THEO
“Is the rejection still stinging?” Rupert asks as I adjust my shirt and shrug on my suit jacket.
“No.”
Although, I will say, I don’t think anyone has ever said no to a date with me before, so that was something new. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think I handled it with grace even though the person who turned me down looked like she was trying to make my head combust with one blink from her eyes.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I feel confident about this new approach.”
I flash my teeth in the mirror, making sure everything is clear.
It’s been a long-arse day. I haven’t had a real meal, I’m jet-lagged, and I have the threat of Neil’s daughter looming over me, nagging me, telling me that if I don’t make this happen, then I’m going to have to deal with her.
Throughout the day we have also been checking the Fiancé-er app to see if any new interest has come in, and they’ve allbeen less than stellar. So after seeing Renley and her impressive attitude at that Threads store, I knew what my plan of attack should be.
Woo her and wear her down.
“From what Theresa said, she’s never seen our girl with anyone, which means she’s never really been properly courted. She has no idea what it’s like. Therefore, that’s going to be my approach. I’m going to court her, and by the end of the summer, she’s going to be so infatuated with me thatshe’llpropose tome.”
Rupert lets out a hefty laugh. “I have a better chance snagging Prince William as my husband than you have of Renley proposing to you.”
I adjust my cuffs. “I’ll hold you to those odds.”
I move toward the front door, but Rupert stops me before I can leave. “Wait, so explain how proposing to her again is the right approach?”
“Because she’s going to say no, especially if I do a shit job of it, which is what is going to occur.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Which will then in return provide an opening, showing her that this isn’t over. That we aren’t leaving, and I’m determined to make this happen.”
“And then that’s when the wooing starts?”
“Precisely.”
“And what if she says she doesn’t want to be wooed?”
“That’s something I’ll deal with when I get to it, but right now, she needs the warning.”
“And the warning is…”
“Christ, Rupert. Pay attention. When she says no to my proposal, which we know that she will, then I give her the warning that I’m not going anywhere.”
“Right. And what happens if she says yes to the proposal?”
“What do you mean what happens? That would be a success.”
“Yeah, but would you actually marry her?”
“I mean…sure, anything to avoid Neil’s daughter.” I tug on the lapels of my jacket and say, “One last check: how do I look?”
“Like someone who’s about to get turned down.”
“Thanks.”
I exit the house and jog over to her lawn. Thanks to our super sleuthing, I know she’ll be returning soon. She went for another walk. We’ll have to watch her patterns, but it seems like she takes two walks a day. If that’s the case, I can possibly do the same thing, maybe slip in as her walking partner.
