Rupert just shrugs. “They thought I didn’t have enough experience.”
“Either way, he found out and you weren’t home to talk to. And when you were, all you did was talk about Renley, so he turned to someone who would listen and that was Kitty, who only fueled the flames.”
“I don’t think it was malicious,” Rupert says. “She just caught me in a vulnerable spot, and well, I took advantage of someone doting over me.” His eyes meet mine. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t apologize. I should be the one saying I’m sorry. I should have been there for you. You were right. I was very consumed with my own problems. I didn’t even stop to think about how you might be feeling or what you might be going through.” I pause and then ask, “Is that why you were so upset about the table breaking?”
He shakes his head. “No, I was genuinely mad about you fucking on the table where I enjoy my lemonades.”
“Ew, Theo. You were having sex on a kitchen table?” Elizabeth’s judgy eyes stare back at me.
“If you saw Renley in person, you would understand. I couldn’t help myself.”
Elizabeth seems to be okay with that answer as she nods.
“Anyway, I’m sorry about not talking to you and bottling up my emotions. Our relationship is better than that,” Rupert says.
“It is. And I’m sorry I didn’t see the signs of you feeling down. I should have been there for you.”
“Thank you.”
And then we stare at each other for a few seconds before we both wrap our arms around each other. I bury my head in the crook of his neck and he pats my back.
“I missed you,” I say.
“I missed you more.” He squeezes me tightly, and we stand there embracing each other for probably longer than what is socially acceptable, but I don’t care. I have my mate back and I love him.
After a few more moments, he finally pulls away and says, “Now, what’s this I hear about you marrying Walinda? By the way, totally forgot that’s what her name was.”
“Me too.” I point to myself and then wrap my arms around Rupert again. “God, I missed you.”
“Hasn’t it been a day?” Elizabeth asks.
“Years actually,” Rupert says as I pull away.
“Sure felt like it.”
“Dear God, can we please get on with the situation? Convince your friend that he’s not giving in and marrying Walinda.”
“I don’t have to, because I booked him a flight back to the States while we were driving over here.”
“What?” I ask. “But we hadn’t even made up yet.”
“As if I could stay mad at you for that long.” Rupert shyly smiles. “But seriously, mate. I’m sorry I went off the deep end for a second. I thought I was going to be perfect for teaching English in another country, and it was going to be fulfilling, like you helping out Renley with the shop, but…hell, when I was turned down, it put me in a bad spot. It made me feel like I had nothing to offer the world. I know I should have talked to you even though you were busy with Renley, and I didn’t.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t recognize that you were hurting. That’s on me.”
“What a healthy apology,” Elizabeth says. “Now, go tell our father off and catch your flight back to the States, because overour dead bodies will you be giving up on love and marrying Walinda instead. Not for me. Not for Father. Not for a family obligation. You will live your life for you, Theo, no one else.”
For a moment, reality sets in, because she’s right. I’ve lived my entire life doing things for others. Smiling for the cameras and shaking hands to adhere to a social construct I don’t care about. It wasn’t until I met Renley that I realized I could do something for myself, that I could find joy outside my day-to-day obligations. There’s so much more that I can offer than a handshake and smile.
But telling my father off?
Fuck.
It’s terrifying.
To think that I’m going to have to tell him that I don’t want to take the family title, that I actually want nothing to do with the family, and I have to mentally prepare for the repercussions?
