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I loosen my bow tie, let it hang around my neck as I slam back the last of my drink. It burns all the way down, only adding to the fire in the pit of my stomach. A headache floats around the edges of my skull, the base of my neck. Thank goodness I’m off duty tonight. I’d be complete rubbish at protecting anything, including my pride.
If it’s not completely obvious that I’m in a sour mood, then someone isn’t paying attention.
And then, as if my best mate can read my mind, he slides onto the bench beside me. I feel his eyes on me but just slink my elbows further down against the table. “Having fun?” he finally says.
“Best time of my life.” I can’t help the monotone in my voice. I’ve reached thedon’t give a carepoint of the evening. All day, I’ve held it together. Smiled and joked and frolicked and performed a rousing rendition of ’N Sync’sI Want You Back—complete with choreography—with the other gents (much to the women’s delight). But now?
I’m just done. I want nothing more than to pack it in, head home, and drown myself in work.
Not that work will give me that much mental stimulation. But maybe I can request an outdoor shift. Some time off to travel, perhaps? I did hear what Chloe said last night:You shouldn’t have to give up what you want to keep others happy. And even though I can’t figure out a way to not shirk my duties and responsibilitiesandhave Chloe, at least I could go after other things that make me happy.
I could finally travel a bit, perhaps. Take a vacation. Surely my parents and Topher couldn’t fault me for that.
Reaching for my glass again, I tip it back, remembering too late that it’s already drained. I frown and start to stand so I can grab more from the bar.
“Do you love my sister?”
I freeze and plunk right back into my seat. Turn to stare at Topher. “What?”
“I said, do you love my sister?” Topher’s frowning. He grabs a cloth napkin from an unused plate and flops it against the table. “Lauren seems to be under the impression that you do. But you would have told me that, yeah? Or I would have known? Am I that obtuse, or is she wrong?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “What does it matter, mate?”
“Why wouldn’t it matter?”
Running my finger along the beveled edge of the glass in front of me, I stay silent.
Topher does too, for a time. Then, “Lauren also seems to think you’re staying on as my bodyguard out of some sense of obligation. Tell me she’s at least wrong about that.”
Again, I don’t say a word.
The music on the dance floor flips to a slow song. Chloe and Lucy dance together in an exaggerated manner, and Lauren peels off alone, scanning the crowd.
“Go dance with your bride, mate.”
Topher sighs, tosses the napkin back onto the table. “She can wait.”
“Making her wait is not a good way to start off your marriage.”
“Don’t be daft. She’s the one who sent me over here.”
Of course she was. “Look, I feel privileged to work for the crown.”
“But you don’t like it.”
“I like it fine.”
“But you don’t love it.” He pauses. “Tell me you aren’t doing it because of me.”
“Of course I’m doing it because of you. But that doesn’t make it a bad thing.”
He runs his fingers down his beard. “What I mean is, tell me you aren’t doing it because you think I truly couldn’t get along without you.”
I scoff. “Isn’t that what you literally just said yesterday?”
“I just meant … I mean, yes, I rely on you, but even if you weren’t my bodyguard, you’d be my friend. And that’s all I need. My best mate.” He narrows his eyes at me. “And if you were to someday add the title of brother to that, well … I wouldn’t mind.”
That gets my attention. I sit up straighter. “You wouldn’t?”
