Chapter 38 #2
Rupert: I’d say I’m insulted, but you and I both know your dick scares me and I don’t float that way, although it is nice to be noticed.
Theo: SHUT THE FUCK UP!
When I’m done reading, I look at Theo, who truly looks terrified. “After that, I went over to his room and threatened his life to not say anything to your aunt. He insisted upon coming out here this morning to congratulate us. I told him no, and well, here we are.”
“Pardon me for finding relief in releasing this dam you two have been building. It’s not easy being a bystander to the tension. When I found out that the dam finally broke, well, I had to be out here and the first one to say something.”
“Only one,” I say, moving closer. “You can’t tell Aunt Kitty.”
“Why not? She’d be so happy for you.”
“She will be obnoxious about it and I don’t need the added pressure, especially since we don’t really know what this is between us.
Not to mention I’m getting close to finishing the renovations and I want to open the store as soon as I can, before the tourist season is over.
This is already a distraction and I don’t need another one, so please don’t say anything to her. ”
Rupert looks between me and Theo.
“Please,” Theo says. “Just keep it to yourself for now.”
After a few seconds, Rupert nods. “Fine. But I want you to know, I kind of had an idea you two were doing it anyway after the dry humping on the house, so…it’s not like it’s that big of a secret.”
“It’s a secret to us. Just don’t tell her, okay?” I plead.
“I won’t tell her.” He shrugs. “But if she finds out that I knew and didn’t tell her, you have some explaining to do. Got it?”
“Fine.” I relax, only slightly.
“Well, if this is over,” Theo says, “I think we have a walk to go on, and do not ditch me because things just got a little more complicated.”
He knows me so well.
“Don’t let me keep you from a walk down lovers’ lane,” Rupert says, holding his hands up. “I’m just going to go back to sleep. If you happen to bring me back a pastry, so be it. I’m leaning toward an almond croissant at the moment.” He takes a few steps back. “Enjoy your walk…lovebirds.”
Rolling my eyes, I turn away from him and head down the path to the sidewalk, Theo quickly catching up to me.
“Renley, wait.” He tugs on my arm. “Seriously, it was a huge mistake—you read the text messages.”
“Unfortunately, I did.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for him to find out.
I had the intention of keeping it to myself, but I was just so excited about last night and I thought I was texting you and instead ended up texting him about nipple play…
ugh. Trust me, the last thing I wanted was for Rupert to see that.
He’s been making fun of me all night and all morning, asking if I want to play with his nipples while thrusting his bare chest in my direction. ”
That makes me chuckle, because I can see it in my head.
Theo takes my hand. “Seriously, I’m sorry.”
As much as I hate that Rupert knows, I can’t be mad at Theo for it, because I know that it wasn’t intentional.
I link our fingers together. “He’s not going to tell?”
Theo shakes his head. “He won’t. I already threatened his life.”
“Okay,” I say, squeezing his hand and then releasing it.
I start walking toward town and Theo pauses me again. “Are we good?”
“We’re good.”
“Then why aren’t you holding my hand?”
“Because we’re trying to keep this a secret.”
“Yeah, but you held my hand on walks before.”
“But we weren’t fucking then. Now that we are, I’m hyperaware of every look and every touch you give me.”
He thinks about that for a second. “Won’t people think there’s something going on between us if I’m not holding your hand now though? Will they think, ‘Oh, they’re trying to not look like a couple, so maybe they are a couple’?”
“Stop overthinking it.”
“You’re the one overthinking it, not me.”
I raise a brow. “It’s you.”
“Pretty sure it’s you, love, but that’s okay, we’ll say it’s me.”
When I shake my head and start walking again, Theo asks, “Why are we headed this way?”
“Because your butler wanted a pastry, and if I want to keep your butler quiet, then I have to keep your butler happy.”
“Does that mean I get a pastry as well?”
“Up to you, you’re the one buying it.”
“Why do I have to buy?” he asks, his voice full of mirth.
“Because you’re the one who texted your butler, telling him that you like playing with his nipples.”
Theo scratches the side of his face.
“Yes, I might have done that.” I feel his eyes on me. “But to be fair, I meant every word that I said.”
“To him?”
“No, to you.” He pokes my side, making me laugh. “Meant every goddamn word.”
