Page 30 of Restoration

“Did you have a lot of friends growing up?”

“What do you think?”

He frowns. “I don’t know. You’re smart and have a good sense of humor, and you always want to help people. You’re a great friend.”

Touched because he appears to genuinely believe it, I say, “Thank you for that. I think I am a pretty good friend. But kids aren’t popular for only those reasons. I wasn’t all that pretty or fun, and I believe my desire to help people sometimes came across as bossy. I always had a couple of friends, but I was never popular.” I smile at him. “I’ve never been the life of any party.”

“Well, you are kind of bossy,” he drawls with the warmest glint in his eyes. “But that’s one of your most endearing qualities.”

I fall into helpless giggles. “You don’t actually believe that when I’m in the midst of bossing you.”

“No. Probably not. But I always appreciate it afterward. Every time I don’t listen to you, I end up regretting it.”

“Really?” My voice breaks just slightly.

“Yes.” He blinks, visibly surprised. “Of course. Didn’t you know that? Why do you think my life has been slowly getting better? Because I’ve been listening to you.”

I think about that. About how he’s gradually been giving up on the wild, decadent lifestyle he indulged in when I first met him. How he’s been healthier and more content and more involved in worthwhile causes.

Maybe some of it is because of me.

“You didn’t listen to me about Kontessa.” As soon as I voice the thought, I wish I hadn’t.

“You never said anything to me about her.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Only at the very end. And did you not notice that a few weeks after we had that conversation, I broke up with her?”

I lick my lips, oddly nervous about the turn of the conversation. I have no idea why. “Oh.”

“If you had something to say about her before that, why didn’t you say it earlier?” He doesn’t sound as light and nonchalant now. He sounds confused and slightly hurt.

“It wasn’t my business.”

“Wh—”

“Edmund, you know it’s not. I’m your assistant. What you do with your personal life isn’t my business. If I’d tried to tell you not to date her when you first got together, you would have gotten pissed at me.”

“Maybe.”

“No maybe about it. Look, I knew she wasn’t good for you the very first time you went out with her, but that was something you had to figure out for yourself. You can’t talk people into doing what you know is best for them. It just doesn’t work that way.”

“Yeah. I guess so.” He’s frowning and staring up at the very blue sky. “It makes me feel stupid though.”

“Well...” I give him a little nudge to take the sting out of the next words. “Itwaskind of stupid of you. But everyone is stupid about love sometimes.”

He relaxes, clearly understanding and agreeing with what I’m telling him. But eventually he mumbles, “I never loved her, you know.”

I swallow over a weird lump in my throat. “I know you didn’t.”

“What about you?” he asks in a different tone.

“What about me?”

“You said that everyone is stupid about love sometimes, so when have you been stupid?”

“Oh.”