I want to kick him under the table, drag him by the ear out of here, and remind him that even though we might be fighting, he should at least shut the hell up for Renley.
“Well said,” Kitty says and then tips her wine back into her mouth.
Well said? There was nothing well said about that. It didn’t even really make sense.
Pushing past the nonsense, I cut a piece of chicken breast and take a bite, the flavors bursting over my tongue and surprising me. “Wow, the chicken is fantastic.”
“Thank you,” Kitty says just as I see Renley open her mouth to answer. “It’s a combination of some of my special spices.”
“Oh, I thought Renley made it,” I say as I catch Renley staring at Kitty with hurt in her eyes.
“She did, but I set out the spices for her before I started editing some of my videos.”
“You said you were going to sort the shipments that came in yesterday,” Renley says.
“Yes, but Rupert is leaving, and I wanted him to see my edits before he left. We can sort tomorrow.”
Renley’s jaw clenches and she stabs a piece of chicken on her plate, not saying a word. From where I’m sitting, I can see the frustration and disappointment.
“The edits were superb,” Rupert says. “She’s really learned so much since I came on board. I couldn’t be prouder of her progress. I know for certain that with consistency and practice, she’s going to be a big deal.”
“In hobby horsing?” Renley asks, a scoff to her voice.
Uh-oh.
“Why do I detect a sense of irritation in your voice?” Kitty asks.
“You don’t,” Renley says with a shake of her head and then stabs at her cut-up chicken again.
“I don’t know, it seems like there is irritation,” Rupert says, causing me to kick him under the table, because mate, not the time.
“Bloody hell,” Rupert says as he leans down and rubs his shin. “Why the fuck are you kicking me?”
“Spasm,” I say. “Sorry about that. Anyway, these mashed potatoes, is there garlic in them?”
“Are you irritated with me?” Kitty asks.
Okay, so we’re still on this.
“I’m not,” Renley says, lying right through her teeth.
“I don’t believe you.”
I clear my throat, preparing to ease the tension with a quick-witted comment, but before I can, Renley steps in.
“That seems like a you problem.” Renley lifts her wine glass and takes a very large gulp before setting it back down and topping off her glass with Kitty’s homemade wine.Careful, Renley, that stuff is lethal.
“That seems rude,” Rupert says, coming to Kitty’s defense for God knows what reason. “Is that how you should treat your aunt who has done so much for you?”
Oh shit…
“Excuse me?” Renley asks.
“Rupert, I think that maybe we should?—”
Rupert holds his hand up to me, stopping me. “You know, you’ve been telling me what to do for a long time, and I think it’s about time I tell myself what to do.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, so fucking confused.
