Chapter Text
Taggie loves her job.
Well, at least most days. She dreamed of her own little shop ever since she had baked her first batch of cookies.
But today simply isn’t one of those days. The customers are particularly rude and impatient today. A few others don’t even feel the need to greet her back. They just bark their orders at her and then look back down at their phones. So no one can really fault her for having a bad day. She stands behind the counter of her little bakery, serving customer after customer, day after day. Taggie’s, named after herself, is still fairly new but the word of her skill has spread quickly in the city and now she can barely keep up with the London morning rush on her own. She’s incredibly proud of that but the long hours, the long days really, are getting to her. But she can’t afford to hire help. They need every penny that she makes.
It doesn’t help at all that at home she seems to be the only one doing any work. The number of daily chores only seemed to grow after her mother had moved out, leaving her alone with her father. Her older brother is off to university, busy chasing his dreams. Her little sister is at boarding school, away from the messes that are their parents at Taggie’s request. But Taggie is left alone with the debt that no one but her seems to bother paying back. She may suck at deciphering letters and words but she knows her numbers. It is the only reason this family is still standing at all. She doesn’t blame her siblings, of course. They are as blameless in this as her, but her mother and father? That was an entirely different matter.
She chugs one of the coffees she is selling and ignores the churning pain in her empty stomach. She simply had forgotten to eat today. Caitlin liked to joke that it would give her an ulcer one day, and perhaps she wasn’t too far off with that. Hopefully with the first rush done she would have some time for breakfast.
When the last customer of the morning leaves, Taggie grabs a roly poly from behind the counter as well as her coffee and she settles at one of her few tables. Getrude, her ever faithful companion, is curled up underneath, snoring gently. Taggie’s just about to take a bite, when the sky suddenly opens and a downpour starts. At least the weather decides to match her mood today. It feels quite fitting to her. There is something soothing about the constant sound of rain beating against the windows of her shop. Getrude only seems to snore louder.
When Taggie is about to finish her roly poly, the door suddenly opens and a man stumbles inside her shop,soaked to the bone. Taggie can’t see his face at first since he had tried to shield himself from the rain with his coat but entirely failed. When she gets up from her chair, the scratching on the floors alerts him to the fact that he isn’t alone in here.
“Oh, hello,” he greets the young woman after lowering his coat. She’s a pretty thing.
Her heart stops. She knows that man. Probably just about everyone in Britain knows his face. Rupert Campbell-Black. Former show jumping Olympian, turned politician. He’s now Minister for Sports and everyone loves him despite his escapades. Which, Taggie assumes, is primarily because of his handsome face and devilish charm. And a handsome face he has.
“Hello,” she echoes, pretending to not recognize him. Getrude on the other hand isn’t polite at all after being so rudely woken and barks at him. Taggie looks down at her dog. “Hush, Gertie,” she chastises her. Thankfully, Getrude complies and curls back up.
Rupert looks down at himself, noticing the growing puddle on the floor and he makes a face. “Sorry about the mess,” he apologizes to the girl. “I’ll have whatever allows me to stay in here until that downpour is done, darling.” Rupert glances down at the mutt at her feet and tries to hide his disdain.
“Coffee and strawberry jam roly poly coming right up,” she replies with a well practiced smile and goes to retrieve both for him, ignoring the entirely inappropriate pet name.
Rupert is struck with just how pretty she is when she smiles. Even though it doesn’t quite seem to reach her eyes. So now it’s his goal to be the cause of a real one. “Sounds delightful,” he replies as he takes the seat she previously occupied.
Offended once again, Gertrude huffs and moves away from him. She chooses her bed for once that is standing in the quiet corner of the shop.
Taggie returns to the table that’s now his and places both in front of him. “Enjoy,” she adds. “My specialty. The roly poly, not the coffee. Although I’d like to believe my coffee is also decent.” She closes her mouth before she can embarrass herself further with more rambling.
“I’m sure both are great,” Rupert politely replies. He will eat it, even if they’re terrible. He certainly does not want to be thrown out into that rain. But he has to admit that it looks good. He picks up the pastry, takes a bite, and a moan escapes him. “This is delightful, darling,” he decides after he swallows. “You made these?”
