Rekindling Love (British Billionaires Series) by Sorell Oates Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sorell Oates
finished with her.”
“ We should catch up properly. Just us four,” suggested Imogen.
“ We should, but as I said earlier Imogen, as wonderful as the flowers were you didn't leave me a number to call. How could I forget you and how could I not want to catch up with you?”
“ Rupert, you go inside to Liz. I'll sort out the exchange of phone numbers.”
Bossy as she was, no one could question his sister's efficiency. “I'll see you around,” he muttered.
Rupert took a step forward. Closing his eyes, remembering his school days stopped him in his tracks. Trotting to the trio, hands gripping cell phones, eyes squinting at the screens, he took a leap of faith.
“ Sorry. Can I have one quick word with Susie?”
“ Shouldn't you check on your girlfriend?” needled Dylan tersely.
“ She's not my girlfriend,” responded Rupert automatically.
“ She's not his girlfriend,” said Imogen, echoing him by less than a millisecond.
“ Even so, she's in there by herself,” reiterated Dylan.
“ A quick word is fine. Callum and Jonathan will be taking care of her I'm sure,” appeased Susan.
Rupert walked with Susan two shops down from the gallery.
“ Can I still call you for a date?”
“ A date or friends having a coffee?”
“ I'd like a date, but if you prefer friends...”
“ I'd prefer not to become the next Liz or a Jasmine.”
“ You have my solemn word that won't happen.”
“ Where have I heard that before?”
Susan left him to return to Imogen and Dylan.
CHAPTER 7
Rupert's legs pounded hard on the treadmill as he upped the speed to running pace. The quick-moving machine forced him to concentrate solely on not falling off and maintaining the speed. Breathing, staring straight ahead and running cleared his mind. Finally it was empty of Susan-Marie Thompson.
The gallery opening had been a complete and utter disaster. Imogen had thrown him into an unbelievably complex situation. Admittedly it wasn’t her fault directly, but why she had sent flowers to Susie was beyond his comprehension.
She did it because she's a nice person. She did it because she's proud of what Susie's achieved. She did it because she was worried Susie may be lonely. She did it because she wanted Susie to know, despite her early departure from Brighton College, she hadn't been forgotten. She did it out of the goodness of her heart. She didn’t do it to put a monkey wrench in my smooth, manageable social life, acknowledged Rupert. It may have been the end result, but it wasn't Imogen's fault. Putting her in the freezer and refusing to take her calls or answer her texts wasn't fair of him.
Rupert mentally promised himself to call her after the gym on his way to work.
As for Liz, Imogen was right. She did love Rupert. Elizabeth wasn't a stupid woman or naive. Upon hearing Rupert's broad range of extracurricular activities, she knew those that didn't include her meant he was engaging with other women as his companion for those specific sojourns. He'd taken her to his penthouse apartment. He'd let her cry. He'd tenderly refused her imploring to have sex. But he had held her through the night. Holding his hands up, he could genuinely say he had no idea she was thinking long-term. Telling him how she felt and what she wanted, Rupert couldn't continue the friendship. It would be cruel and unfair. He hadn't pitied her when she'd wept saying he might learn to love her if given the chance. It hurt his heart to have wounded such a lovely lady. He could only wipe her tears away.
“ I thought you were a late gym attendee. If I'd known you did mornings, I'd have slept in.”
Rupert frantically pressed the button to slow the speed of his tread mill, but slid off of it. Athletic and composed, he did nothing more than stumble shakily for a second or two before standing upright.
If that had been me I'd be
“ We should catch up properly. Just us four,” suggested Imogen.
“ We should, but as I said earlier Imogen, as wonderful as the flowers were you didn't leave me a number to call. How could I forget you and how could I not want to catch up with you?”
“ Rupert, you go inside to Liz. I'll sort out the exchange of phone numbers.”
Bossy as she was, no one could question his sister's efficiency. “I'll see you around,” he muttered.
Rupert took a step forward. Closing his eyes, remembering his school days stopped him in his tracks. Trotting to the trio, hands gripping cell phones, eyes squinting at the screens, he took a leap of faith.
“ Sorry. Can I have one quick word with Susie?”
“ Shouldn't you check on your girlfriend?” needled Dylan tersely.
“ She's not my girlfriend,” responded Rupert automatically.
“ She's not his girlfriend,” said Imogen, echoing him by less than a millisecond.
“ Even so, she's in there by herself,” reiterated Dylan.
“ A quick word is fine. Callum and Jonathan will be taking care of her I'm sure,” appeased Susan.
Rupert walked with Susan two shops down from the gallery.
“ Can I still call you for a date?”
“ A date or friends having a coffee?”
“ I'd like a date, but if you prefer friends...”
“ I'd prefer not to become the next Liz or a Jasmine.”
“ You have my solemn word that won't happen.”
“ Where have I heard that before?”
Susan left him to return to Imogen and Dylan.
CHAPTER 7
Rupert's legs pounded hard on the treadmill as he upped the speed to running pace. The quick-moving machine forced him to concentrate solely on not falling off and maintaining the speed. Breathing, staring straight ahead and running cleared his mind. Finally it was empty of Susan-Marie Thompson.
The gallery opening had been a complete and utter disaster. Imogen had thrown him into an unbelievably complex situation. Admittedly it wasn’t her fault directly, but why she had sent flowers to Susie was beyond his comprehension.
She did it because she's a nice person. She did it because she's proud of what Susie's achieved. She did it because she was worried Susie may be lonely. She did it because she wanted Susie to know, despite her early departure from Brighton College, she hadn't been forgotten. She did it out of the goodness of her heart. She didn’t do it to put a monkey wrench in my smooth, manageable social life, acknowledged Rupert. It may have been the end result, but it wasn't Imogen's fault. Putting her in the freezer and refusing to take her calls or answer her texts wasn't fair of him.
Rupert mentally promised himself to call her after the gym on his way to work.
As for Liz, Imogen was right. She did love Rupert. Elizabeth wasn't a stupid woman or naive. Upon hearing Rupert's broad range of extracurricular activities, she knew those that didn't include her meant he was engaging with other women as his companion for those specific sojourns. He'd taken her to his penthouse apartment. He'd let her cry. He'd tenderly refused her imploring to have sex. But he had held her through the night. Holding his hands up, he could genuinely say he had no idea she was thinking long-term. Telling him how she felt and what she wanted, Rupert couldn't continue the friendship. It would be cruel and unfair. He hadn't pitied her when she'd wept saying he might learn to love her if given the chance. It hurt his heart to have wounded such a lovely lady. He could only wipe her tears away.
“ I thought you were a late gym attendee. If I'd known you did mornings, I'd have slept in.”
Rupert frantically pressed the button to slow the speed of his tread mill, but slid off of it. Athletic and composed, he did nothing more than stumble shakily for a second or two before standing upright.
If that had been me I'd be
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