Chapter twenty-three: Unthinkable
"It's a charming little neighborhood." Thomas snorts at Kate's statement. "It's not London, but it's charming in its own way. I like it."
"Well, it's a sight better looking, with you decorating its streets." Thomas stops the car. "Won't be a minute. Want to check on Monahan."
She nods and hops out. "I'll come too." He smirks as she comes around the car, tucking the waist of her blouse back inside her skirt. "Stop that."
"Stop what?" he attempts to keep a straight face, but he suspects he is failing miserably.
"Thomas, I can hear your thoughts a mile away." Kate states as she takes his hand, walking inside the stable.
"Then tell me, what I'm thinking."
She blinks, contemplating being silent and ignoring his question. However, she decides to surprise him and be bold. "You're thinking about how I don't need to bother righting my clothes because no one is going to see whatever it is you're planning to do to me as soon as we're inside that barn."
That surprises him and for a good few seconds, Thomas Shelby is stunned. He clears his throat before stating. "Everyone…already knows; not because of your clothes, but because of the way I look at you."
Kate chuckles as she reaches Monahan's stall. "Ah, Mr. Shelby. You're quite the charmer."
"And you," he says as he kisses her neck. "are a tiger."
She turns slightly towards him. "Tiger? I am anything but that."
'Oh, but trust me, luv," she smiles as he leans forward to kiss her. "you are just that." she lets out a slight growl in the back of her throat as his lips closed over hers.
"Tommy?"
She moans as Finn comes around the corner. Thomas instantly uses his body to press her against the stall, bending her backwards slightly so she is forced to grab onto him. She whimpers in surprise as he deepens the kiss. She instantly realizes that he's deliberately making things clear to Finn.
After a moment, he breaks the kiss with a satisfied smirk. She arches her brow slightly at him as she shakes her head. "Right." He takes her arm and turns towards Finn, who looks crushed. "How have things been, Finn?"
Finn is silent for a moment before stammering. "Fine."
"Poll here or at her place?" Thomas is way too cavalier about this whole thing.
"Betting house."
He nods. "Right. Shall we Kate?"
"Yes." As soon as they're out of hearing distance, she whispers. "You just broke his heart. And he's your brother."
"You're too old for him." he smirks at her. "Besides, he'd have found out when we walk down the aisle together."
Kate says nothing, but she smiles at him. Probably, because for the first time, she can see that actually happening. Another thing she hadn't realized until she tried it. She couldn't envision Emmett standing at the altar, waiting for her.
She could only saw Thomas.
"Poll?" Thomas called. "Where are you?"
"Here" She calls back, heading towards them. "What's been keeping you busy?"
"Not what." He glances pointedly down at her. "Who."
She rolls her eyes and smacks his shoulder as Polly comes around the corner. Her eyes widen in surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought the wedding was this week!"
Kat nods. "Yes, it was, but…I need to talk to you."
Polly glances at Thomas and glowers at him. "I bet you do. Come on," she gestures towards him. "let's go have a talk between us women."
Kate smiles. "Yes." She turns towards Thomas. "I guess, I'll see you later."
He nods. "I'll be in my office, if you need me."
"What time do you need to be back home?" Polly inquires. "The wedding is this week."
Kate sighs before admitting, "I got into a fight with my parents and Emmett. I don't want to go back to them just yet."
"Well, you can't stay here." Polly states.
"Poll." Thomas says, his tone suggesting Polly that he wants her to stay here.
"I'm sorry Kate, as much as I love having you here, you need to go mend things with them. Hiding here with you won't solve anything, especially the wedding, I'm sure hundreds of people have received invitations."
"If they're needed." Kate says softly.
"What do you mean if they're needed?" The smile slowly starts to come off of Polly's face. "Are you not going to show up at the wedding?"
Kate bites her lip before exhaling. "Can we sit down? I really need to talk to you."
Polly nods, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Yes." She can feel Thomas's eyes on her back as they enter the kitchen. "Call her father, make sure he knows where she is." Thomas grumbles, but does as Polly orders. She smiles at his retreating figure. "So, what's on your mind? I've never met a calmer bride in my life than you." Polly sits down opposite her. "A calm bride, is never a good sign if you ask me."
"And you'd be right because," Kate inhales as she reaches for the ring on her finger. "I won't be a bride." Polly's eyes widen as Kate twists the ring off her finger and sets it on the table in front of Polly. "I decided this morning to call the wedding off."
Polly is stunned. So stunned she drops the cigarette into her cup of tea. Well, it's not completely tea, because it catches fire for a second. "Why? What happened?"
Kate's silent for a moment before admitting. "You had your suspicions Polly, when I visited you the last time." Polly frowns, not understanding. "At least…you suspected Thomas has feelings for me." Polly stares at her in silence, holding her breath as if she knows what's coming. "Thomas, declared his feelings clear for me the night of your birthday. And," Kate's heart is pounding so hard in her chest she wonders if Polly can hear it. "I wasn't sure of my feelings for him until he came back after spending two weeks down here with all of you. And, I wasn't expecting this, it just happened."