Taggie nods, her smile real this time, always happy about honest praise. She barely receives it from the people in her life that matter. “It does say my name on the door,” she replies, cheekily.
“I’m afraid I was in no condition to read any signs when I came in. What’s your name?” Rupert asks, picking up the cup to sip the coffee.
“Agatha,” Taggie answered. She doesn’t hate her name but it has never felt like it suited her. “But this is Taggie’s.” She gestures around herself, indicating she means the bakery. “It’s a nickname I prefer.”
Rupert nods. “Taggie it is,” he declares, deciding that he likes it. “I’m Rupert.”
Taggie is surprised that he doesn’t make a big reveal of his identity. Somehow she expected him to boast. Either about his title or his position in the ministry. At the very least his money. He’s a known cad and womanizer and still women fall at his feet. So she decides to keep playing ignorant. Perhaps, he too needs a break from pretending all day. “Pleasure to meet you, Rupert,” she replies.”Quite interesting weather you decided to bring along.”
“That rain did come out of nowhere. Should have brought my umbrella, but alas.” Rupert shrugs, good-naturedly.
“Oh, let me get you a towel!” Taggie exclaims when she realizes that she has been staring at the raindrops still falling from his soaked hair, which was returning to its more natural curly state. Before Rupert can say anything on that matter, she disappears into the private area of her shop to retrieve a towel or two from the bathroom. When she comes back, he is still sitting at the table but with the roly poly finished and coffee in his hands again instead. “Here you go. Those should help a little at least,” she tells him.
“You’re an angel,” Rupert smiles and puts the coffee down to at least dry his hair. “You were right, by the way, your coffee is good too.”
He winks at her and Taggie feels her cheeks turning hot. She chides herself for falling for his charms. She has a boyfriend! “Glad you’re liking it,” she says instead.
Taggie gets back to work then, preparing pastries for the lunch break crowds while she lets Rupert sip his coffee as he dries and waits. She refills his coffee twice and he asks for another roly poly before the rain finally stops.
With the sun back out and himself being mostly dry, he gets up and walks over to the counter. “It was a delight, Taggie. Can’t even be mad about the rain.” Or the rude dog. Rupert slides over a bill that would probably cover half of the pastries in the bakery and Taggie’s eyes go wide.
“For the excellent service, the towels and for dripping all over your floor,” he explains.
“Rupert, that’s too much!” she insists.
“Then consider it payment for future roly polys that I’ll definitely be getting,” he replied, smoothly. “Would that work for you?”
Taggie mulls it over but then nods. This is money she needs and can’t exactly miss out on when Rupert insists. Besides, she feels quite proud about having impressed the Rupert Campbell-Black with her pastries. “Consider any future roly polys paid.”
“Perfect,” he smiles. “So I’ll be seeing you.” When she smiles back, Rupert considers his day made. He is already at the door when he turns back around. “Oh, one more thing? I do appreciate you pretending not to know who I am, Taggie.”
Her smile widens, knowingly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Rupert.” She can still hear him laughing once he’s outside her shop.
~*~*~*~*
Taggie really doesn’t expect him to return, despite his words. And the days pass without Rupert Campbell-Black showing up and she almost forgets about him. He is, however, on the news. Some sporting event outside of London that he has to open and has to stick around for. So, Taggie thinks, he couldn’t have paid her a visit even if he wanted to. She doesn’t like how relieved she feels at the realization.
It’s another few days that pass before she sees his face again. This time the sun is out and he isn’t soaked to the bone. She notices that it’s the same time as before and Taggie wonders if it’s on purpose to come here when it’s quiet.
“Welcome back, Rupert,” she greets him with a smile. “I see you’re back in the city?”
He raises an eyebrow at her. “Heard about my trip outside the city, have you?” he asks, amused.
“It was hard to miss. You were all over the news,” she replies while already preparing a roly poly and coffee for him.
Gertrude barks at him again but this time Rupert comes prepared. Reaching into the pocket of his trousers, Rupert pulls out a handful of dog treats. “Does she have any allergies?” he asks Taggie who shakes her head. He then kneels down and offers the dog the treats. “What’s her name?”
“Gertrude. Daddy named her. Some Shakespeare play. But she’s mine now,” Taggie replies, probably offering more information than Rupert cares for.