“There you are,” Aunt Kitty says as she comes into the living room, where I’m putting my shoes on. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“I’ve been in the house all morning.”
“You’ve been impossible to find.” She flops back on the couch, takes her neon yellow visor off her head, and starts fanning herself with it. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“What’s that?” I ask, my nerves skyrocketing, because does she already know?
“The boys.”
Oh shit.
Seriously, did Rupert already let it slip?
“What about them?” I ask, attempting not to fidget or seem nervous.
“They’ve been around for some time now and I think that it would be in our best interest, since they’ve done so much for us, to invite them over for dinner.”
Relief floods me as I ask, “Invite them over for dinner?”
“Yes, we never had a proper welcoming for them given how you were trying to vehemently kick your fiancé out of the house.”
“He’s not my fiancé and I wasn’t kicking him out. I was asking a stranger to vacate our home.”
“Either way. We never truly welcomed them to America, and I think it’s about time we put on our hosting pants and show them what fine ladies we can be.”
“I don’t think they would care,” I say, trying to nicely nix this idea.
“I care.” Aunt Kitty sits up and places her visor on her head all askew. “Do you know what kind of effort Rupert has put into my career?”
“Career?” I ask. “Aunt Kitty, that’s not a career.”
As if I slapped her, she leans back, looking fully insulted. “It is so a career.”
“No, a career is something that you do daily that helps pay the bills. What you’re doing is not paying the bills. I’m paying everything with the odd jobs I have throughout town.”
“Yes, and you’re living in my home for free.”
It’s the first time she’s ever said anything like that to me, calling it her home. It’s always been ours, and sure, her late husband owned it and left it to her, but she’s always made it a point to call it our home.
“I thought it was our home?” I ask, my voice quieting.
“Well, it is, but you know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t actually,” I say. “I thought that we shared this home together, and now you’re making it seem like we don’t. If you don’t want me living here, then I can go somewhere else.”
“Stop that.” She motions at me. “It was a slip of the tongue.”
“An insulting one,” I reply.
“Not to be immature about this, Renley, but you were the one who commented on my career.”
“Because it’s not a career,” I say, standing from the couch. “I love you, Aunt Kitty, but you have to know that what you’re doing is not a career.”
“It might not be conventional,” she says, sitting up, her expression morphing into something sad. “But it works for me, and you’ve known this about me. You know what my dreams are, what I like, so I don’t see why this is a surprise.”
Because you were supposed to be helping me with the store.
Because for a moment in my life, I felt like I had someone faithfully walking by my side, sharing my dreams.
Until you weren’t.
But expecting her to do something out of character isn’t fair to her.
“You’re right,” I say, knowing that’s all she wants to hear. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.” She stands from the couch as well and offers me a hug. “You’re such a spirited one. If only I could get you into hobby horsing.” She cups my cheeks. “You would be the belle of the ball.”
I swallow back the emotion bubbling up inside me.
The feeling of having to be the adult in this relationship is so crippling at times, even though I am one.
I’ve had to take care of her ever since she lost Melvin.
I had to take care of my dad, so it’s enforcing a pattern that I’ve lived with my entire life.
You’d think that I would be used to it, but I’m tired.
So fucking tired.
“I’m sure with you teaching me, I would,” I say, swallowing back my irritation. The last thing I need right now is to start a fight with my aunt.
“There’s always time for you to start.”
“Maybe I should just focus on the candy shop for now.”
“Perhaps.” She winks and then taps my cheek. “Shall I plan for a Sunday roast with the boys?”
“Umm…sure,” I say.
“Great. I’ll put together a list of things for you to grab at the store. They’re going to love it.”
Of course she will.
“I’ll be sure to tell Rupert, but can you invite Theodore for us?”
“Sure,” I answer as I head toward the front door.
“How are things going with you two, by the way?” she asks. “He seems to be hanging out with you a lot.”
“He’s helping with the shop,” I answer.
“Has he proposed lately?”
So she’s just going to skip over the shop? Not mention how she was supposed to help with the storage room like she said she would? Okay.
“No, and he won’t. He knows that’s not what I want.”
“Shame.” Aunt Kitty sighs. “It would be nice to see you settle down.”
I grit my teeth and just smile. “Okay, see you later.”
“Bye, dear.”