“I’m not trying to be facetious,” James said. “I’m sincerely asking you whether or not you love her.”
“AndI’mnot trying to be evasive,” Cassian countered. “But I have no idea how I’m supposed to respond to that kind of inquiry.”
“Because it makes you uncomfortable?”
“Because the question is irrelevant.”
“Irrelevant?” James let out a scoff-laugh and sat up straighter. “How can it be irrelevant?”
“Because my problem has nothing to do with love.”
“What?” James’s eyes widened. “It haseverythingto do with love.”
Again and again, James kept on proving that he knew nothing of Cassian’s world.
“Love and marriage are two wholly separate things,” Cassian stated matter-of-factly. “Marriage isn’t emotional. It’s strategic. Yes, there are emotions involved, obviously. Ones like respect and trust and contentment and security.”
“Do you know what emotionsare, Cassian?” James teased through a chuckle.
Cassian rolled his eyes and knocked the man’s shin with his foot.
“Yes,” Cassian said. “And I stand firm in my point. Marriage isn’t about love. Truthfully, I’m not even sure that I believe in love. Not romantic love. Even familial love... it’s about obligations, isn’t it?”
James’s mouth fell agape. Cassian smiled a befuddled smile.
“What?”
“I’m... Jesus, Cassian, I’m at a loss for words.”
“Why?” Cassian asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Because of what you said. About love.Of courselove is real. Romantic love. Familial love. Even love between friends.”
Cassian bellowed a laugh. “Now you’rereallybeing ridiculous. No one loves their friends.”
Utterly ridiculous.
“Of course they do.”
“Not me,” Cassian said with a flippant shrug.
James narrowed his eyes. “You really haven’t loved anyone before?”
“I love my parents,” Cassian said. “Everyone loves their parents. I mean, they took care of me when I was a child. And in exchange, I’m taking care of them now. I took over my father’s businesses so that he was able to stop working. I visit them on occasion. Whenever I have some spare time. And I pay for their staff who take care of their home. So, see, I love my parents. I love them as much as anyone else loves theirs.”
James’s brows pinched together, his forehead creasing.
“Do you really think that’s what love is?” he asked.
Cassian shook his head. “Isn’t it?”
Through a forceful exhale, James said, “Holy Jesus, wow.”
Cassian waited for James to counter somehow. He waited for him to argue his point or to tease Cassian about his or to even admit that Cassian was correct about love (because he obviously was).
Instead, though, James fell silent, and the little hint of a smile he’d had since practically the beginning of their conversation vanished completely as his eyes found the floor.
“What’s wrong? Why are you frowning like that?” Cassian asked.