Polly shakes her head. "No. This is just wedding nerves. You cannot seriously consider breaking off your wedding now! It's in a few days! You said Winston Churchill is attending the reception!"
"I don't love Emmett enough."
"Do you love Thomas?" Polly asks her pointedly. "I love my nephew, but you can't be in love with someone like him!"
"I am." Kate pauses for a second before nodding her head. "Yes. I do." A sort of light breaks around her as she nods and wipes an eye. "I do."
"Kate, you need to be sure." Polly grips her hand firmly. "You were going to marry a man after knowing him for 6 years, you can't seriously be considering getting involved with my nephew who you haven't even known for sixteen days."
"Eighteen, actually, including today."
Polly shoots her a look. "That doesn't help your case. It only serves to prove my point that you two don't know each other that well."
"I agree, we don't know each other as well as we can know each other in the future. But," she shakes her head with a smile on her face. "he knows me better than anyone I've ever met. I don't have to compromise who I am with him. He loves me, exactly the way I am. I know it seems like a short time, but in that time, he's earned the right to have my love and me."
"But what about Emmett?"
"I thought, I loved Emmett, I did, but that wasn't love. I was settling for him, he is a good man and he is offering me a good life, but, it wouldn't have been the right life."
"And you think," Polly's tone is softer now. "that Thomas is the right man?"
She nods. "Yes. I can't believe that, I'm so lucky that I met him before I married Emmett because," she exhales. "I know…that this is something so special that, I will never feel it with anyone else. I never…thought anyone would love me the way he does. I love the way he makes me feel; cherished, safe, treasured and beautiful. I also like the person he brings out of me. He sees…a side of me that I haven't seen in years. I didn't plan to fall in love with him, but I did. And…a part of me knows that he is the man that I will spend my life with."
"Has he proposed yet?"
"No."
"Good." Polly glances at the ring and hands it back to her. "You need to put this back on." Kate stares at her for a moment. "Because as soon as you return it to Emmett…Thomas is going to want to put his ring on that finger so fast," Kate lets out a shaky laugh as she wipes a tear from her eye. "that, you won't know what hit you."
Kate exhales. "You approve?"
"Of course I do." Polly states. "I can't think of another woman who can handle him and put up with all his stupid nonsense and still love him."
"I'm not… going to rush the wedding. I'm going to try to hold off for six months."
"Ten to one, Tommy has you marching down the aisle in two." Polly shakes her head. "I can't believe this."
"Neither can I." she sniffles. "I wasn't planning on falling in love with him, I didn't know that…such a thing was possible. Now, it's unthinkable for me to even imagine myself with anyone else but him. To feel this way about anyone, it's almost frightening."
"That could just be Tommy." Polly states calmly, causing her to smile. "What do your parents have to say about this?"
"I haven't told them yet. Or Emmett for that matter." She exhales. "I don't like hurting people, but…I can't marry Emmett when I feel so strongly about Thomas just to save my family's face."
Polly nods. "I agree. I'm going to suggest that you and Thomas hold off getting too close to each other. Because, while that ring is on your finger, you're Emmett's girl, regardless of how your heart has changed. You've been with him for six years, you owe him that much at least."
"Yes." She nods in agreement. "I have to agree, but…telling Thomas no, is a different matter."
"He's not pressuring you to have sex with him, is he?" Polly inquires as Kate blushes. "He is, isn't?"
Kate shakes her head. "Quite…the opposite actually."
Polly snorts. "I know my nephew."
"As a matter of fact…last night I told him he could have me." Polly looks as if she's going to kill Thomas when he walks in the door. "He said that I deserved better because he loves me. Nothing happened, he just held me."
"Will wonders never cease?" Polly looks slightly shook now. "He's never told anyone he loves them. At least, that I've ever heard." she smiles. "You'll love him well, won't you?"
Kate nods. "I promise. I haven't told him that yet."
"Good. Don't tell him until that ring is gone and all your obligations are ended. Because once you do, Thomas isn't going to let you out of his sight. Tell them soon, because they deserve to know the truth. No one likes a cheat or thief."
She frowns. "Thief?"
"Thomas just stole you away from your groom just a few days from your wedding." Polly shoots someone, most likely Thomas a glower. "Did you?"
Thomas shrugs and places a hand on Kate's shoulder. "I don't take anything that doesn't belong to me."
Kate rolls her eyes. "I'm not yours yet, Thomas Shelby."
"You will be."
She smiles. "What did my father say?"
"He said he figured that's what happened. If you're feeling up to returning, he says there's company for dinner."
Kate nods. "That's right, I forgot. It's an American banker, an old friend of father's from his mining days. Clive MacMillian."
Thehoodedassasin: He's being very patient with Kate for now. I can imagine all of us are going to be waiting for Emmett to find out soon.
Codapia: And thank you for reviewing. Some fandoms, aren't as encouraging as Peaky Blinders. I was working on a Sherlock story, but stopped partway because I got so discouraged. I had uploaded 20 chapters and only 9 people left reviews, even though I had 45 favorites and 60 people following the story!
Idcam: Polly certainly is encouraging her. Now...Kate and Thomas just have to get through that dinner together.