“He’s going to disown me,” I say softly. “He might hurt Elizabeth.”
“He won’t,” she says with such conviction that it actually convinces me. I should trust her; I saw the way she stood up to him.
“Not to mention, does it really matter to you, that he would disown you?” Rupert asks. “You don’t like him, you don’t like this life, you’ve been dreading the transfer of title ever since I can remember, so what’s the holdup? It actually seems like it might be the healthy split that you need.”
I pull on my neck as I try to sort out the mess in my head. “I don’t know, maybe the fear of not having a family after this. He won’t speak to me again. Mother won’t speak to me again. The comfort of my cottage will be taken from me.”
“Yes, but you’re giving all that up for so much more,” Rupert says, his voice growing soft. “I saw the way you looked at Renley,the way she looked at you. There’s a future there, a future that made you happy, that gave you purpose and hope.”
I slowly nod. “I told her I love her.” I look up at my friend. “She didn’t say it back, and I don’t blame her for not saying it back. It was all a bit of a whirlwind, but that’s been sitting on my chest. What if I give all of this up for her and…and in the end, she doesn’t want me?”
“Doesn’t want you?” Rupert asks incredulously. “How could you even say that? She was a mess when you left. She was clinging to you, practically begging you not to leave. I saw the ache in her eyes. Without a doubt, she loves you, that’s not even a question in my mind. It’s why you have to go back. It’s why you need to start a new chapter in your life, with her.”
“But what if she doesn’t love me and I give this up for nothing?”
“You keep saying that, ‘give this up,’” Elizabeth says. “What exactly are you afraid to give up? This preconditioned life that was constructed for you, that you had no say in? The boring parties you have to attend because of the last name you carry? There’s nothing about this life that you actually love. And when it comes to family,weare your family. We are what count.” She gestures to herself and Rupert. “And as your family, we will not let you settle for something that you don’t want. Something that kills your soul.”
“I watched you while we were in Cape Meril. Observed the way your face would light up after you accomplished something like…installing a toilet.”
“You installed a toilet?” Elizabeth asks with a scrunch to her nose.
I chuckle. “I did. And I loved it.”
“You found yourself there, so even if she decides that she doesn’t love you, don’t go back to a life you didn’t love justbecause it’s easy. Keep exploring, keep figuring out who you are. That’s what I intend to do, and I dare you to do the same.”
Dare.
He knows I won’t turn down a dare. Ever.
“I dare you to give up the title,” Rupert continues. “Tell your dad off and catch your flight back to the States.”
I smooth my hand over my cheek. “You’re really going to go there?”
“Yup.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Unless you want to break the pact that we made many years ago.”
I shake my head. “Never.”
“Then go do it while your sister and I pack you up.”
“Are you coming back with me?”
Rupert smiles. “Of course I’m coming with you. Think I’m going to let you go on this adventure alone?”
Smiling brightly, I pull my friend into my chest and give him a big hug. “Thank you.”
He pats me on the back and says, “I’m always here for you, mate. Always.”
“Same.” When I release him, I pull Elizabeth into a hug, and she rolls her eyes and then pushes me away.
“Stop stalling. Go tell Dad to fuck off.”
Smiling broadly, I say, “Gladly.”
Taking a deep breath, I knock on my father’s imposing bedroom door and wait.
And wait.
And wait…
