“It’s a party, Harper,” Theo said. “It’s going to be a good party, but we don’t need to lose our minds over it like this. We don’t need to have a pre-party before the main party so that all the guests can celebrate the fact that there’s going to be a main party after the first party. That’s way too much. It’s a wedding, not a coronation. They’ll say their vows to each other, we’ll have a nice dinner and dancing, and then everyone will go back to their lives.”
Harper couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. “I thought you understood this now,” she said.
“What do you mean, you thought I understood it?”
“You were going to get the plate from your summer house.”
“Yeah. It seemed like you thought that was something important.”
“I thoughtyouthought it was important. I thought you understood why. I mean, I really felt like you and I were on the same page with one another after the tasting today, Theo. Did I imagine that?”
He didn’t speak for several moments. She had the impression that he was trying to decide what to say to her.
At last, he answered. “I do get what you’re trying to do,” he said. “And I get where it’s coming from. I can appreciate it. You’re a romantic. You have these grandiose ideas about love andmarriage, and you’re trying to make this wedding all about that. A big romantic celebration.”
There was a note of disdain in his voice that she couldn’t help picking up on. “Don’t act as if I’m crazy for that,” she said sharply. “I didn’t invent the idea of a wedding as a big romantic celebration, you know. Most people would agree that that’s a pretty standard definition of what a wedding is. I think you’re the one who’s…”
“Crazy?”
“Unusual,” she said. “From the very start, I haven’t known what to make of your approach to this wedding. I know you care about your brother, and I think you care about Tara, but it’s like you don’t care that they’re getting married.
“I don’t,” he said. “Not very much.”
She couldn’t believe he’d said that. “How can you not care?”
“Look, marriage is a nice idea,” Theo said. “But at its absolute best, it’s meaningless. It doesn’t actually change anything for a couple like Max and Tara, who have been together forever, who are already committed to one another. Thebest-casescenario here is that nothing at all changes.”
“That’s really what you think?”
“Of course it is,” he said. “Because the worst-case scenario is that marriagedoeschange the way they see each other, the way they think about each other. If that happens, I don’t like to think about where they might be in five years, but it probably won’t betogether. Marriage is a flawed concept. It doesn’t keep people together.”
“And what about love?” she asked him. “Even if you don’t believe in marriage, couldn’t you look at this as a celebration of their love? Isn’t that something worth getting excited about?”
“Love’s a lie people tell themselves,” Theo said.
She felt sickened. “You don’t believe in love?”
“I believe in attraction. I believe people like each other.” She could almost hear him shrugging. “Max and Tara are young and hot, and they have a lot in common. If they want to call that being in love, that’s fine. Me, I call it a sensible partnership. And I do think that’s something to celebrate, don’t get me wrong. Tara’s a great girl, and I like her for my brother. I just don’t think it’s worthy of all this hoopla.”
“God,”Harper said. “I knew you were cold, but I didn’t know you were heartless.”
“I mean, think what you want about me,” Theo said. “I’m just practical.”
“Practically dead inside.”
“Okay,” he said wearily, as if she were a drain on his time and energy, as if he couldn’t imagine how anyone could possibly put up with her foolishness. “Anyway, I don’t think this shower you’re talking about is a good idea.”
“No, probably not,” Harper agreed caustically. “I wouldn’t want you telling all the wedding guests that love isn’t real. I’ll call you if I need help with something a little morepractical.”
She hung up the phone and tossed it onto the couch.
It was only after she had ended the call that it occurred to her to wonder why she had taken Theo’s opinions about romance so personally, and so deeply to heart.
I shouldn’t care that he’s ice-cold inside. It’s nothing to do with me.
So, why do I?
CHAPTER 9
