Chapter Twenty-Six – Oliver
OLIVER
The Green-Eyed Duke
ISADORA: (video attachment)
That was a threat I’d never heard before.
Where did she and Rose get them from? Did they have a notebook full of them or something?
I clicked on the video she’d sent just in time to hear Rose shouting about kitchen towel not being a good sword and burst out laughing.
George appeared to be being besieged by several crows, and his weapon of choice was a full roll of kitchen paper that he was enthusiastically waving and stabbing through the air.
Rose, for her part, was on the floor with a dustpan and brush, occasionally scaring a crow off with the brush between her guffaws.
Others joined forces to protect her, and a few seconds later, she shoved the dustpan under the tablecloth and sat back, laughing her ass off.
The video was loud with all the people, but I could hear her laugh as if she were right next to me.
I knew that laugh.
It was the one she let out when she was truly happy.
Despite her shouting just a minute before, she was in her element, and I smiled ruefully.
God, how I wished I was there instead of here.
The video finished, and another message from Isa came, this time with several pictures attached.
They were all of Rose—of her smiling, of her laughing.
Her covered in dirt, potting up some small plants with children.
Her carrying a pygmy goat in strawberry-patterned pyjamas in her arms while grinning at the camera.
Her on Shaun’s back directing him somewhere while he looked exhausted.
Her modelling Susan’s crochet hats.
Her in a hot pink feather boa welcoming people to the petting zoo.
Her sitting on a bench in the park, her phone to her ear, looking up at the sky. Smiling … at me. Because that’s when we were on the phone.
Damn it.
ISADORA: She’s having the time of her life.
ME: She said that if I were there, she’d shove me with the teachers and have everyone throw water balloons at me.
ISADORA: She just had the librarian print out two giant pictures of your face. They’re either for water balloons or darts.
Of course, she would never make a threat she wasn’t fully prepared to follow through with.
Rose always found a way.
ME: She really is the heartbeat of that place, isn’t she?
ISADORA: Thankfully only the heartbeat and not the brain, or God only knows what would happen to Hanbury.
ISADORA: Can I ask you something?
ME: You can ask.
ISADORA: Are you really still going to sell the allotments? I know something is going on between you.
I paused, my thumbs hovering over the screen, and another message quickly came through.
ISADORA: I know this isn’t my business. You can tell me to fuck off. I won’t be offended.
I chuckled. Of course, she wouldn’t be. Her and Rose were one and the same.
But I couldn’t answer her question.
ME: It’s complicated.
ISADORA: Is it? You’re either selling it or you aren’t. From where I’m standing, it’s not complicated.
ME: There are a lot of things to consider. I’m not the kind of person who says something unless I know it for sure.
ISADORA: Then can you at least tell me this? Do you have feelings for Rose? Because if not, please end whatever is going on between you, or I’ll end you.
I really wouldn’t put it past her.
I sighed, pulling off my glasses and grasping the arm between my teeth.
ME: I do.
ME: I’m trying to figure it out. Just give me some time.
ISADORA: Okay.
ISADORA: But you might not have that much time.
Her next message had a short video attached, and it was of Rose and a guy I’d never seen before dancing in the park. He was spinning her around, and she was laughing and smiling as he did so.
Ugliness twisted in my gut—a sick, dark jealousy that had my knuckles turning white as my grip on my phone tightened.
I wanted to be there. I wanted to be the one twirling her around like an idiot in the middle of the park.
Like a child, I resented that anyone else was touching her.
Could touch her so openly.
She’d never allow me to do that.
I hated that more than anything.
ISADORA: That guy had a crush on her in school and asked her out a couple of years ago. She said no because she was seeing someone, but everyone knows she’s single.
ME: What are you trying to say?
ISADORA: If I were you, I’d uncomplicate your business lickety split.
ME: Thanks for the tip.
ME: Can’t you get that guy away from her?
ISADORA: Ooh, you’re the jealous type. Does Rose know?
I didn’t care if she knew or not.
Yes, I was jealous. I was so fucking jealous I felt sick. I hated that anyone else was touching her, could hear her laugh like that, could see her smile. I hated that anyone else was able to draw those things out of her when it was such a rarity that I could.
I hated that I was here and couldn’t do anything about it.
I took my glasses from my teeth, set them on my desk, and switched from my chat with Isa to the one with Rose and sent her a message.
ME: What are you doing with that man? Do I have to drive back there and drag you away from him, princess? Because I’ll show everyone just how much you really hate me if you keep dancing with him.
