Rekindling Love (British Billionaires Series) (9 page)

The next call she received was her father breaking the news that she would be returning to America to complete her education. She was to live in the Manhattan town house where her Aunt and Uncle from her mother's side would care for her. With only a term left before she finished the first level of high school education in England, her GCSE's, she pleaded with her father to reconsider. She was adamant she'd return to the states once she'd completed the exams as part of a compromise. Refusing her on the grounds of her fragile mental state, Susan had no option but to obey her father and leave.

“
I hear you're going home, Susan,” Imogen stuck her head in the two person dormitory.

Looking at Imogen it was hard not to think of Rupert. The same dark hair and blue eyes. Had it not been for the age difference, she’d have sworn they were twins.

“
Yes. You heard right. Everyone hears everything at this school.”

“
I guess,” said Imogen absently. “I only wanted to say. You were fabulous in
Hairspray
. An absolute star! I hope you shine bright on Broadway.”

Skipping in, Imogen threw her arms around her, kissed her on the cheek, then skipped out as lightly as she came in.

Was that a goodbye sent from Rupert, with Imogen as the messenger? Was it possible not everyone in the school knew about Rupert using Susan over the rehearsal period for a step-up at school? It didn't matter now. Susan had always been about making friends. For the first time in her life she had an enemy and she wanted to bring him down.

Imogen was stretching out on the plush gray sofa in Rupert's minimalistic living room. Black hair in a long braid down her back, goofy slippers on, complete with leggings and a New York Jets football shirt, she was equally at home here as she was in the flat Rupert had bought her two floors below. Taking in the clean lines, gray and black shades with the odd splash of white, she sighed at how detached and cool the room felt. Every technological gadget available was in his possession. Aside from the black and white vases (which cost a fortune) placed on either side of his black entertainment cabinet that ran the length of his wall, a few coffee table books and a cinematic flat screen, the room was almost bare. Not a photo frame was in sight. Every item, even if skewed, was coordinated by Rupert for effect. Masculine – yes! Cozy – no!

“
All these women in your life and yet there is not a sign of any of them anywhere. Where's the vibrancy and color?” she mulled.

“
Yes, well, there are no women in my life now. This is a bona fide bachelor pad. Besides which,” he lifted her feet from his couch to sit beside her with his glass of red wine, “you don't appear to have any problems visiting daily. The decor can't be that repellant.”

“
I never said it was repellant. I was merely stating the obvious. I say what I see, bro.”

“
Imogen, with my IQ and qualifications, let me remind you I do not require you to draw my attention to the obvious.”

“
You're in a mood tonight.”

“
I've been in a mood all week,” he said dejectedly.

“
You're giving me daggers.”

“
I'm not, but I am directing the full blast of my frustration on you. This is entirely unfair of course, but all I think of is the art gallery and Susie.”

“
I didn't know she was going to be there,” shrieked Imogen, her response demonstrated this conversation had taken place numerous times since the infamous gallery opening.

“
You sent her flowers!”

“
I didn't leave any contact details.”

“
You admitted that was good luck, not good management. You had every intention of contacting her and every hope she'd contact you.”

“
Rupert, I told you that months ago when I read the announcement in the American Theater paper. I remember the day. It was after you found out Oscar and his whirlwind romance with the journalist had him tying the knot in Egypt.”

“
You didn't say you were contacting Susie.”

“
I can't remember exactly what was said.”

“
You didn’t say ‘I am going to send Susan-Marie Thompson flowers,’” he assured her.

“
Katy.”

“
What?”

“
Katy is the name of Oscar's new wife.”

“
Forget that. You want me to settle down and have a wife? I couldn't be any further from that eventuating,” scowled Rupert.

“
Why'd you do it then?”

“
What?”

“
Give those girls the boot?”

“
Because when I saw Liz's face at the gallery, I saw the impact of incorrectly assuming our relationship was implicit. I couldn't bear seeing her hurt. I didn't want to hurt anyone. I want a simple life.”

“
Maybe life would be simple with just one woman.”

“
Perhaps.”

“
Rupert?” asked Imogen tentatively. “Why now?”

“
Blast from the past.”

“
Susan?”

Nodding, he dropped his head ashamed of himself.

“
That's fabulous. High school sweethearts reunited.”

“
What on Earth makes you think we were high school sweethearts?”

“
I,” she stopped.

“
You never mentioned the musical,” said Rupert.

