‘I told you I’m—’
‘Busy. Yes. Right.’
This was going nowhere and frankly just making me feel worse. I glanced over to the clock before turning back. ‘I’d better get on with some dinner.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said before I’d quite finished. ‘About last weekend. I’m so sorry, Lottie. I should never have let you go like that.’
‘You didn’tletme go anywhere. I chose to leave,’ I said, throwing one leg over the saddle of my high horse.
Seb gave me a look. ‘You know what I mean.’
I dismounted but couldn’t quite shake off the haughty demeanour. ‘It was fine,’ I said, attempting to sound like it hadn’t bothered me in the slightest. Again, I wasn’t sure I was pulling it off. A glance at the screen would suggest I definitely wasn’t, but I continued on anyway. ‘I’d probably overstayed my welcome anyway, so it was a good time to leave your family in peace.’
‘You hadn’t overstayed your welcome in the slightest – I’m not sure you could ever do that in my family’s eyes. They’re kind of your biggest fans right now. And that includes my dad, who’s never exactly been the ebullient type when it comes to praise. But that’s just his way.’
My ears perked up. Was Seb actually defending his father?
‘Well, I very much enjoyed meeting them too. And, if you speak to him, please thank your dad again for the rose. I’m taking it over to my parents’ place this weekend to pot it up so I can sneak it in onto my paving slabs outside.’
‘I’ll do that.’
‘Thanks. Well, I’d better get on.’
‘Lottie?’
‘Hmm?’
‘I want to apologise.’
‘Yes. Well, you did. Kind of.’
‘I want to do it a lot better than “kind of”. If you’ll let me.’ He shook his head. ‘I wish I wasn’t so bloody far away. Doing it on here is the worst. It doesn’t feel right.’
I shrugged.
‘Fine. Right. OK. I am truly sorry about Sunday. I completely overreacted, and I don’t know why. I guess I do know why, but it still doesn’t excuse how I treated you.’
‘So, what was the reason?’
‘For me acting like a complete arse? I think that was how my brother phrased it at least?’
‘I like your brother.’ I couldn’t help but smile.
‘The feeling’s mutual.’
‘So?’
‘I guess… I guess I’m just not used to it.’
‘Used to what?’
‘Being talked about like that.’
‘I wasn’t talking about you. Your dad was talking about you and I was listening. It felt like he had things he needed to say, and I was happy to listen. It’s not like we were talking about you behind your back for any nefarious reason, Seb. He’s just hurting. More than you know, I think. Just like you are.’
‘I think you’re right.’
I shook my head impatiently. ‘I already know I am. It’s just you two that are too stubborn to admit it.’
