Page 6 of Without Pride and Prejudice
“Me neither, silly. Get some rest. I’ll call you later.”
“Very well. Good night.” My thumb hovered over the red button to end the call.
“Fitz,” she rushed to say. “I love you, best friend. Good night.” She hung up. She knew I wouldn’t reciprocate. What she didn’t know was why. She believed it all centered on my being an emotionally stunted Englishman, which was true. Given my upbringing, it would be hard to be anything but. However, I could never tell her I love her because she knew me too well—if ever I said those words to her, she would know I wasinlove with her. And that, now, was a moot point.
I’d lost the love of my life. It was a crushing blow I knew I would never recover from.
“A girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then. It is something to think of, and it gives her a sort of distinction among her companions.”
MONROE
“THE WEDDING IS OFF,” I stuttered out between sobs into the phone, hardly believing it was true, but my empty finger that just an hour ago sported a dazzling diamond ring spoke to the truth of it.
“It’s about bloody time,” Fitz said in his alluring British accent.
I sank deeper into the pillows on my bed in the dark. I hadn’t even had the energy to turn on the lights after the big breakup that had gone down in my condo’s living room. “What do you mean, it’s about time? I thought you liked Tony.” While Fitz wasn’t the warmest of men, I was hoping for at least a little sympathy.
“Whatever gave you that impression?”
“Well, you never said youdidn’tlike him. For you, that’s huge.”
“That was only me not stating the obvious,” he said dryly.
“Why didn’t you like him?” I asked, almost offended, even though Tony had just broken my heart.
“Where do I start?” Fitz exclaimed with more glee than was customary. “Let’s see: First, his name is generic. Second, hedrives a van with a toilet painted on the side. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Shall I go on?”
“Not everyone is blessed with a regal name like yours, Alastair Fitzroy, Duke of Blackthorne.” It was a newish title for him. His father had passed away less than nine months ago. He wasn’t all that comfortable with his new role. To him, it was just something he’d received because of the family he’d been born into and because his father had passed away. He hadn’t earned it. Not like the professorship he was rightfully so proud of. To make him feel better, I’d teased him that he was probably the only duke in world history to have a best friend from Kansas. It made him more distinguished in my opinion. “And the toilet thing is only because he’s a plumber,” I defended Tony. “And a very successful one, mind you. Well, at least he was,” I mumbled, guilt creeping in.
Fitz paused for a couple of beats. “What did you do this time, Monroe?” He knew me all too well.
I twirled some of my long brown hair and curled my shoulders into myself, gripping the phone tightly. “I thought I was helping.”
“That’s usually how it starts for you,” he teased.
He wasn’t wrong. I’d decided over the years that if someone were to ask me what my toxic trait was, I’d have to say jumping in to help anytime I see a problem. While most would normally consider that an admirable attribute, it’s usually cruel and unusual punishment for the recipient in my case, seeing as I always seem to make things worse no matter what country I reside in. Logic would suggest I should just give up trying to help people, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I have my reasons—well, really, one big reason.
“How was I to know that his dad would fire him after I told him Tony thought he should have a bigger share in thecompany’s profits, seeing as he did most of the heavy lifting and it’s his pretty face on all the commercials and ads?”
“He wasn’t that pretty.” Fitz yawned.
“I’m sorry, it’s the middle of the night for you,” I apologized, forgetting he was several hours ahead of me and I’d most likely woken him up. I just needed to hear his voice, as broody as it was. He was always the calm in my storms. “We can talk later.”
“Monroe,” he said gently, “I wouldn’t have picked up if I hadn’t wanted to talk to you.” Fitz really was the sweetest sometimes, but he didn’t want that characterflawto get around—heaven forbid anyone realize he was human.
“I know,” I sniffled, so thankful for him.
“So, tell me why this pillock just discarded the best thing to ever happen to him?” See? Sweet.
“He said I was always sticking my nose in where it didn’t belong.” I hiccupped. “I know I can be a little much, but I figured since I loved him, my nose belonged with him.”
Fitz chuckled.
“You know what I mean. I just thought that if he was unhappy, I should try to fix it if I could. Why does it seem that every time I try to do a good deed, it backfires?”
“Monroe, you help people all the time—your students, your father, me on occasion when I need a good laugh,” he teased. Bystudents, he meant my voice and piano students, whom I taught in my little studio here in Overland Park, my hometown. I’d finally given in and let Fitz help me acquire the studio I’d dreamed of for so long. I was still paying off the loan to him, even though he said to consider it a gift. But I couldn’t do that. Never did I want our friendship to be about money.
I rolled my eyes. “Are you having a laugh now at my expense?”