“
No. I didn't. I knew Nikki fancied you like mad. It's only, I'd come back from Saturday shopping leave one afternoon and outside the auditorium, I saw you and Susan dancing in the rain. When I think back, it was picturesque. At the time, I thought from the way you looked at her, the way you held her, you'd found love.”

“
I was with Nikki.”

“
Yes, I knew that. It's only, when I went to see you in the show, I never saw that dance – the one I thought you were rehearsing in the rain. It wasn't part of the show's choreography. I kept watching and waiting and the next thing I knew you were taking curtain calls. You were dancing with her in the rain because you wanted to, not because you had to.”

“
I was. I did.”

“
Something changed dramatically in you when you met Susan. At long last I saw a side of you that was free of everything. Free of the eldest child syndrome. Free of that in-built need to always protect me. Free of your efforts to ensure mum and dad stayed married. It was like when you were rehearsing for that show you were able to explore yourself.”

Rupert was unable to meet his sister's eyes.

“
Then these ugly rumors emerged, courtesy of Nikki. I never believed you'd ever treat another person like that. Not you. Not my big brother. He would never hurt a fly. He would fight anyone's battle if they needed protection. You were in Susan's corner. They were lies weren't they?”

“
I'd ask if you've ever done anything to betray the moral fiber of your being, gone against everything you believed, but you couldn't say yes could you Imogen? That's not something you'd ever be able to relate with. You wouldn't allow anybody to lower the standards you set yourself. You wouldn't put your own needs in front of another.”

“
It was true, wasn't it Rupert?” her voice filled with sadness.

“
It was true. I sat there knowing how awful I was behaving, how hurtful the words were, how untrue it all was and I lied. On the promise of sex, I lied.”

“
In that case, Susan was remarkably restrained when you met at the gallery opening. She went after you when you got in a tizzy.”

“
We met before.”

“
What?”

“
At the gym. We met on Monday at the gym. I didn't recognize her. She gave me a number and then came to the Radmacker exhibition.”

“
Did you call?”

“
No, I was—”

“
Not the three-day rule,” lamented Imogen.

“
It's there for a reason,” said Rupert, relaxing at in his sister's unconditional love despite his questionable behavior at times.

“
What now?”

“
I don't know. I don't know where my head’s at. One minute my life is merrily rowing along, the next I have the most beautiful woman in the entire galaxy in front of me, who I deliberately crushed as an ignorant, selfish teenager. I don't know what's going on. I wanted to take her to dinner. Treat her properly. Let her know I changed. If I'm honest, my motives weren't entirely honorable. I fancy her. But then I always have.”

“
You're not alone there.”

“
Meaning?”

“
Meaning she's a top, hot Broadway diva. She was gorgeous at school. It's only that everyone felt the need to judge her on her weight.”

“
Except you,” he murmured.

“
I know what it's like to be an outsider. More importantly, I know how love can change a person's life. You and mum and dad taught me that. It's a priceless lesson I learned because of my birth parents abandoning and my real mum and dad taking me in. I know its importance, of course, it's one I try and exercise daily.”

They sat in silence. Unlike his sister who was happy to lounge in her pajamas whatever time of day, Rupert preferred to keep bed-wear restricted to the bedroom. He was however, not adverse to wandering around the house in his black Emporio Armani lounge shorts and naked torso. With company, however, he was obligated to put a t-shirt on, even when relaxing with his sister. Rupert flicked on the TV. The sound blared out startling Imogen. She spilled her wine. Cursing, she dashed to the kitchen, racing back with a bottle of white wine. Pouring it on the stain, Rupert grabbed her wrist.

“
Don't waste it,” he yelled over the TV.

“
Put that thing on mute,” she screamed to be heard.

Immediately he switched off the TV to watch her blot the stain with clean white cloths.

“
It'll come out I promise. Yet another important lesson in life I learned from Mum.”

Her throw-away comment on their mother’s love of claret managed to have Rupert chuckling. “Imogen we're billionaires. It's hardly a big issue.”

“
True, but what if all the furniture shops have stopped stocking boring, uninspiring, monochrome colors.”

He continued laughing at her biting remarks.

“
Have you been sitting in the whole weekend drowning your sorrows?” she grilled.

Pouting, she knew she was right. She hated him drinking by himself. She hated him sad in the massive apartment.

“
Have you been out all weekend with Hank the Grid Iron player?” countered Rupert

“
I have. I even went to see him play yesterday with his father.”