rune, I'm sorry for the way I behaved those last few weeks. I panicked. Things were falling apart with Crispin and Aria, and I kept thinking about my parents and how dependent I was becoming on you and—"
"So, the solution was to treat me like dirt?" Rune cut in, voice tight. "Make me feel like I was the lowest of the low? And all before you brought Margo in for part two."
"I was wrong." His hands were clenched together on the table. "Nothing I do or say can change that. But I am so sorry. I want to be part of the twins' lives, that is, if you'll let me. And yours if you allow it."
Rune swallowed hard, then nodded slowly. "I won't keep your children from you if you promise to make them your priority over everything. Even yourself."
"I can do that," he said quietly. "I can commit to that."
"Can you?" she asked.
"Yes," he said firmly. Then, almost too casually, "And so, I bought the house just down the road from your parents."
Rune choked on her water again, spluttering as Dorian leaned forward to pat her back.
"Stop-stop-I am going to pee myself. What did you just say?" she gasped.
"I bought the place down the road. To show I'm committed," he said earnestly. "You'll need somewhere-"
