Chapter 53 - Derrick
DERRICK
After a swim and then a nap, I am dressed and ready to head to this luau.
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a luau before, so this is exciting.
I decide on the long walk up to the pavilion, watching the sunset over the ocean, and the peace and tranquility are easing my restless mind.
Chance messaged me when he arrived and I told him I’d see him at dinner.
I wasn’t ready to face him yet, still trying to compartmentalize what he is to me in my mind.
“Derrick!” Parker calls out. He’s seated with his brothers and two other people who have their backs toward me. Jackson’s eyes widen to something like panic as he sees me, which alerts the giant male and the tiny girl standing in front of him to turn around.
I still.
Of fuck.
It’s Charlie.
What the hell is he doing here? He’s friends with the family, obviously. But why didn’t Jackson tell me that he was going to be here? Does it matter? It’s not like you two were anything, plus he blocked you. That was true. Fuck him!
“Hey, Parker.” I smile, walking up and hugging him.
“I’m so happy to see you. Long time. Man, you have been everywhere at the moment, killing it with your looks,” he says excitedly.
“Thanks. I try. It’s always nice working with such willing canvases.”
“One of these days, we are going to have to work together.”
“Where’s my hug?” Hudson pouts, pulling me away from his younger brother.
“Have you been working out, Huddy?” I give him a hug and some bum squishes.
“There’s nothing else to do in the middle of the desert.” He smirks. The man is so hot, he’s like a real-life GI Joe if he were blond. The genes in the Connolly family are good, they are all extremely handsome men.
“Well, the desert looks good on you.” I smirk, sending a wink his way.
“You always have the kindest words for me, unlike these assholes.” Hudson glares at the group.
“I call it like I see it,” I say, ignoring Charlie and his lady friend.
“Hey, D, have you met Jackson’s buddy Charlie? I think you two would really hit it off, and this is his sister, Everly.” Hudson smirks, wiggling his eyebrows at me, which is very disconcerting. Jackson swallows hard, wondering how I’m going to play this.
I turn to Charlie and pretend that I’m meeting him for the first time. “Aloha!” I smile, holding my hand out to them, trying not to be awkward. Charlie looks at me as if I’m mad and doesn’t shake my hand, while Everly throws a concerned look at her brother and takes my outstretched hand.
“It is stunning here,” she answers, sounding panicked.
“Well, enjoy your night, team. I have things to do, I’ll see you around.” I turn on my heel and walk away as quickly as possible.
“What the fuck, Charlie?” I hear Jackson questioning his friend.
“I froze.” That's all I hear Charlie say as the words turn to mumbles.
I’m panicking as I walk into the pavilion, everyone is here except Isla and Finn. I walk over and grab a glass of champagne off the waiter’s tray and throw it back.
“Are you okay?” Sienna asks.
“I’m fine.” My voice sounds like it’s gone up by a couple of octaves as I swipe another glass. Sienna raises a brow at me, but Levi starts fussing in her arms, distracting her from whatever it is she is about to say.
“Derrick!” I still, hearing Chance call my name. I suck in a deep breath trying to calm myself.
“Hey.” I whirl around and give him a wide smile. “You made it. How gorgeous is this place?” I ramble.
Chance frowns at me, but a waiter walks by offering him a glass of champagne, and he takes it.
“It is gorgeous.” Then he leans in and whispers into my ear, “Not as gorgeous as you,” leaving his smoky aftershave swirling around me.
When I look over his shoulder, I see Charlie glaring at me as he enters the pavilion with Jackson. Actually, he’s glaring at Chance.
Fuck him.
And fuck Chance, too.
“Let’s catch up later. I have to help Ness with the twins,” I say, patting his hard chest.
“Okay.” Chance smiles happily, not noticing the tension surrounding me.
Why is Charlie being here freaking me out? How dare he come here and send stony glares at me and my fuck buddy from across the room when he blocked me. I grab another glass of champagne from the waiter and sip on it.
Fuck him.
“How are my gorgeous girls?” I coo, catching up with Christian and Vanessa. The twins squeal when they see me, their pudgy little arms reaching out for me as I kiss their cheeks.
Christian laughs. “Looks like they want Uncle Derrick cuddles.”
“Give me the babies.” I put my drink down and they load me up with a twin on each hip.
As soon as they are in my arms, I get raspberries on my face, which has Vanessa and Christian bursting out laughing while I’m covered in slobber.
“You girls are getting so big now.” It’s a workout holding them both.
“Who needs the gym, right?” Nessa chuckles.
“Me. Because I don’t think I’m strong enough to carry them both.” I groan as I swing them around, making them giggle. “Did you girls behave for Mummy and Daddy today? Did you have a nap?”
