Garden of May — Chapter 27

IT SEEMS THE LADY IS IN A PREDICAMENT.

SHALL I HELP?

RIVER...

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

AH...!

L-LET'S GO

SOMEPLACE QUIETER FIRST.

EVERYONE'S STARING AT US.

I KNOW.

BUT—

DOES IT MATTER?

WHAT A WASTE.

SPREADING SCANDALOUS RUMORS WITH A MAN IS WHAT YOU WANTED, ISN’T IT?

WHAT’S THE POINT IN HIDING LIKE THIS?

STILL...

IT’S NICE SEEING YOU HERE.

WERE YOU INVITED, LIKE THE OTHER NAVAL OFFICERS?

FOR SOMEONE WHO’S SUPPOSEDLY GLAD TO SEE ME,

YOU DON’T LOOK VERY HAPPY.

IT’S NOT BECAUSE—

OF YOU...

IT'S JUST THAT SOMEONE OF A HEADACHE HAS COME UP.

A HEADACHE?

I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I'M MORE CERTAIN ABOUT IT.

ANYWAY, RIVER.

FROM NOW ON, WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE AROUND,

LET'S NOT ACT LIKE WE KNOW EACH OTHER.

AT LEAST NOT UNTIL WE'RE OFF THIS SHIP.

HAH...

WHY?

BECAUSE—

ARE YOU TOO BUSY STARTING SCANDALS WITH OTHER MEN?

THAT WAS OUR AGREEMENT FROM THE START.

I SAID I’D MAKE SURE THE NAME RIVER ROSS WOULDN’T BE INVOLVED.

THINGS GOT A LITTLE RISKY IN THE HALLWAY, BUT

I DOUBT ANYONE WILL REMEMBER YOUR FACE.

SO, FROM NOW ON—

VANESSA.

ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN OFF AND MEET OTHER MEN

WITH YOUR LOVER STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU?

THAT MAKES ME SOUND LIKE A TERRIBLE PERSON.

YOU TOLD ME TO TREAT YOU LIKE A LOVER.

OR AM I MISTAKEN?

THIS IS ALL TO UPHOLD MY END OF THE CONTRACT WITH YOU.

I DIDN’T REALIZE YOU TOOK OUR CONTRACT SO SERIOUSLY.

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN FAITHFUL TO THE TERMS OF OUR AGREEMENT.

FAITHFUL, HMM?

IN THAT CASE,

VANESSA,

KISS ME NOW.

......

RIVER...

ARE YOU ANGRY?

ANGRY?

WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT?

BECAUSE

YOU—

YOU KEEP LOOKING AT ME WITH THOSE EYES.

AS IF YOU...

ACTUALLY LOVE ME.

HA.

SO YOU THINK I'M ANGRY BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU?

LOVE?

YES, IF I'M ANGRY, THAT MUST BE IT.

NOT THE SCANDAL THAT'S STARTED TO FOLLOW YOU AROUND WITH LOGAN DAWSON,

OR HOW YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAR YOUR UNCLE'S REACH EXTENDS,

OR HOW YOU KEPT POKING AROUND THAT WILL RIGHT UP UNTIL YOU GOT HERE.

NO, I'M ANGRY AT THAT NAIVETE.

LIKE A NEWBORN FOAL...

AT YOUR WEAKNESS, SO FRAGILE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO BARE YOUR CLAWS.

IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL LOVE?!

NO.

I'M SORRY IF THAT'S HOW IT SEEMED.

I JUST

WANT YOU RIGHT NOW, VANESSA.