My eyes flicker over to her. “It is actually. You are allowed to see people.”
“You don’t understand.” She rolls her eyes.
“Then why don’t you help me to.”
“Don’t get snappy with me. You think I like this drama?”
“All I’m saying is that you are an adult, and you’re doing nothing wrong. If they can’t be happy with our relationship than it’s too bad for them.”
She folds her arms over her chest.
“Am I right?” I snap as my eyes flick between the road and her.
She stays silent.
“You tell me right fucking now, Charlotte. What are you going to do when they find out?”
She shrugs.
“I’m waiting.”
“I don’t know how to handle them.” She gets teary and shakes her head. “It’s overbearing, Spence, and I hate that they’re going to judge you without even knowing you.”
I screw up my face in disgust. “I don’t give a fuck whether they judge me or not. But they will not judge you. I won’t have it.”
She stares at me blankly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you’re an adult, and if they try to stop me from seeing you—”
“Which they will,” she interrupts.
“What are you going to do about it?”
She shrugs, her face sad.
It’s obvious that this is too much for her to take on by herself.
“I’ll take care of it,” I tell her.
“Meaning what?” She frowns.
“I’ll take care of Edward and your father for you.”
She huffs. “You haven’t met them, Spencer. They don’t get taken care of.”
I glance over at her. “It’s taken me thirty-seven years to find you, Charlotte. I won’t be forced out of your life by your family.”
“I don’t want you to be.” She softens and reaches over to raise and kiss my hand. “They’ll push you away, though. I know they will. They’ll make it so difficult for you that you’ll eventually leave.” Her voice cracks on the last word.
I pull the car over to the side of the road and turn to her. “Angel…” I smile softly and cup her face in my hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Her eyes search mine. “Promise me that they won’t come between us.”
“I’m the one asking you to promise me that.”
“What do you mean?” She frowns, confused.
“We’ll go to Nottingham together and tell them you are moving to London. Then you’ll leave with me, with or without their permission.”