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As we walked to one of the tables set up with a variety of drinks, I found myself breathing a sigh of relief.
“Are you okay?” Theo asked.
“Yes. It’s just a lot. I’m not used to being in large groups of people. I feel like I have to be on point. It’s not natural for me.”
“Why don’t we take a walk around the park?”
“I can’t.” I shook my head. “I have to meet people and shake hands. Make connections and get people to like me.”
He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Fuck ‘em.”
“What?” I gasped.
He laughed and handed me a cold soda. “Let’s go for a walk. You’ve shaken enough hands. You can’t meet everyone in an hour. You’ve made an appearance. You’ve talked and smiled. Now it’s time to relax and enjoy yourself.”
I hesitated for a moment but then nodded in agreement. Theo was right. I couldn’t please everyone, and it was foolish to try. I needed to take a break and just be myself for a while.
We walked down toward the water. There was a path that wound around the pond.
As we strolled, the sun began to set. It was a beautiful, serene scene. The colors that streaked across the sky were worthy of being painted. The water was still, mirroring the colors above. It was peaceful, and for a moment, I forgot about the stresses of the event.
Theo broke the silence. “You know, you don’t have to be the tough, no-nonsense woman all the time.”
I turned to him, eyebrows raised. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, it’s okay to let your guard down and be vulnerable. You don’t always have to be in control. And you don’t have to be perfect.”
I felt a lump form in my throat. He was right. I had been putting on a front for so long that I didn’t even know how to let my guard down anymore.
“I just don’t want to be seen as weak,” I admitted.
Theo took my hand in his and looked at me with a tenderness that made my heart flutter. “Being vulnerable doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. And it takes a lot of strength to show that side of yourself to others.”
We continued walking, hand in hand, and I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could just be myself without any pretenses or expectations.
As we rounded a bend in the path, I noticed a secluded bench by the water’s edge. Without a word, Theo led me over to it and we sat down to watch the sunset.
The colors had deepened now, the sky a deep orange and red, and the water reflecting the same hues. It was breathtaking.
For the first time since I caught Nora sneaking out, I felt like I could breathe. Theo sat quietly beside me, not saying anything or asking anything of me. The calm washed over me, and I got my first glimpse of what it could be like to have a partner.
“I have to get back!” I jumped up.
“Woah,” Theo said, laughing. “No reason to run.”
I had let my guard down and nearly caved into the idea of a real relationship with him. It couldn’t happen. Love would weaken my resolve. Even now, I wanted to sit on the bench with him and watch the moon come out instead of mingling and making connections.
This was exactly why I couldn’t let myself think of anything other than my future job.
17
THEO
Iarrived at Emilie’s grand home, a sense of anticipation weighing on my shoulders. Meeting the parents was nerve wracking enough, but when they were a king and queen, it kind of upped the ante. I wasn’t too worried about impressing them. My family’s wealth was impressive enough. But I was sure every father was worried about his little girl marrying a stranger.
At least that was the normal sentiment. I wasn’t sure that was the case here. I had no illusions about what this dinner was about. It wasn’t a traditional meeting of the parents. I was being interviewed for a job. At least I hoped they would let me use my knowledge and experience flipping properties to help them get out of the hole they were in with their properties.
I rang the bell, listening to the sound echo through what I imagined was a grand foyer. The house was large, probably built sometime in the eighteen hundreds. The stone building was built in the Tudor style. I could see it needed some updating, but it was a remarkable building.
