Prince of Ruin

Chapter Twenty-Four: Theodore

An hour into my first day, I knew this was going to be the job for me. The work was more interesting than my last job, it was more challenging, and it incorporated things that I had enjoyed reading about before. It was about history and protocol and quite frankly, being nosy. Which was exactly what I wanted out of a job.

Because Coco still met with her brother for lunch every day, I ended up going to lunch with Blaise. He wanted to take me to a nearby Steakhouse that was actually on the muggle side of town.

We headed over that way, getting seated fairly quickly.

"Lunch is on me," Blaise commented.

"There's no need-"

"It's a celebration, Nott. You are one step closer to getting out from under your father's control. Now if only we could get Alistair and Broderick to do the same."

"They will in their own time." I hoped they would anyway. "Also- Soon enough, it won't be Nott," I explained the Selwyn-Nott thing and waited, half expecting him to take the piss out of me.

"That makes sense." He admitted.

"I thought so." I nodded. "It will be nice for us to be able to start our own legacy."

The waiter came and took our orders, and we waited until he had walked away before continuing.

"Perhaps we will have a proper housewarming party when we move in." We still hadn't gotten the yes on the house but I could feel in my gut that we had this house, it was meant to be ours.

"One with just us and our friends or one with... everyone?"

"With the Fawleys you mean."

"I didn't say that," Blaise argued, giving me an annoyed look. I simply grinned back.

"You didn't have to. Every time they've come up either in conversation or in person, you freak out."

"I have never in my life 'freaked out' Nott... Selwyn-Nott... huh, guess we'll have to start calling you by your first name."

"You will." I agreed. "You'll get used to it," I promised. Blaise nodded and when the waiter came back with our food, I picked up my fork and knife. "Wait is that- Reid?"

Blaise nearly knocked his chair over turning to check. When he realized I was absolutely making fun of him, he looked ready to throw his drink- or steak knife- at me.

"That's not funny." He snapped as I laughed.

"It really was though."

"Your wife is rubbing off on you in a bad way- a very bad way."

"That one was all me and you know it," I argued. Blaise grumbled and started to cut into his steak. "Come on, tell me, what's so terrible about the Fawleys? I know when they left it sucked but- I thought everyone was on pretty okay terms."

"It's not- The Fawleys. At least not all of them."

"What do you mean not all of them?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow. Blaise sighed and glanced around as if someone we knew would pop up out of nowhere. We were in a muggle restaurant, chances of that happening were slim.

"I've been avoiding Reid."

"Why? You guys seemed to get along fine before they moved."

Blaise muttered something under his breath, something I couldn't really make out. I leaned in a little closer.

"Sorry, what?"

"I slept with her." I jerked back straight and nearly knocked my glass of water over.