“Ok. Thank you so much for everything that you’ve done for me. You helped me so much especially when I was having a hard time adjusting to life on this island. I won’t be working here at the bar anymore, but you can come visit me at the office…if you’re free…” I thanked him sincerely.
“You’re welcomed. Please take care of yourself. I’ll drop by to see you at the office sometime. Hopefully, Knight wouldn’t mind too much…” Charles said before he started laughing.
It was a relief that this conversation with Charles didn’t turn out as suffocatingly difficult as I had anticipated.
“Please drop by. I…don’t want us to end up as nothing more than strangers. So please, keep in touch,” I said perhaps a little too desperately.
Charles just laughed at me before he smiled reassuringly. Although I did ask him to keep in touch, I wasn’t sure how much our lives would overlap now that I won’t be working at the bar and Charles usually didn’t come too often to the office.
“I should walk you to the car now before Knight gets upset…” Charles suggested as he gestured with his hand for me to walk ahead.
“Oh right. That would be scary…” I replied softly.
“He’s scary when he gets mad? I can sort of imagine…” Charles said with a small laugh.
“He’s usually very nice to me, though,” I replied so that Charles wouldn’t worry, and it was also true.
“You can let me know if he bullies you,” Charles said before winking at me.
Suddenly, I felt like I had an older brother that would protect me from all harm. I smiled all the way as we walked to the car while sharing more small talk.
…
Since I was being more than extra mindful of the 10-minute mark, I made it back to the car on time. Reiner eyes scanned my face momentarily before he turned to nod a little at Charles. He didn’t seem pleased that I spent time alone with Charles, but he did allow me to do it, which meant that things might be improving as time goes on. Reiner started driving us home immediately and although I knew that Charles was watching, I didn’t dare to wave goodbye.
“So, what did he have to say?” Reiner asked after a short moment of silence on the road.
I had expected that Reiner would ask me about the conversation that I shared with Charles. Actually, I was more relieved that he asked than if he didn’t. This way I could reassure him that nothing fishy went on between us and there wasn’t anything that I needed to keep as a secret from him.
“He wanted to congratulate us on our wedding. I was planning to tell him about it myself, but it seemed like he had heard the news from someone else already. He also mentioned that you’re a great guy and that you’ll take care of me well…” I said before smiling a little Reiner’s way.
“I see…” he murmured with his eyes still on the road ahead, but I knew that he was listening to me.
“He asked me if I’m in love with you…and of course, I told him that I am. I think overall he was just worried about me. Kind of like how an older brother would worry about his little sister, I guess…” I said as I recalled Charles’ words.
“He’s not a bad guy but that doesn’t mean that I like you hanging around with him…” Reiner replied quite bluntly.
“I don’t think that you would like me hanging around with any guy…no matter how good of a person he is…” I said teasingly before I started laughing a little to myself.
Reiner turned and shot me a grumpy look before his attention returned to the road. I tried my best to stop laughing but admittingly it was quite a challenge. Reiner did not say anything after that, but I guessed that he was satisfied with the summary that I had given him of my conversation with Charles.
That didn’t mean that I was satisfied with what was going on, though. After getting married, I had intended to start life off anew with Reiner and clear all the complicated relationships that I had. That wasn’t so hard since I was away from the Rosenhalls, so the only person I had to clear things up with was Charles. That happened a little sooner than I had planned since he turned up to see me today. My eyes shifted to Reiner’s attractive face as my mind began to wonder if he’d clear things up with Rachael.
Hopefully, Rachael has found out by now that her fiance, now ex-fiance, had moved on and chosen to marry someone else. I felt sorry for her when I recalled how much she seemed to love Reiner, but precisely because of that reason, I thought that it would be better for her if he made things clear so that she could move on with her life as well. She’s pretty and young so I didn’t have any doubt that she could find a qualified boyfriend in no time at all.
“R…” I called his name to get his attention.
“What is it?” Reiner asked with his eyes still on the road.
“I was wondering…if you’ve talked things out with Rachael. You know, since we got married and all…” I asked while hoping that things wouldn’t get awkward between us.
Reiner didn’t seem surprised at my sudden question. His face remained unreadable while he seemed to contemplate his response.
“I haven’t spoken to her specifically about it, but she does know that we got married,” Reiner replied without much emotion.
“Are you planning to clear things up with her?” I asked, pressing the matter.
The last time I met her, things didn’t end so well. Reiner had probably spoken to her at least once since then since Rachael had left me alone in peace from that day onwards.
“She already knows that we got married. She knows that you’re my wife now and she isn’t. What more is there for me to tell her?” Reiner asked before he glanced over at me.
–To be continued…