Chapter Seven Declan
Chapter Seven
Declan
Six days until the wedding
The cold scotch smolders my taste buds before sliding down my throat, burning its way to my stomach. There’s comfort in the heat, as if it could turn these feelings to ash. Exterminate this sickening jealousy in my bloodstream.
Across the table from me, Pierce Michael Hall, as he’s referred to in his movie credits, sits with his arm around the back of Colin’s chair, talking incessantly about anything he can. He hasn’t shut up for the last fifteen minutes.
I hold up my glass to signal to one of the staff members that I need a refill. I probably shouldn’t be getting drunk on the job, but I can’t possibly get through this sober.
While Pierce, whatever his name is, drones on and on, I watch Colin. Is he really going to marry this guy? Does he love him? Does he act the same way with him that he did with me?
“How did you two meet?” I ask, interrupting the American. He doesn’t seem bothered as he places a hand on Colin’s leg and gives him a smarmy, insincere smile. Colin can’t be serious about this guy.
“On set, of course,” he replies, and it takes me a moment to realize that’s where I know him from.
Colin’s WWII film last summer. I almost didn’t recognize Pierce, because in the film, his hair was buzzed short and hidden beneath a Gestapo uniform.
Colin’s part was much more prominent and far better acted, if I say so myself.
“Oh yes, of course,” I reply mockingly. Turning my attention to Colin, I watch his expression. He’s tense and uncomfortable, although he wears a warm smile. His knuckles are white as he grips his glass, and his throat moves ever so slightly as he swallows.
“I pursued him,” Pierce says softly as he gently strokes a strand of hair behind Colin’s ear. “Wouldn’t stop asking him out until he finally said yes.”
“I said yes right away,” Colin replies with his soft gaze on the half-eaten plate in front of him. “Who would say no to you?” He mumbles that last part, almost so quietly I don’t hear it. Something about it puts me on edge.
Then, just as I’m about to respond, Pierce steals control of the conversation again.
“So tell me,” he says. “What was Colin like in college?”
I stare across the table at the actor, noting the cool, deep, authoritative tone of his voice. His subtle arrogance. His calm pretentiousness.
He is definitely dominant with Colin. My molars grind at the thought.
My gaze drifts over to the blond man to his left. Colin stares back at me, and I wonder if he’s reminiscing about the same memories I am. The ones I probably shouldn’t include in my stories at this table.
“I had never met someone so innocent,” I say with a smirk.
“Colin?” Pierce asks, like he doesn’t believe me.
“Aye.”
“My Colin, innocent in college?” Pierce says, smiling at his fiancé and kissing him on the cheek.
My jaw clicks as I grind my teeth together harder at the sound of him calling Colin his.
“I said he was innocent when I met him,” I add, lifting my fresh glass to my lips. “I never said he stayed that way.”
Colin’s eyes narrow at me as the table grows tense with silence.
Eventually, he responds. “We did have fun in our younger days. And he was a terrible influence, but that’s what I wanted…at the time. I was living a sheltered existence until I met Declan, and he cured me of it. We had our fun, but we were young. And those days are over.”
“What a pity, Shakespeare,” I reply over my glass.
“Don’t call me that,” he says without hesitation. His tone is still warm and playful, but I can sense something more beneath it, which means he’s hiding his contempt. I suspect he’s still cross with me for what happened last time we saw each other.
“Speaking of fun…” Pierce says as he waves down the waiter for another drink of his own. “This manor of yours has a bit of a reputation.”
“Pierce!” Colin snaps, turning toward him.
The American only laughs as he rubs Colin’s back. “What? I’m just curious.”
Sitting up straight, I set my whisky on the table. “That was a long time ago,” I say, wincing at the idea that my brother’s infamous sex parties have made such a splash that people from as far as America have heard about them.
I don’t say anything as Pierce commandeers the conversation, a bright, amused smile on his face. “Let’s just say I’ve heard this manor used to be known for events very different from weddings.”
“That was when my brother lived here,” I mumble, my fingers squeezing the glass in my hands.
“That’s enough,” Colin says, growing more and more uncomfortable.
Then his gaze meets mine, and I have to bite back my smirk, because as humiliating as it is to hear some stranger talking about my family’s dirty secrets as if they’re nothing more than gossip, it is worth it to see that bashful expression on his face again.
As we stare at each other, I wonder if he’s also remembering the year we came to Barclay. The year he nearly witnessed one of those parties himself. The year everything fell apart, and what happened between us that night.
For a moment, a hint of nostalgia-like pain lances my heart, and I wince as I take a drink of my whisky to dull the ache. Perhaps I missed Colin more than I thought.
He was my best friend for nearly a decade. Of course I missed him.
And sure, there was a time when we acted more like lovers than friends. But that’s all it ever was. If I ever considered having romantic feelings for Colin Shelby, those days have passed. They were a mistake that would have ended badly.
So now, he’s getting married, which is a good thing.
And I will make sure of it. I’ll be here to ensure that every step of this wedding goes off without a hitch so that I can win this bet and finally have this house to myself the way I want.
I’m not about to let an old romantic entanglement mess that up now.
