Page 124 of Unwritten Rules

My stomach does a little flip-flop as I replay his declaration.

“I found Heaven when you kissed me in Devon.”

The man has a way with words. That’s a fact!

We’re back at Hawthorne House within five minutes, and before Nate has even killed the engine, Phillippe is there to take my luggage inside.

I send him a soft smile. “Thank you, Phillippe.”

As we ascend the steps, Wetherby appears at the top. He’s smiling brightly, but even at this distance, I can see he’s ashen-faced, his shoulders hunched.

Slipping my arm from Nate’s, I rush the last couple of steps and fold his once large frame into my body. “Wetherby, you should be abed. You’re positively burning up.”

He squeezes me softly. “I’m alright, Mila. I just have a little head cold, that’s all.”

I step back as Nate reaches us, placing his hands on my shoulders.

“Christ, man. You look like shit.”

Wetherby smiles broadly. “I see you took what you deserve at long last, Nathaniel. I needed to see it with these old eyes to believe it.”

He clasps Nate’s broad shoulder. “I’m so proud.”

Before Nate can respond, Wetherby is overtaken with wracking coughs that shake his whole frame. Then, slipping around me, Nate hooks his arm underneath Wetherby’s.

“And to bed you go, old friend.”

* * *

“Are you sure you don’t want to come? You could meet your friends, I’m sure.”

I shake my head once more. “You go. I need to stay with Wetherby.”

“What about meeting that friend of yours? The one with the stupid hair who fawns over you in class.”

I pucker my brow. “Who? Cal? He’s so lovely!”

He snorts. “Yes, that’s the one. I don’t fucking like that little prick. He’s way too handsy for my liking.”

I almost choke on a laugh I try to swallow. “Callum? Oh, sweet baby Jesus, Nathaniel. I thought guys had a built-in gaydar.”

“Gaydar? What the fuck is that?”

I wrap my arms around his waist and smile up at his confused, handsome face. “The boy likes dick, Nathaniel.”

His eyebrows hit his hairline and I barely keep a straight face.

“What does that even mean?”

“It means, you need to go. And I need to stay.” I slip from his embrace and move towards the kitchen. “I’ll see you after, okay?”

Nate looks so torn that my heart breaks ever so slightly for him. I know he doesn’t want to do the public speaking event he’s been roped into by Chancellor Higgins, but I also know he’s a man of his word, so he’ll do it regardless.

I’d love to be there to support him quietly, but I don’t want to leave Wetherby either.

After Nate had gotten him to his quarters behind the kitchen, Wetherby had drifted off to sleep. He has only been in and out of consciousness since.

In Nate’s absence, Wetherby had seen fit to give the household staff the day off, including his caretaker, Tatiana, so there was only Phillippe and himself on the property at present.