Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
ALICE
“You know, you could have paid someone to do this,” Cash grumbles to Declan.
“And miss your whining? Never.”
“I am not paying people to help me move,” I tell him as he passes over another box. “Not when it’s something I can do on my own.”
“Moving sucks,” Declan whines. “I could have hired someone and gotten this done in a few hours for you.”
I grab the box from him and pin him with a fierce stare. “They don’t treat your belongings like they’re your own. I don’t want anything to break.”
Walking into the open floor plan, boxes are strewn all over the floor. A few pots and pans are already out of the box but not in their new home.
“Please be careful with that one.” I hurry over and grab the flower vase that is falling out of the box. It must have gotten jostled on the ride over.
“Sorry, Alice,” Cash tells me. “Where do you want this box?”
I look around the living room. We’re almost done unpacking my car and Declan’s with the things I needed most from my place.
I hold the pink vase with red hearts painted on it to my chest. It’s my favorite and I don’t want anything happening to it. “Umm, that one can go into the guest bedroom.”
“Got it.”
“How do you have this much stuff?” Declan groans, dropping one last box in the entryway.
“You realize how little I actually brought, right?”
I decided to pack the essentials. Since this marriage is supposed to be temporary, I didn’t think I’d need to bring everything right away. Winter clothes? What’s the point when we’re in the middle of summer? I can get those later.
Declan looks around the house as Troy’s wife, Angie, takes another box into the guest room. “Why is everything going in here?”
I roll my eyes. “Because Declan hasn’t made space yet. As long as we get it inside today, I can work on this tomorrow.”
She shrugs a shoulder and walks away.
“Really? That’s what you’re going with?” Declan asks.
“I thought it would be good to have an excuse ready. Besides, it’s not like you’ve done anything.”
“Because you’re staying there and I didn’t think I had to.”
I shrug, dropping my forehead to his chest. “I feel like this is going to be a lot harder than we thought.”
Declan rests his hands on my hips and I do my best to ignore the warmth it infuses inside of me. We posted yesterday about the two of us.
Every comment so far has been nothing but supportive. It was overwhelming, actually, to see just how invested people were.
Of course he got an earful from his mother that she wasn’t invited to the wedding when he called her. We decided to tell my parents in person at dinner in a few days.
Would it have been easier on the phone? Probably. But the lecture I would receive isn’t one I want to deal with.
“It’s going to be fine. It’s day one. You’re allowed to have a learning curve.”
I look up at him. At his blue eyes that I know better than my own. “Yeah?”
“Of course, Froggie. Would I ever lie to you?”
I give him a smile. “No.”
“Look how cute they are.”
I startle, hitting the corner of my foot on an errant box and nearly toppling over if it weren’t for Declan’s strong hands.
Piper and Angie are across the room, hands clasped under their chins with hearts in their eyes as they look at the two of us. “I really don’t know how you two managed to keep this under wraps for so long,” Angie says.
“You two are in perfect sync. Like you were made for each other,” Piper agrees. “You know, we should really get out of your hair. Let you break in the new house.”
“What? No.”
The blush that heats my cheeks likely makes me look like a tomato. “We said we’d get you pizza for helping.”
Piper grabs Cash by the T-shirt and drags him out of the house. “We can get our own pizza.”
“Yeah, you guys have fun.” Angie winks at me as she pushes Troy out of the house.
“You really don’t have to leave!” Declan calls out after them.
Car doors slam and it’s no use. They’re gone. Declan closes the door and surveys the damage done.
“Do you want to finish this tonight or wait until tomorrow?”
I cross my arms, giving him a duh look. “You know the answer to that.”
“Ugh. I was hoping we could wait until tomorrow.”
I shake my head. “You order the pizza and I will get started in my room while you knock out the boxes in here.”
Now that everyone is gone, it’s easier to make progress in here. Even if I didn’t pack a lot, there are still things I wanted to bring.
Oversized prints of flowers to hang on the wall.
Framed pictures of me and Declan over the years.
A few books that I keep meaning to read but haven’t gotten around to.
Pillows that I love and can’t live without.
I easily put away all of my clothes in the dresser and take the laundry basket into the walk-in closet. Even though this is the guest room, it could still fit my entire studio.
I have never needed much space, but Declan has it in spades.
My room overlooks the backyard. A row of trees hides it from the houses beyond. A hot tub sits on one end of the flagstone patio and a barbecue is on the other.
“Kitchen’s done. Want me to help in here?” Declan asks, walking into the room and throwing himself on the bed.
“Sure.” I’ve made good progress, but there are a few miscellaneous boxes still to go. Shoes, knickknacks, makeup…things like that.
He takes the small box with my makeup and skincare products into the bathroom and starts putting them away. Not without comment, as he asks why I need so many things when I never wear that much to start with.
“No judgment,” I call out to him. “I don’t judge you for your jersey collection.”
“Hey.” He peeks his head out. “Those are collector items.”
I point a picture frame at him before I set it on the dresser. One of the two of us at his first NHL game. “And what if I need that stuff? Leave it alone.”
“Fine. I’ll start on your shoes then.”
“Thank you.” I smile at him and finish unpacking my linens. Not that I’ll need them because Declan has a fully furnished house, but I can’t be without my blanket. Considering I’m always cold and Declan runs hot, I’m going to need it here.
“Umm, Froggie?” Declan’s head pops out from the box he’s unpacking. From the writing on the side, a box of shoes. “What’s this?”
“Oh my God!” I fly across the bed and tackle him to get it out of his hand. “Close your eyes. You’re not supposed to see that!”
My vibrator.
Not knowing what to do with it, I stuff it under the back of my shirt.
“Why is it in a box of shoes?”
The better question is who in the hell packed this box? I don’t remember seeing it, but that was hours ago.
“Can we pretend like this never happened?”
Declan’s face is a deep red, probably redder than mine. His eyes are still wide as he at the shoes that are now haphazardly spread across the floor.
“Is it safe to continue unpacking?”
I shake my head. “Go check on the pizza. I can finish in here.”
There is no way in hell I am going to let Declan near another box. I want to wipe this day from my memory.
Him coming across my vibrator and looking at it like it has three heads? As if things weren’t awkward enough that I’m now married to my best friend, he has to find my vibrator?
How do I face him after that?
Kill me now.