Appeased by the offering, Getrude happily snacks away at the treats. “Nice to meet you, Gertrude,” Rupert says, even though he is being entirely ignored now. But he thinks the ice is broken. After he stands back up, Rupert takes the same seat as before and charmingly smiles at Taggie when she brings over the pastry. “You’re a life-saver, Tag. I truly needed a little sugar today.”
“Rough day?” Taggie asks. “It’s barely started.” The morning rush was only just over.
“Oh, you have no idea.” He took a bite from the roly poly and hummed in delight. “This is still incredible, angel. Truly saving my day.” He takes another bite before asking, “Is it always this empty around this time?”
Taggie nods. “Morning rush is done. Students, too, for the most part. And tourists haven’t really found me yet.”
He hums while sipping some coffee. “While I do think everyone in the city needs to try these, I’ll enjoy the peace and quiet.”
“You’re welcome in here any time. You have bought yourself pastries for life after all,” she chuckles. She thinks that Daddy would have a fit if he knew she allowed a Tory in her shop. But what Daddy doesn’t know, can’t hurt him. He never asks about her work anyhow.
“I’m just hoping that they won’t realize where I’m disappearing to after morning meetings,” Rupert laughs and Taggie’s heart skips a few beats.
She doesn’t quite know what to do with that information. Of course he’s handsome. And he’s fit, too. Not that she has paid any attention to his physique, no. But he must be, the way he’s looking. “No one will be hearing it from me, Rupert,” she promises with a smile.
“Perfect. My own little paradise right here,” Rupert grins, then finishes his pastry. “You should really be charging more for these, by the way.”
Taggie blushes. “T-thanks, Rupert. I can’t yet, really. Can’t have my customers running off.”
Rupert turns his head, taking in the pastries she has just filled back up and he smiles, having an idea. “Oh, well, I’ll be taking two boxes full of your own choices for my office. And, since I am a rich asshole, you should charge me double. I won’t be checking the bill.”
Taggie’s eyes widen. “You can’t be serious,” she gasps.
“I assure you, I am. Fill two of your big to-go boxes and charge me double. At least. I would suggest triple but you seem too sweet to do that.” He stands and walks over to the counter while Taggie fills the first box with shaking hands. He takes the first from her, then the second. “What do I owe you, angel?” He smiles at the sum she tells him. He pays it without arguing. He didn’t quite do the math but he thinks she actually charged him triple. “Always a pleasure. I’ll see you soon.” He winks at her and when she blushes again, Rupert feels quite proud of himself.
~*~*~*~*
Rupert drops by more often now. At least several times a week and Taggie gets used to his presence. He never pays for the coffee or roly poly (as agreed) but he always makes sure to order extra boxes to go. Apparently her pastries are a real hit at the office and everyone is mad that Rupert refuses to reveal his source.
He makes Taggie laugh at least once per visit, which is his personal goal. He quite enjoys spending time with her, as brief as it is. It’s not like he has much of an excuse to spend time at the bakery for very long. But they do settle into a bit of a routine, which is broken one day when Rupert enters the shop and hears a sniffle. He doesn’t make much of it at first and he greets Taggie as normal. But her voice breaks as she replies and Rupert frowns. He takes a closer look at her face. Her eyes are red and puffy. Rupert feels ready to go to war against whatever dares to make her sad.
“What’s wrong, angel?” he asks.
Taggie shakes her head. She had hoped that Rupert wouldn’t notice but it appears like nothing quite goes past him. “Nothing.” If only her voice were a little more convincing.
“Well, angel, let me tell you, your baking is incredible. Your lying skills, however? Terrible. An absolute disaster. So tell me what’s made you cry.”
Taggie eyes him skeptically but his concern seems surprisingly genuine. Which alone brings the tears back to her eyes. Rupert just patiently looks at her and she stubbornly wipes a tear away.
“I just… fought with my boyfriend this morning. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring this to work. This is of no c-c-concern to you.” But Rupert surprises her yet again.
“Well, he made you cry. So now it is of concern to me.” He walks up to the counter, grabs the coffee pot and a cup. “Come over to the other side and have a seat, angel. You need one of your own roly polys and some coffee. I’m telling you, they work like magic. And then, if you want, you can tell me about that fight.” She reminds him of a doe when she looks at him like that with her big eyes. “Come on, angel.”