* * *
After lunch, I leave the couple to get settled in their room. They’ll be staying for the week, and we have rooms for some of their wedding party as well once they arrive.
I’m thankful once again for the space between my quarters and theirs.
When I hear the familiar click of my sister’s heels on the floor, growing closer to the library where I’m hiding, I say a silent prayer that she doesn’t find me.
“There you are!” Anna says from the doorway when she spots me.
She scurries closer, finding me slumped down in the large upholstered chair with my legs propped up on an old ottoman and a glass of whisky resting on my lap.
“Are you hiding? What’s wrong? How did it go this afternoon? Did you ruin it already?”
“Anna, for fuck’s sake, calm down.”
“What happened?” she asks, a bit more relaxed.
“Nothing happened,” I reply with a slur, taking a sip of my drink. I’ve lost count of how many of these I’ve had today—at least three at lunch. “I gave them the bloody tour, and now they’re getting settled in their room. Everything is under control.”
“Thank God,” she says with a sigh as she rests against the desk. “Are you drunk?”
There is judgment in her voice, and I sneer up at her before trying to focus my gaze. Changing the course of the conversation, I ask, “Don’t you want me to mess this up? Then you win the bet and can go back to having these weddings to yourself.”
“Of course I don’t want you to fail, Declan. I want you to be happy.”
“How benevolent of you. As a matter of fact, I want me to be happy too,” I reply with a sloppy grin.
She rolls her eyes and steals the whisky from my hand. I catch her taking a sip before setting it on the desk out of my reach.
“So?” she asks.
“So what?”
“So…who is it?” She’s wearing an excited smile, and it takes me a moment before I remember that Colin and Pierce are celebrities. And before today, no one knew who these mystery guests would be.
“Oh,” I reply lazily. “Pierce Michael, something.”
“Pierce Michael Hall?” my sister shrieks. She slaps her hand over her mouth with wide eyes while I grimace up at her like she’s lost her goddamn mind.
“Yeah, he’s not really that impressive,” I mumble before reaching for my drink. She’s so distracted by the celebrity at our house that she doesn’t bother keeping it away from me anymore. Instead, she’s scurrying over to the window to peek out in hopes of stealing a glimpse of the actor.
“Not that impressive?” she asks. “I don’t believe you. He’s so handsome. I had no idea he was even getting married!”
“I mean, honestly, Anna, who cares? You act like celebrities’ lives are any of our bloody business.”
She turns back toward me with a disgruntled expression. “What a miserable grump you are, Declan. I truly hope you are not rude to him or his groom just because they are celebrities. Oh, who is his groom? Is he an actor too?”
Biting her lip, she waits in anticipation. Meanwhile, I swallow down the rest of the amber liquid in my glass, relishing in the burn before I blow out a breath and quietly reply, “Colin Shelby.”
My sister is frozen. If anything, her eyes widen just a hair as she stares at me in shock.
“No,” she whispers.
“Yes,” I reply.
“Declan,” she says with a pleading, sympathetic tone.
“What a coincidence, right? My old mate from uni is getting married here this weekend.”
With a groan, I peel myself off the chair and stumble toward the bottle near the fireplace. My sister rushes after me, grabbing me by the arm before I can reach it.
“Declan, I had no idea. How are you—I mean, what happened…? Are you okay?”
I respond to her, stammering with a laugh, “Relax, Anna. It was a surprise to see him, that’s all. It was nice, actually. He’s my best friend. Or at least…he was.”
When I reach for the bottle, she puts herself between me and it. Then she takes my face in her hands and forces me to look in her eyes. “I think we both know it was more than that, Declan.”
Scowling, I brush her off. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course it wasn’t.”
“Why don’t we call this bet off?” she asks, trying to tame my wild hair.
“No!” I bellow. “Killian won’t let me off that easily, and I am not going to roll over just because I happen to be friends with one of the grooms.”
“I don’t care what Killian says,” she replies. “I’m worried about you, Declan.”
“Well, stop it!” She flinches at the tone of my voice, and I turn away with a heavy sigh.
Worrying is just what my sister does, but I can’t stand being the focus of it.
Especially since there is nothing to worry about here.
She thinks I’m drunk because I’m heartbroken or upset over my old mate getting married, but I’m not. I’m just a drunk.
As I turn back toward her, I’m immediately assaulted by guilt when I see the tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry, sis. I just don’t want you worrying about me.”
Taking her shoulders in my hands, it’s my turn to force her gaze to mine.
Then, with as steady a voice as I can manage, I try to ease her concerns.
“I promise you I do not have feelings for Colin, not anymore. That was a long time ago. If anything, I think this will make the wedding easier for me. I’m going to prove to you that I can do this.
Then, maybe you’ll leave me the hell alone. ”
When a tear slips over her lashes and down her cheek, I use the sleeve of my shirt to wipe it away. Then I gather her against my chest and hold her to ease her mind.
“I don’t believe you, Declan,” she softly whispers. “But I do trust you.”
“Thank you,” I reply.
After a moment, she wipes her eyes and pulls away. With a deep breath, she paints a smile on her face and claps her hands together excitedly.
“Okay, now introduce me to that hunky American.”