Chapter Forty Colin
Chapter Forty
Colin
Present day
Barclay Manor
“I think that’s everything,” the tall Scottish brunette says as he drops one side of the large trunk on the gravel outside the house. Declan’s other brother, Lachy, releases his side with a wince, holding his back.
“What in the bloody hell is in here?” he asks, looking down at the thing.
Declan comes up behind me and places a hand on my back. “Colin. Lots and lots of Colin.”
Killian makes a face of disgust. “I don’t want to know.”
The moving company takes the trunk and loads it in the crate with all of Declan’s other things, which isn’t much. Mostly paintings and supplies that I know he wants although he tried to argue that he doesn’t.
Declan’s sister, Anna, comes around and barks orders at the movers, making me laugh to myself.
It’s been a week since the wedding, or lack thereof, and I need to get back to LA to start shooting a film next week. I didn’t want to leave without Declan, so when he refused to let me, I knew for sure this was it. He means it this time.
He promised, and when Declan Barclay makes a promise, I know that he’ll keep it.
“So you officially lost your bet,” Killian says with a smug grin. “Which means our sister gets to keep your house and have as many weddings here as she wants.”
I laugh to myself, squeezing close to Declan’s side.
He told me about the wager he made with his brothers, and I found it quite funny in the end.
Because it sort of didn’t matter anyway.
There was no way he was winning that bet once I showed up.
With every passing day, it seems more and more clear to me that I was never walking out of here with Pierce. I’m not sure I ever really wanted to.
“I’ll never forgive you for that,” a sweet Scottish voice says from behind me, and I turn to find Blaire walking up to our group. She gives Declan a despondent look as she adds, “Or for leaving me.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumble to her, and she grins through her tears.
“It’s my fault for making him look so irresistible that night.”
Giving her a warm grin, I rest my head on Declan’s shoulder. I don’t like to think about that night much, no matter how things turned out. Having to tell Pierce that the wedding was off was nearly the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do—second only to the night I had to walk away from Declan.
Pierce fought back. Tried to manipulate. Even tried to command me to take it back, and it was a little humiliating for him. Because I said no, again and again.
He was never the right guy for me, and nothing he could ever say or do would have changed that.
When Anna rejoins our group, she looks flustered and tired. Whenever she glances toward Declan, I see the sentimental sadness in her eyes.
“Well,” he says, squeezing my shoulders. “We should probably get going. We have a flight to catch.”
“Do you have to go?” Anna cries, tears filling her eyes. “You’re all leaving me here. Killian’s married and gone. Now, you’re leaving.”
“I’m still here,” Lachlan says as he holds up his hands. Everyone chuckles for a moment, and Killian reaches over to ruffle his hair.
“You have what you want, Anna,” Declan says softly. “You have the manor for weddings now.”
“Aye,” Killian adds. “Maybe it’s about time you think about moving in.”
Anna’s spine straightens as she glances at the enormous house. “Alone?”
“Well, I’ll be here to keep you company,” Blaire adds from beside me. I glance over at her and notice the way she’s gazing softly at Anna, who doesn’t even seem to notice.
“I guess,” Anna stammers nervously. She’s chewing on her bottom lip, and I realize that Anna has probably never had no one to take care of.
She’s been the parental figure for her brothers since her parents died, and now that two of them have officially flown the nest, in their thirties, Anna is finally free to live her own life.
“Again, I’m still here,” Lachy says, as if no one even notices him standing there.
“But you’re not a mess like we were,” Declan adds, shoving his little brother on the arm. “Anna prefers to clean up messes.”
“I’m a mess,” Blaire adds quietly, but again…Anna doesn’t seem to notice.
After a few more minutes of small talk with his family, Declan grows restless and starts pulling me toward the car. We take a few minutes to hug everyone goodbye. His sister sobs as she hugs him, like he’s going off to war instead of a cozy beachfront estate in California.
Before he leaves her, he passes her a manila envelope from the side of his jacket. Quietly, I hear him say, “You’re welcome.” With that, he kisses her on the cheek and walks away.
As the two of us climb into the back seat of the car, with a hired driver in the front, I glance over at the man sitting next to me.
It dawns on me that this really isn’t another eight-day summer spent with the man I love. This is real. Having him is my life now, and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted.
Scooting across the back seat, I rest my head on his shoulder as we watch the manor disappear in the distance. “So you did what she said? You put the manor in Lachy’s name?”
He nods. “Aye. It’s his turn to step up. He’s been the baby of the family long enough, and it’s time he took on a little responsibility. Besides, maybe it’ll have the same luck for him it did for me and Kill.”
Turning toward him, I press my lips to his cheek. “I’m proud of you.”
He kisses my forehead, and our eyes close at the same time. It may have taken us fifteen years to get here, but we got here in the end. What started as best friends turned into lovers, and now we are both of those wrapped into one. He is my soul mate. The person I want to build a life with.
And I want to start living it immediately.