Taggie hesitates for a moment. This is crossing a number of lines and is highly unprofessional. But Rupert already saw her cry and he’s the first to ask her how she’s doing. So she nods, grabs a pastry and joins him on the other side of the counter.
“Atta girl,” he smiles. Placing his palm against her lower back, Rupert guides her over to his table. When she sits opposite him, he pours her a coffee and hands it to her. “Here, angel. Have a few sips,” he encourages her and when she does, he looks quite pleased with himself.
“I appreciate this, Rupert. I do. But you’re my customer. You don’t have to do this,” Taggie tries again but Rupert waves her off.
“You have listened to me complaining to you so many times. I’m more than happy to return the favor. So, what did you fight about with your boyfriend?” He tries not to sound offended at the notion that she has one. Of course she does. She is beautiful and lovely.
“Ralphie doesn’t like how many hours I spend at the bakery,” Taggie sighs.
“Well, you shouldn’t be working yourself too hard. I know I’m here during your quiet moment but it must be stressful being here every day,” Rupert hums even though he wants to yell at that Ralphie. What kind of name was Ralphie even?
Taggie just sighs. If only Ralphie were this concerned. “It's not that, really. It’s just that we don’t get to spend as much time together as we used to,” she reluctantly replies. “I never have the weekends off anymore. I can’t miss out on the money. I get that he feels neglected but… Daddy, he’s got all this debt. Someone has to pay that off. And Mummy isn’t going to do that. That leaves only me. Caitlin is too young, my little sister. And Patrick? He’s too smart and great to squander his studies. So Ralphie just doesn’t understand!” Taggie rambles until she needs to take a breath, then looks utterly horrified at her outburst. “I didn’t mean to say all that, oh god.”
“I won’t pretend I could entirely follow, angel, but that sounded like it needed to get out.” He smiles at her. Taggie thinks it’s kind. “So, I’m quite glad you said it.”
“Still, you must think me stupid,” Taggie says quietly and is surprised yet again when he places his hand on hers briefly to give it a squeeze.
“Not at all. I know a thing or two about working too much. Granted, it’s different. I can’t pretend to know anything about financial struggles so I’ll spare you the effort. I respect you too much for that, angel. But, let me just say, Ralphie is an ass.”
The way he says the last bit, catches her off guard. So much so, that she bursts out into a giggle.
“There. That’s much better,” Rupert smiles. “I’m sure you’re doing what you can for him. But you’re also doing what you must for your family.” When Taggie nods, his face sobers a little more. “But promise me that you will also look after yourself, yes? If you don’t, then I will have to do it.” He tries to keep his tone light.
“Would you?” Taggie asks, despite herself. No one ever looks after her. Not Mummy, not Daddy and lately Ralphie has been nothing but a disappointment too. She longs for someone to have her back even if it’s just gentle words of encouragement. But she should be horrified to be asking that of Rupert Campbell-Black. He must have been joking. Why would a man like him concern himself with her?
“Of course, Tag,” Rupert replies without missing a beat. He has long since succumbed to her charms in a way he has not expected. She isn’t even aware of how charming she is. Or how comforting her mere presence has become every day. It keeps him grounded. “You just tell me what you need.”
Taggie smiles at him. “Honestly? I don’t know… no one ever asked me that but… I’ll think about it?” It helps that he offered. Without even being prompted to.
Rupert grabs a napkin and pulls out a pen from his jacket, writing down a number and adding RCB. “My number, angel. Just give me a call or shoot me a message whenever you need.” There are those doe eyes again. How people could refuse her anything is entirely beyond him.
She takes the napkin and just barely stops herself from clutching it against her chest. “Thank you, Rupert. Truly.” She can’t put into words how much this means. She gathers all her courage and adds, “b-but I’m not sleeping with you.” She knows his reputation well.
Rupert barks a laugh but when he sees her hurt face, he contains himself quickly. “Oh, angel, I know you wouldn’t. You’re much too good for me anyways.”
This is something she hasn’t expected and it stuns Taggie into silence. How does one react to the Minister of Sports telling you that you’re too good for him? It seemed like absolute insanity.
