Chapter 4
The last person I expected to be showing up at my childhood home was Declan Cooper. When I answered the door, I figured it would be one of Mom’s friends again, sending their condolences.?
But lo and behold, a tall, tan, tattooed man with sandy blond hair, who looked like he hadn’t showered after work, was on my doorstep, holding what looked like enough food for a wedding party.?He wore that damn panty-melting smirk on his face, and I quickly crossed my arms over my chest in fear that my hardened nipples would give away just how sexy I thought that smirk was.
I never would have guessed that he would grow up to be such a ladies’ man. Since he was openly trying to flatter me, I wanted to say, “No, I never guessed I’d see you again so soon, but I’m sure glad you showed up at my doorstep. Would you like to help distract me from this fucked up life I’m living up in my bedroom?”
Obviously, I thought better of it when I backed up, creating space for him to walk through the front door. I wanted to grab the food from him, but he had it stacked up so perfectly that if I grabbed it, I feared it would tip over.
There was an awkward silence as he stepped inside. Almost like we were both trying to figure out what to do next.
“I can show you the way to the kitchen so you can set all of that down. I’m sure your arms are getting tired from holding it all.”?He smiled from ear to ear, looking way too eager to come inside and help.
“Of course. Would you like me to take my shoes off? They are pretty dirty from being at the construction site all day.” I had a feeling that wasn’t the only dirty thing about him. I grinned, but I kept that little thought to myself.
“That would be great. I’ve made it my mission today to clean this place up.”
We headed back toward the kitchen and unloaded everything he brought over. I’d have to remember to thank Mrs. Cooper if I saw her around town.
“So… what do we have here?” I looked at the different dishes as I placed them in the refrigerator, trying to figure out what they could be. All I knew was, I was happy to have some extra food in the house because that meant fewer trips to the grocery store and less I would have to cook.?These casseroles would be easy for us to heat up at any time.
“Honestly, I have no idea. But I can guarantee, whatever my mom cooked, it tastes amazing. Especially these muffins. I had a fresh one this morning, and it did not disappoint.”?
“I’ll have to take your word for it.” They did look amazing. Now that I had all this food in front of me, it made me realize it had been a while since I had my last meal. I was so preoccupied with cleaning the house, I forgot to feed myself.?The last couple of days, I had been so absentminded that I wasn’t prioritizing food.
Before I could think twice, I said, “Any chance you’d want to split a muffin with me and have a beer out back? Or water? I don’t have much, but I grabbed a six-pack at the store the other day just in case.” I cringed at my rambling.
Did I just insinuate that I bought beer at the store in case I had company?
“I’d love to. I normally hit up Peaks after work for some dinner and a cold beer, but the company seems to be better here.” He winked at me before adding, “And I can’t say no to another one of my mom’s muffins.” That wink of his was so charming it made my belly drop. I was speechless. What about me and my company was even remotely nice to be around right now?
Trying not to be awkward, I let out a small laugh and forced a smile. I popped the tops to a couple of beers, keeping one for myself and handing him the other, before heading out to the backyard.
The back patio wasn’t much, but it had enough to make for a comfortable evening. Mostly just an open grass field, it was easy to maintain. But there was a small deck with a couple of lounge chairs and a table that made it a great place to kick back and read a book. Or I guess, in this situation, hang out with a hot guy and drink a beer.
Breaking me out of my thoughts, Declan spoke.?
“Where is everyone? I figured your brother and mom would be home. I didn’t know who would be answering the door when I knocked.”
“Chase is over at a friend’s house, probably just trying to keep busy and be around people he feels closest to. Mom is out. She finally came out of her room for the first time this morning and told me she had some funeral arrangements to figure out.” I didn’t know why I was offering all this information to someone I hadn’t had an adult conversation with until yesterday.?
I blamed my loose lips on my empty stomach and the beer. It felt nice to talk to someone about all of this, though. I didn’t want to bother Chase too much with how I was feeling, and like I said, my mom hadn’t been present until just this morning.
I took a seat on one of the chairs and Declan sat in the one right next to me. “Sounds like your mom is having a tough time. It can’t be easy.” The way the words slipped off his tongue sounded so genuine.
It was hard to hold all of this in, and sometimes, talking to complete strangers was the easier way to go. If they judged you, it was fine because you probably wouldn’t see them again. But in this case, after I slipped up and spilled personal details about my life, I’d probably have to dodge Declan and avoid him in this small town at all costs.
Little did he know, my mom was having a tough time, but not for the reasons he may think. I couldn’t help myself when the word vomit continued to spill.
“I haven’t been home in a long time. I guess things weren’t as good as my parents portrayed them to be…” Taking a deep breath and a sip of my beer, I let the secret my mom told me just hours ago slip out.?“Apparently, my dad had been cheating on my mom for years. They were waiting until Chase went off to college to get a divorce.”
A shocked look crossed his face, like he had just found out the biggest gossip of the town. Shaking his head in disbelief, he allowed me to continue divulging my family’s secrets, getting it all off my chest.