I tapped my fingers against my desk and stared at my screen. No response came, and I glanced at my computer as if a reply from her would magically appear there. My phone flashed with a message, but it was Isadora, not Rose.
ISADORA: Hahaha she just blushed in front of everyone then stormed off. What did you say to her???
ME: She got away from that guy with a crush on her though?
ISADORA: Oh, yeah.
ISADORA: Oh, my.
ISADORA: Your giant face has been pinned to the dartboard.
ISADORA: She just threw a dart right between your eyes.
ISADORA: Now she’s taking a picture of it.
ISADORA: Sending to you for sure.
As she predicted, the next message that came through was a photo from Rose.
ME: Good shot.
ROSE: Where do you get off telling me not to dance with someone?????
ME: I don’t like that he’s touching you.
ROSE: Well, now I know how to make your life hell for the next twenty-four hours.
ME: If you send me pictures of you with guys, you better watch yourself when I’m back. Don’t think I won’t drag you out of your bed and teach you a lesson.
ROSE: Cute.
I hit the button to call her, and before she could speak, I said in a low voice, “Cute? What part of what I just said is cute to you?”
“Your little threat. As if you can make me listen to you,” she taunted me. The background noise got quieter, and I knew she was walking away from the crowds.
I got up and walked over to the window, leaning against one of the sturdy panes. “I can make you listen. Half the job is getting you to shut up and giving you a taste of my cock does that pretty well.”
“You—” she stopped, obviously flustered. “I’ll bite it!”
“Go wild. See what I do to you if you do,” I retorted in a warning tone. “I can tell you this—there’ll be no doubt about who can touch you when I’m done with you.”
Silence.
“You’re jealous,” she whispered, a hint of awe twisting her words.
“Yeah, I’m jealous.” I pressed my fist to my forehead, trying to keep my irritation in check. “Just realised, princess? Or do you want me to make it clearer for you?”
“Actually, yeah, that’d be great. Could you spell it out? Like, exactly.”
Frustrated rumbled in my chest. Gladly . “Don’t touch anyone else. Don’t let them touch you. Don’t dance with another man. Don’t laugh at them. Fuck, don’t even smile at them, not when I can’t see you smiling at me. I don’t like it.”
“Oh,” she said quietly.
“Oh, what?”
“That was hot.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes. That was her response? Of course, it was. What the fuck was I expecting? Her to tell me to be quiet, that it was inappropriate, or that I had no business saying any of that to her?
I should have known better.
This was Rose after all.
She’d never once done what I’d expected.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” I said in a low voice.
She laughed. “Ah, my plan is coming to fruition.”
If it were anyone else, I’d think it was a joke.
But, Rose?
Nah. She was deadly serious.
Death by Rose.
What did it say about me that I wouldn’t mind dying at her hand?
Fuck . I needed a hobby.
“Just stay out of trouble,” I grumbled, rubbing my hand down my face. “Don’t get arrested, all right?”
“For the hundredth time, I don’t get arrested. I get put in time out.”
“A jail cell is a jail cell.”
“Yeah, but that one is mine .”
“I don’t know how to respond to that,” I admitted.
“Good. Bamboozling you is the top of my daily to-do list,” she replied, her voice bright and airy. “Don’t you have anything better to do than talk to me? Aren’t you busy?”
“Mm. But how can work possible be better than listening to whatever chaos is going to come out of your mouth?”
“If I didn’t know better, Your Grace, I’d say you’re embracing my weirdness.”
I smiled, sitting back down at my desk. “Embrac ing ? I think I did that a while ago.”
“That’s true. You don’t even get mad when I do irritating things anymore. Hmm.” She smacked her lips together. “Maybe I’ll have to up the ante.”
“Oh?” I raised my eyebrows and fiddled with a pen. “Like what?”
“Release a plague of locusts in your bedroom. Sprinkle sugar through your McMansion and watch as you have a never-ending stream of ants move in as roommates.”
“Why are your ideas both bugs?”
“Do bugs not bother you? Darn. Oh, I know. I’ll plant bindweed all through your garden.”
I paused. “Bindweed?”
“Oh, yeah. That stuff is like me. Relentless, annoying, and impossible to get rid of.”
My lips curled into a small smile, and I dipped my head as if to hide it from myself. “Sounds like an absolute nightmare.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” she replied brightly. “Oh, I have to go. Waffles has tried to attack the mayor.”
“Give him a treat from me. I can’t stand that guy.”
A burst of laughter crackled down the phone, and my heart skipped at the sheer joy that was in it. “Noted. Maybe you two will be friends yet.”