“Anyway, darling, you’ve got my number. You can reach me any time. Just say the word and I’ll do it. I’ll even have Ralphie arrested if you wish,” he jokes and that causes her to crack a smile again.
“That won’t be necessary but thank you,” she replies. She wasn’t even entirely sure if this was a joke. It wouldn’t surprise her if he did have that kind of influence. “It was just a silly fight.”
“But it made you cry,” Rupert points out with a sigh. “Very well though. I won’t have him arrested.” As tempting as that was.
“I do appreciate you wanting to look out for me, more than you know,” Taggie tells him. It helps immensely with her mood. “I’m glad you came by today.”
“I would come every day but meetings and other appointments don’t allow for it, I’m afraid. Speaking of, I need to get back. Wish I could stay for another roly poly but… can’t have Maggie too mad at me.”
Taggie chuckles when he calls the PM a silly nickname that only Rupert could get away with. “I don’t want to keep you from your duties, Minister.”
~*~*~*~*
The next time Rupert wants to visit Tag, he finds her bakery closed. It sinks his heart. Not that Taggie hasn’t earned a day off. She has. She has earned a full vacation even. But he knows that she wouldn’t take one. Not even a single day off. So she’s either too sick to work or something else happened and Rupert doesn’t like the thought of either. She has his number but he doesn’t have hers. She’s never used it. So instead he scribbles a note that reads Hope you’re ok. Give me a call - RCB and slips it under the door. He doesn’t really know what else to do.
The entire day Rupert doesn’t let his phone out of his sight. He doesn’t expect her to call but he hopes she will. If not today, then hopefully tomorrow after finding the note. He has trouble focusing in his meetings, almost snaps at Maggie three times in the span of a few hours but he stops himself just in time. His thoughts drift to Tag more often than he’s willing to admit even to himself. The girl has become a fixture of his days more quickly than Helen when they first started dating. It’s entirely confusing but not unwelcome.
For now, though, he is worried. Taggie doesn’t call that day. She doesn’t call the next morning either. Nor the rest of the day when Rupert cannot make it to the bakery. He only makes it to Taggie’s the day after. First, he feels relief when he sees the shop is open. Then, he cannot help but feel a little hurt that she didn’t contact him. Ignoring that unwelcome feeling, Rupert enters the bakery.
Immediately, he spots Taggie behind the counter. But if she looked sad the other day, now she was downright crushed. “What happened, Tag?” he asks as he walks up to the counter.
Taggie shakes her head. “It’s all my fault,” she blurts. “I should have made more time for him.” She doesn’t even try to keep back her tears.
Rupert doesn’t quite follow. “What do you mean?” he asks, gently.
“Ralphie. H-he left me. For another girl. A-a-and of course he would! I was never there! It’s all my fault!”
Now she sobs and Rupert can’t bear it. So he steps around the counter and wraps his arms around her. “Take a deep breath for me,” Rupert murmurs when he fears she may hyperventilate. “Breathe in,” he instructs while she trembles like a leaf in his arms. He would find that Ralphie and lock him up in his basement. When he finally feels her inhaling, he says, “good. Now breathe out again, angel. Slowly.” She follows his instructions that he keeps repeating until she has calmed down at least a little. “It’s not your fault, angel. If Ralphie doesn’t see that you’re perfect then that’s on him. Not you.” Her face is buried in his pristine shirt as she cries and Rupert holds her. “He doesn’t even deserve you.” She clings tighter to his shirt, and Rupert hopes she believes him. It’s a few minutes later when he thinks Taggie has stopped crying, so he tentatively asks, “why didn’t you call?”
Taggie raises her head to look up at him, her fingers still curled into his shirt. “I-I just… I wasn’t sure what the note said… your handwriting, it’s too… too cursive…”
Rupert admittedly doesn’t have the neatest handwriting but his note had been simple enough. And no one had ever quite managed to make the word cursive sound like an insult. “What do you mean ‘too cursive’?” She looks scared and ashamed all at once and Rupert wishes he could take all her worries away.
“I have trouble reading,” Taggie shyly replies and pulls away from Rupert. “I-I can read, Rupert. I can! But…” she trails off.
It dawns on him. He has a younger cousin with similar troubles. “Dyslexia?” he asks her and she looks taken aback. “I’m familiar, angel. I’ll be more careful next time I leave you a note. Or, which would be preferable, you finally shoot me a text so I have your number.” He adds the last part with a grin in an attempt to make her feel better. “A voice message will also do just fine.”