“I hate to say it, but… when I talked with my mom earlier, she almost seemed more relieved than sad. Which is hard to wrap my head around. She had been hurting for years and had already grieved the loss of her husband. When she got the news that he was in an accident, she locked herself up in her room to try to sort out her emotions. Every conversation I’ve had with either of them over the years never led me to this outcome. When they visited me last year in Phoenix, it must have been all for show, but everything seemed perfectly fine.”
Speaking all of this into existence had me realizing I hadn’t known my father as well as I thought. Internally, my emotions were torn, fighting a battle, trying to decide how I should feel. Grieving his loss but also trying to process that he had a double life.
“Sorry, I didn’t intend to turn this into a therapy session.” I let out a sad laugh under my breath, attempting to change the topic of conversation. “I’m gonna grab another beer, want one?” I hiked my thumb behind me, pointing to the kitchen.
“Paige…” He stopped me before I could go inside. Before I knew what was happening, his hand landed on mine, rubbing circles with his thumb over the top. His piercing blue eyes stared into mine.
“You have been through a lot in the last couple of days. More than a lot of people at this age have gone through. If you feel comfortable dumping your problems on me, I’m always here to listen. It makes me feel useful, and I hate standing by feeling helpless. If this is something that helps you, lay it on me. And to answer your question, yes. I’ll have another beer.”?The corners of his mouth tilted up just slightly, giving me a small smile.
I did my best to muster up a smile in return, hoping he read the expression on my face as my way of thanking him.
Walking back into the kitchen, I placed my hands on the countertop and tried to fight back the tears that threatened to escape. I hadn’t known how to feel when my mom dumped all of this new information on me. We all process our emotions differently, and all I knew was I wanted to have a few beers, let my mom handle the funeral arrangements, and entertain some conversation with the sexy tattooed guy currently sitting in my backyard.?
We were three beers deep when the realization hit me that my six-pack of beer was gone, and I was feeling a bit buzzed.
“So, Paige, what are you doing these days back in Phoenix?”
I couldn’t get enough of the way my name sounded rolling off his tongue. Declan’s voice was strong and rough; vastly different from the young boy I once knew.
“Well, funny story… I got let go from my bartending job. When it rains, it pours, huh?” I laughed with discomfort, hoping it came off more playful but failing miserably. Clearing my throat, I offered more context for the situation.
“I told my boss I didn’t know when I’d be able to make it back to work, and in return, she let me know she would have to fill my spot, but when I was back in town, she could see if there would be a spot for me. So, now I’m jobless, single, and thirty, living at my mom’s house until further notice. Clearly thriving.” I rolled my eyes and tipped my beer back, hoping for a drop of alcohol to magically appear in the empty bottle.
I didn’t know why I threw the “single” part in there, but it just added to how pathetic I currently felt. Last week, my life was completely different, and I had no idea which direction it was going to go.?
Declan, being the flirty, cheery guy that he was, added, “Well, maybe now that you have no ties to Phoenix, I’ll get to see you around more.” He shrugged, looking at me with his gaze glossed over. Deep down, those bedroom eyes had me feeling things I shouldn’t.?
I’m not here to stay.?
I can’t stay here.?
Those thoughts ran in a loop through my mind. And now, the fact that Declan’s stare was turning serious was causing a throbbing sensation between my legs that didn’t want to go away.
Time had slipped away. The sun had already gone down, and I didn’t want the alcohol to make my decisions for me, so I tried to find an excuse to end this unexpected hang out.?
Even though, secretly, I didn’t want to.
“Yeah, maybe.” Standing up, I let out a big yawn. “It’s getting late. I’m sure you have things to do before work tomorrow.”?
He took the hint. “You’re right. I have a hot shower calling my name. It was good talking to you, Paige…” he paused before finishing, “I wasn’t lying about hoping I’d see you around.” He stood up and set his empty beer bottle on the table.
It was unexpected when he pulled me in for a long hug; a hug I didn’t know I needed. His lips rested on the top of my head for a moment, then he whispered, “I’ll always be here for you when you need someone to talk to, Paige.”
Normally, a move like that would be a bit forward. But from him, it was sweet, and quite frankly, I had chills running down my spine.?
Walking back inside, it was dark. Time had gotten away from us. I desperately needed a night like this, just getting lost in conversation and drinking beer. I didn’t have many memories of nights like these from Phoenix. Don’t get me wrong, I had plenty of nights drinking with my roommate, but the conversation always seemed to stay surface level.
I found the switch on the wall and turned the lights on so we could head back to the front door, where he had placed his mud-covered shoes earlier.?
He slipped his shoes on while I hugged the door, staying close to it to hide my nerves and my perky nipples. It’s not like this was a date, but it felt like that moment where you’d question if the first kiss was about to happen or not.?
He grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me in for another hug. Before I could process what he was doing, his lips found my cheek, pressing a feather-light kiss against my skin.?
My cheek felt like it was on fire where his lips grazed my flesh. Then he headed for his truck. As he reached for the door, he turned around—hopefully not noticing the lust written all over my face—and called behind him, “I’ll be seeing you around.”
Yeah, I hoped so.