It wasn’t that he was angry at Rory for calling him out on things that he already knew. He was angry because Rory seemed to be refusing to admit any wrongdoing in the whole situation. Eisen had admitted his mistakes. Maybe he shouldn’t have rushed things, but it wasn’t like he was in control of his emotions at the time. Perhaps an excuse, but a viable one. Sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, he tried to think of exactly what he was expected to say in response to this. His brain cycled through so many emotions over the course of a very limited time that he was a little bit frazzled.
“I didn’t go in there with this big elaborate plan to kiss her and steal her away, Rory. You know me better than that,” he started, ignoring the plate of food and setting it on the table in front of him, appetite suddenly lost. “It just happened. Circumstances beyond my control and all that…” he didn’t feel like he owed any more explanation than that, and he wasn’t going to tell Rory about Lexie’s power, either. That wasn’t his information to give.
“Listen, I’ll admit – again – that I handled it wrong, okay? And like I’ve said a thousand times, I know you were in a rough spot. But it appears that it’s worked out for the better for everyone involved, so why should we agonize ourselves over it?” It was beginning to get tiresome, being made to feel like he was the only one in the situation who had made a mistake. At least now Rory had admitted to having been wrong for encouraging both of them. And could people honestly have thought it would have been better if he’d waited until Ed and Lexie were actually seriously dating? If it had happened the same way then? No, it would have been worse. Much worse. So, he was done feeling guilty; done feeling like the only one here who had messed up.