Taggie can’t quite manage a smile but she is grateful for his attempt anyway. She notices the wrinkles in his shirt and she looks horrified. “Oh, no. I’m so sorry!” she exclaims.
Rupert looks down at himself and shrugs. “Don’t even think about it. Let’s have a seat, okay? Do you want to talk about it?”
She shakes her head but they choose a close by table and sit down nevertheless. Taggie falls silent at first, clearly composing herself as he wipes the tears away. Gertrude trots over and curls up between their feet.
“It only hurts this much right now, right?” Her question is just a whisper and it breaks Rupert’s heart.
“It’ll get better, yes. Just remember to keep breathing. In and out, slowly. And then it’s simply one day at a time,” he replies, a frown on his face. He wishes he could do more for her but you can’t take that pain away.
Taggie sniffles again but nods. “It just doesn’t feel like it’ll be okay again,” she admits. “But you promise it will get better?” She looks at him, wide eyed. “How did you deal with it?”
Everyone knows about his divorce from Helen. So Rupert isn’t shocked when Taggie brings it up. “There was less heartbreak for me, really. This was harder on Helen. The love just wasn’t there anymore. Not for me. Not for her. I wasn’t a great husband. And you shouldn’t ask me how I deal with anything because just look at my life. One scandalous affair after the other. You shouldn’t take me as an example. But, if you want to have some fun? That’s alright too, of course. But don’t do something you will regret.”
“I just spend my time here anyway,” Taggie sighs. There is no time for adventure and things to regret down the line. Maybe once all the debt is paid.
“You love your bakery,” Rupert reminds her with a gentle nudge of his foot against hers under the table.
“I do… but it means the rest of my life is falling apart, it seems,” Taggie sighs. These last few days she has felt like she was drowning in a puddle and yet she can’t get out.
“I don’t know, Tag. If it’s something you love and you get to do it every day? What’s wrong with that? Just be careful you don’t stretch yourself too thin, okay?” he requests again.
“Promise,” she nods, the smallest smile threatening to break out on her face. She still can’t quite believe Rupert Campbell-Black is concerned about her well-being. It seems absurd.
“Good girl,” he smiles.
Her stomach suddenly is in a knot but not unpleasantly so. On the contrary, in fact, and Taggie doesn’t quite understand what to do with that information.
“P-perhaps I could start closing on my slowest day. Have a day just f-for myself.” With all the money Rupert has been spending on the regular it doesn’t quite seem so daunting anymore to allow herself some free time.
“That sounds like a delightful plan, Tag,” Rupert encourages her. “Everyone in the Ministry is absolutely in love with your pastries, by the way. I’m now everyone’s favorite.”
Taggie feels her cheeks flush. “Really?” she asks, tentatively.
“Yes, why do you think I keep buying bigger orders?” he laughed. “We now have people from other floors coming by to get a few of your treats. And since I won’t reveal where I’m getting them, they all play nice with me. Even Maggie.”
Taggie chuckles. “I won’t ever get used to you calling the PM Maggie of all names,” she replies. Taggie doesn’t know it yet but she will get used to it. “But thank you. Your support lately means a lot, Rupert.”
“Glad I can do my part,” Rupert smiles. “You deserve all the praise.” When she smiles at him again, Rupert reaches out to place his hand on hers. “Forget about Ralphie. He doesn’t deserve you. Not for a minute. You deserve someone who always has your back.”
Rupert always has her back, Taggie realizes. Ever since the downpour chased him into her little shop. She’s too scared to voice that thought though. So instead she focuses on trying to believe him. That she does deserve better. That she does deserve love. But at the very least she feels better than she did just an hour ago. She always feels better when Rupert is here, but that he managed it today of all days feels like an incredible accomplishment.
“You almost look like you believe me, Tag,” Rupert teases and is rewarded with another laugh.
“It’s because I almost do,” Taggie whispers and her cheeks flush all over again.
“I’ll keep telling you until you do. Don’t worry about it,” he promises. She worries about too many things as it is.
“Thank you.”
~*~*~*~*
Rupert frowns with his phone pressed up against his ear. She cannot be serious. “Say that again,” he demands.
