He’s made a career out of well-articulated opinions and countermeasures. No one balances fact, emotion, and ego as well as Frederick Wakefield. It’s what puts him at the top of the legal field, and crosses the cultural borders so wonderfully. But for all his points and measures… He’s never met a match, like Rosette. Yes, his opponents would argue his case. But Rosette knew him to his bones. She undressed his ego and arrogance, speaking right to the soul of the wayward man in front of her. It was humbling, and Fred’s Adam’s apple bobs underneath the scrutiny of Rose’s eyes. She’s right about all of it. The selfishness of the action. The insensitivity of the timing. Even the very real man, behind the title fiance.
This wasn’t some romantic comedy, where the mediocre best friend gets the girl simply because he speaks his mind. He and Rose are flesh and bone, as are the very real things between them.
“Because I wasn’t sure, then!” Fred exclaims, dark eyes throbbing with desperation. “I didn’t think I could do this. Be good enough for you. Be present enough. I didn’t know if I could love you right.” Rosette could hate him forever, and he wouldn’t blame her. But if their friendship is on the cusp of going up in flames, then he at least owed it to her to be honest. “I know that.” He whispers, voice lowered at her admonishment. His shoulders slump, guilt building in his chest. “I know that he’s good. I know that he loves you.” it’s simple, in that sense. Any man that would love her, had to be a good man. “And this is… This could be the worst thing I’ve ever done.” Fred clears his throat, a vain attempt to keep the hurt and self-frustration at bay. “And I’m sorry, Rose. I’m sorry it took me so long to catch up.” His eyes flick upwards, desperate now for her to put an end to this tether. “Tell me you don’t love me, and I’ll walk away and leave you be.”
if rose couldn't imagine hurting her fiance, the same was equally true for the man she loved. she could feel the hurt fred was feeling in the moment, and it was breaking her heart to be the cause behind it. the desperate look in his eyes made her want to admit to returning the feeling instantly. but she couldn't, the the weight of the engagement ring sitting on her finger reminded her. she looked away from his face, "we can't be having this conversation." even if she couldn't confirm she returned his feelings, she knew she would never get away with lying to the person who knew her and all her tells so well. she decided to instead bury the subject instead. it was taking every ounce of self control in her to stand her ground, "what good would this do when i told you i could never be the person who left him at the altar?"
don't look at him, don't look at him, a voice in her head kept telling her because she knew if she saw his expression, saw love in his eyes, love for her, her resolve would break. she started ranting as she paced, "all my life i've been the reckless one, chasing after whatever i thought would make me happy and alleviate my loneliness with little regard for anything else and this is supposed to be me changing, becoming more mature and a grown up, finally... and you walk in here --" her eyes ultimately rebelled against her resolve and found his. her feet had carried her right to him, unconsciously. "-- and you're not helping." she declared jabbing an accusatory finger at his chest. she hadn't done much exercise but as she stood looking up at fred she found herself inexplicably worked up. and her gaze wandering down from his eyes to his lips. "fils de pute." she suddenly found herself in cursing in her mother tongue under her breath.