Theodore’s eyes widened in shock, a mixture of disbelief and disapproval clouding his features as his gaze darted frantically in all directions, likely in search of if anyone had caught the action.
A wry smile played on Gabriel’s lips as the alcohol began its seductive dance through his veins. He met his friend’s gaze as he chuckled softly, the weight of his emotions momentarily lifted by the numbing embrace of the drink.
“Come on, my friend, let the drinks speak for me tonight, hm? You should join me. It is most freeing.”
“Absolutely not,” Theodore’s brow furrowed in further concern, his eyes searching his, clearly for a glimpse of the man he knew. “Listen, I know something is on your mind, why don’t you just tell me what it is instead of drinking so much?”
Ugh.
There it is again, Her.
Gabriel grumbled incoherently to himself and poured himself another drink, wincing once more as the sharpness hit his throat.
“Gabriel-”
“That is enough, Theodore.” He groaned, pouring himself another glass.
His friend’s frown were like daggers on his skin. “This is not the solution, you well know this is temporary. Talk to me. Why else did you call me here? You certainly didn’t want to face this alone, even though you’re to proud to say so.”
“You are ruining this for me, do you not understand?” Gabriel snapped, downing his glass once again.
To his dismay, the drink got caught in his throat as he spoke, and he began coughing and retching as the burn worsened the hang.
“I’m ruining this for you?” The duke’s tone was tinged with annoyance. “Did you not request for me to join you here? You practically interrupted my evening… for this?”
I wanted support, not continuous nagging.
The words somehow were stuck in Gabriel’s throat, and he shook his head and chuckled at himself.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Theodore’s frown deepen. “All right then, I did not make plans to watch you drown yourself in wine the entire night. So, as you do not wish to share what is troubling you, I will take my leave. I can’t help you.”
What? That’s not…
“Y-You’re being dramatic.”
As Theodore began to push his chair back, Gabriel looked up at him, his desperation breaking through.
“Wait.” He let out a sigh. “It’s Evelina.”
Theodore raised a brow, his frown remaining fixed on his face, clearly asking for more.
“Miss Balfour, she’s getting married. She’s leaving us,” he chuckled lifelessly, “leaving Eliza and I behind,” the words tumbled out at last, carrying with them a sense of abandonment and sorrow.
Gabriel watched the surprise flash by his friend’s face, as the man seemed to freeze for a couple of seconds. Gabriel let out a hollow chuckle that contrasted with his inner turmoil as he poured himself another glass. “And that is why I’m drinking.”
Theodore settled back into his seat finally, the sound of his chair scraping on the floor closer to the table causing Gabriel towince slightly. The atmosphere grew heavy between the friends quickly, a silence settling over them.
At last, in the quietude, the duke’s voice cut through the stillness, the combined words carrying a weight that shook Gabriel to his core.
“Are you in love with her?”
The question lingered, charged with a raw intensity that reverberated through Gabriel’s being, stirring emotions that lay buried deep within his heart.
At that moment, his suppressed feelings burst forth, a rush of realization sweeping over him like a tidal wave. It was as though a veil lifted from his eyes, revealing a truth he had long denied.
Memories of the moments he had shared with Evelina flashed through his mind, each one etched with the indelible mark of love. The warmth of her presence, the way she stirred emotions within him no one else ever had, and the undeniable connection he felt to her.
You kissed her. Of course you love her, you fool.