“We would like to invite you to our wedding, Rupert,” Helen replies over the phone.
So he hadn’t misheard. “Your wedding…”
“Well, Rupert, you don’t have to come but you are the father of my children and I decided to be civil. It seemed like the right thing to do.”
Rupert shakes his head. That does not sound like Helen. Her true reasoning is probably more along the lines of it looking good for the press. And that he was going to be miserable for a few days while she gets to watch it.
“Fine, sure. Yes, I’ll be there.” Perhaps it would allow him to spend some extra time with Tab and Marcus.
“Marvelous. I will email you the flight dates,” Helen replies.
Rupert decides to be a nuisance. If Helen could do this just to spite him, then he could return the favor. “Make it two though. I’ll bring someone.” The pause that follows is satisfying and he smirks to himself.
“No, Rupert. You are not bringing your monthly shag to my wedding in Greece,” Helen huffs.
He is tempted to point out the alternative is him fucking the bride’s maids in Greece but instead he says, “it’s a serious thing. She’s my girlfriend.” A flash of auburn hair appears in front of his inner eye as he says it and the sweet smell of pastries. There’s another pause on the other end. She can’t deny him bringing someone serious.
“Fine. If you’re still with her by the time of my wedding you can bring her. If you break her heart beforehand, don’t bother looking for a replacement,” Helen huffs, then hangs up.
Rupert lowers his phone and sighs. Now all he needs is a girlfriend. But he does already have someone in mind. Taggie is certainly in need of a vacation soon. A vacation she won’t even have to pay for.
Unlocking the screen of his phone, he opens his messages app and hits the record button. “Hello, angel, how would you feel about going to a wedding with me?”
He sees her coming online, watches as she listens to the short message. Then his phone rings. Smiling, he picks up.
“So?”
“A wedding?” Taggie asks, bewildered.
“Yes, angel. My ex-wife is getting married again and decided it would be fun to have me suffer alone in Greece. So, perhaps, I made up a girlfriend I wanted to bring.” It doesn’t show in his voice but Rupert is nervous.
“In Greece? Wait… wait, you want me to be your pretend girlfriend?” Taggie asks, her eyes wide. Rupert could be asking anyone. Some rich high society women, hell, even politicians or other famous people. “If you want to make her jealous, Rupert, there’s so many more impressive options over me.”
Rupert frowns and huffs. “I don’t need her jealous. Just a little bit grumpy that I’m happy, too. And I thought, well, whom would I be having a good time with? So that’s where you come into play.” He imagines her frowning and mulling over his words.
“I can’t close the bakery for that long,” Taggie protests.
“Yes, you can. I’ll be telling everyone where I’m getting my special treats for them all. You will be acquiring so many more customers. I’ll also keep buying, of course. Have got to keep in everyone’s good graces, after all. You can close for a few days, I promise. You need a break, too.”
It was hard to argue with all of that, really. “I can’t afford to go to Greece, Rupert…”
“Nonesense. I could lie and say that I’m covering your flight and hotel, which I would, naturally. But no, Helen is paying everything. You just need to show up. And hang around on my arm here and there,” Rupert smiles into his phone. “Please?” He hears a sigh.
“Okay, fine. Fine, yes. I’ll go to Greece with you and pretend to be your girlfriend,” she gives in. This is a terrible idea. But Greece sounds lovely. And so does spending time with Rupert outside of her little shop. Plus, getting away from her parents for a little while sounds like a dream. She just can’t tell Daddy with whom she’s going away. Nor can she mention it to her mother. That would end in absolute disaster.
Relief floods him and he smiles. “Thank you, Tag. You’re a life saver.”
“I’m still not sleeping with you, Rupert, just so we are perfectly clear,” Taggie adds, mostly as a joke. Rupert has never made any inappropriate advances with her. She wonders sometimes why that is, when the press brands him as this good for nothing womanizer.
He barks a laugh into his phone. “Very well, angel. That won’t be part of this arrangement, I promise. I’ll text you the details so you can plan our little trip.” They say their goodbyes and Rupert ends the call. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. Hopefully this wasn’t going to bite him in the arse. Spending a long weekend in close proximity to Taggie, what could go wrong?
~*~*~*~*