A growl at the back of her throat, “Jack Gardner. He is the stupidest person I have ever met. He is an utter disgrace to any sense of style, gentility, or culture. Sometimes I think I hate him more than I hated my useless criminal father.”

“Tell us how you really feel.”

She thwapped his knee with the back of her hand, her diamond ring digging into him. “And he is very clearly, in his idiotic, artless, common way, madly in love with you.”

“I don’t think—”

“Well, that’s obvious.”

“You always make me feel so much better about myself.”

“Yes, well.” She took a big gulp of the whiskey, then stuck her tongue out and coughed. “Nasty. Look. As much as I don’t want a permanent Gardner accessory in our glorious Gwynns family...” Theo laughed. “When he looks at you... It’s all on his face, all right? Everything. So damned uncouth.”

“Genni...”

“He loves you. He watches you like he’s never seen anything more—” She shrugged, uncomfortable. “Anything more beautiful. Precious. And you are, Theo.” He looked at his lap, avoiding her kindness. “Don’t forget that, please.

“Theo, he left his wife. And if he’s finally admitted—far too late, the idiot, but still—that he wants to make his life with you in it, and you...” She trailed off, put a hand over his. “Do you love him?”

“God.” He put his legs down, interlaced his fingers with hers, closed his eyes. “I wish I didn’t.”

“Do you want to be with anyone else?”

She knew the answer. Had known since that night in the bell tower.

He shook his head.

“Mmhmm.” Then he heard a smirk in her voice. “He a good fuck?”

“Genni!”

She blinked her eyes at him, playing the coquette as always, and then she leered.

“Ugh, all right,” he mumbled under his breath. “The fucking best. Christ, his cock—”

“Let’s stop there, shall we?” She shivered in disgust. “I am already struggling to keep this appalling whiskey down. But Theo, darling—maybe you can—oh, I don’t believe I’m saying this—but maybe you can be happy. With him. Really, truly happy. And the world—it’s better than it was, you know, back then. It would be...easier.”

His voice was small. “I’m scared, Gen.”

“I know.”

“What if—”

“Fuck the what-if. You’ve been what-iffing for too long. Just—do the thing, all right, because you deserve—”

A knock at the door. He looked up, a little fuzzy, hot tears in his eyes, and—

Of course. Who better to see him breaking down in his study. Again.

“Gardner.”