“That’s why they are full of beans now, they had a sleep so they will be a nightmare tonight when I try to get them to bed.” Vanessa sighs.
“Uncle Derrick will tire them out for you.” I chuckle as I start clopping around like I’m a horse.
“They are coming in ten,” Camryn calls out to us, making me stop jumping around. She hands Vanessa some flower wreaths for the girls’ heads as Christian takes the girls off me. “Here, D, you missed getting a lei.”
“Girl, I’m always getting laid,” I tease her, making her scoff as she hands me the flowers, which I place around my neck.
Once everyone has been lei’d, the Hawaiian music changes to wedding music, and moments later, Isla and Finn walk into the event.
“The happy couple is here,” Christian calls out excitedly.
We watch as the staff put a flower lei around Isla and a black seeded lei around Finn. Little Easton is with the grandparents who came earlier, giving Mummy and Daddy some alone time. They make their way over to where we are standing.
“Tonight looks amazing,” Finn says in awe, taking in the Hawaiian essence of everything.
“It’s magical,” Isla coos beside him.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spy Sadie pulling off her flowers, and she’s about to shove them into her mouth, but I grab them from her. She gives me the Taylor glare and tries to steal her sister’s, but thankfully, Vanessa pulls Ruby away in time.
“You guys relax, enjoy your night,” I tell them as they grab a drink from a server and are pulled away by their family. “They look so happy.”
“Yeah, they do. I’m glad everything worked out for them in the end. Wish things had happened earlier, it would have saved them so much heartache,” Vanessa muses.
“I guess they needed to go through that to realize they were each other’s soulmate,” I murmur.
“Just like we had to, sweetheart,” Christian says, kissing Vanessa’s temple.
She sighs contentedly. “Wish I wasn’t so stubborn and had given in to you a lot sooner.”
“Me too.” He grins. “But we weren’t ready either. Things happen for a reason.”
“Oh my god, what is that smell?” I gag.
Christian sighs. “Fricken Sadie. Come on, you little nugget, let’s clean you up.” He walks away with the diaper bag.
“Is it bad that I found that incredibly sexy, my husband dealing with dirty nappies?” Vanessa chuckles.
“How many champagnes have you had?”
“Not enough.”
“To be fair, Christian is a DILF.”
“That he is.” Vanessa sighs before shaking her head out of whatever thought she had about her husband. “How are you?”
I shrug as I throw back my champagne.
Vanessa’s eyes narrow. “That doesn’t fill me with confidence. Everything okay? Is it Chance?”
“If only he were my only problem,” I grumble.
“D?” she asks with concern.
I shake my head. “Nothing that I can’t figure out.”
“I’m here if you need me.”
I squeeze her shoulder and give little Ruby a boop on the nose. “I know.” I walk away and head to the gardens, where there are Tiki torches set up everywhere, giving the lush tropical gardens a golden hue.
“Hey.” That deep voice vibrates behind me.
“What do you want?” I turn and look at Charlie.
He runs his hand through his hair, exposing his massive bicep, which momentarily distracts me from the man giant in front of me that I am pissed with.
My eyes scan over his body, head to toe, he is nothing but pure muscle.
I’m a big guy, but he engulfs even me, probably even Oscar.
I’ve never felt small against another man before.
If he weren’t such a dick, it would be nice. An awkward silence falls between us.
“Fine. If you’re not going to speak, I’m going.” I huff as I turn to walk away, except one of those large paws halts me. My eyes zero in on the hand currently wrapped around my arm. He’s touching me, and it’s making my body zing.
“Don’t go,” he answers gruffly.
“You’ve given me no reason to stay,” I bite back, yanking my arm out of his grip.
“I’m fucking this all up.” He growls, running his fingers over his buzz cut. “I …” He starts and stops a million times as if he is trying to figure out the words. “Are you seeing that guy who whispered in your ear earlier?” he asks, changing the subject.
“That’s none of your business.”
Charlie has the audacity to roll his eyes at me. “Are you?” he pushes.
“I’m fucking him, yes.”
He seems surprised by my honesty. “But you’re not dating?”
“Does the distinction matter?”
“To me, yes.”
I’m slightly taken aback by his response. He blocked me. He pushed me away, and now he is demanding to know about my love life. Screw him.
“To me, it doesn’t. You blocked me. Ghosted me.
I haven’t heard from you in months, and now you think you get a say in what I do with my life.
Let me be clear, you don’t. You gave that up the moment you blocked me.
So, fuck you very much. I’m not interested in whatever you are selling.
” With that, I turn on my heel and walk away from him.
Fucking men.