Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
DECLAN
I step out of my trailer and take a deep breath.
I’ve never been nervous on set before—or maybe I was years ago, but those days are a bit of a blur from the excitement I’d felt at the time.
I’m not just out to re-establish my name. I want to impress Josh—his career followed a similar path to mine, but he got everything right, and I want Zoe to be proud of me.
She and Daisy are my whole world now.
I know this is an ego project—but it could also be the start of something new. A career without the baggage of the past. A fresh start. There’s no giving in to temptation ever.
While I used to have a hip flask in my trailer no matter what I worked on, there’s no alcohol at all on set now.
Not that I would risk my family for anything.
My past is behind me, and it’s up to me to make sure it stays there. What I have with Zoe is so grounding that I’ve come to realise how I wasn’t ready for my first two marriages. I was too young when I married Ciara—I should have worked out who I was before I committed.
And the less said about my marriage to Annabelle, the better.
My future is brighter than it’s ever been—whether I ever work again or not.
“Hi, Declan.” Hadley Bridger saunters toward me. She’s an up-and-coming actress who’s one of my co-stars in this movie—the one I have a sex scene with. I’ve seen some of her work—she’s talented, but right now I have a sinking feeling in my gut as she twirls a lock of blonde hair around her finger and crosses her high-heeled feet when she comes to a stop.
“Hadley.”
“So, we’ll be working together.”
I’m not sure I can remember her voice being so husky on the audition tape I saw, and I raise an eyebrow. “It seems so.”
Despite my wild ways in the past, I never hooked up with anyone on set. Even I drew limits on my behaviour when it came to being that unprofessional.
“I wondered if you might want to join me for a drink in my trailer.”
Maybe I never got entangled with a co-star, but I have been known to share a drink with one.
Zoe deserves better.
It’s tempting—the drink, not the woman, but I know what I have waiting for me at home.
“Ahh, darlin’, you don’t want to mess up your career like I did. Stay off the drink. Don’t do drugs,” I say.
Her expression drops. “I thought …”
“I’m sober and plan on staying that way. I’ve just become a father, and that means more to me than any drink ever will.”
She falters but recovers quickly. “You could still visit me in my trailer …”
I shake my head. “Thanks for the invite, but I’ll be sticking to my own.”
“Declan.”
Turning toward the sound of the very welcome voice, I grin. “Josh. I didn’t know you’d be coming to set.”
He beams, holding out his hand, and I shake it. “Had to be here for the first day. To be honest, you’ll see me a lot. Reece and I are very involved in all our productions.” He nods toward Hadley. “Hadley, it’s good to see you again.”
“Oh, you too.” She flutters her eyelashes, and I bite down a smile.
“How’s Delaney?” I ask Josh.
His eyes light up. “She’s good. Been asking after Zoe. We’ll have to get together one weekend now you’re back here. I’ll give you Delaney’s number and maybe Zoe can give her a call?”
I fist-bump him. “That’d be great. Zoe’s climbing the walls a bit and still settling in.”
He chuckles. “Oh, I can just see Delaney and her friends helping her. I assume the baby’s keeping you busy.”
“She’s sleeping well, but Zoe’s tired.”
Josh claps me on the shoulder. “She needs support. We’ll sort that out.”
“Thanks, Josh.”
“You’re part of our family now.”
His words warm my heart. All this time, I never thought I’d be a part of anything—I’ve always been a bit of a lone wolf. But now, no matter what, I’ve found friends.
And best of all, Zoe has too.
The house echoes with baby cries, and I sigh as I walk into the living room.
Where are they?
I follow the sound until I reach the kitchen where Zoe paces back and forward, patting Daisy’s back. Her eyes are closed, and it’s clear she hasn’t had a good day.
“Babe? You okay?”
Her eyes flick open. “I think she just needs to burp, but it’s not happening.”
“Let me take her. You lie down.”
She shakes her head. “I’m fine.”
“You’re exhausted. I can see that. I’ll take care of her, and you go and have a soak in the bath and a sleep.”
“You’ve been working too.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, please. It was the first day on set and just a big meet-and-greet. You’re doing the hard stuff. Did you feed her?”
Daisy wails and Zoe’s lower lip wobbles. “Yes, she’s been fed,” she whispers.
“Well, that gives you a few hours. Let me do my thing.” I lean over and kiss her softly, reaching for the baby. Once I’ve got her in my arms, I nod toward Zoe. “Get out of here.”
She’s struggling to smile—it’s obvious, and I don’t take my eyes off her as she walks out of the living room toward the stairs.
I know what she’s like. She’ll be having a bath with one ear tuned in to listen for Daisy. If I can’t get our girl to sleep, she’ll be back and stressing again.
Moving Daisy to my shoulder, I cradle her head with one hand and rub her back with the other. “Come on, little one.”
It takes a few minutes until a burp any grown man would be proud of erupts from my tiny daughter, and I grin. “That’s my good girl.”
The crying stops, and she whimpers as I carry her up the stairs and toward our room.
I smile at the splashing sound coming from the bathroom.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I rock Daisy, her big dark eyes staring up at me.
“I’m your daddy, little one. Yes, I am.” I’ll never get enough of saying that. This little girl won’t ever want for anything.
“Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do,” I croon. “I’m half-crazy all for the love of you.”
Her tiny eyelids flutter, and she snuffles before they close.
Zoe needs support. All she has is me, and if I’m not here to help her out then times like earlier will be stressful to her. What more can I do to help?
I’m not sure how long I sit there, but soft footsteps behind me make me turn.
“She’s asleep?” Zoe whispers.
I nod. “Once she got that air out, she was halfway there.”
She frowns. “How do you do that? I’d been trying for half an hour. ”
Shrugging, I reach for her, and she sits on the bed beside me. She watches Daisy sleeping with a pout on her face—one I’m planning on removing.
“Magic touch, I guess. Let me put her in her crib and I’ll show you.”
Zoe tilts her head. “I think you’re pushing your luck.”
“I can be gentle.”
She slaps my arm. “I thought you said I should rest. That’s not resting.”
“You don’t have to do anything.”
After standing, she then walks around the bed and drops her bathrobe to the floor. She’s wearing sleep shorts and a satin tank top, her nipples prominent against the fabric.
I let out a low wolf whistle, and she blushes.
“Stop it.”
“You’re so beautiful, Zoe.”
She holds up her palms. “I’m taking a nap while the baby’s sleeping.”
I place Daisy in her crib and tuck her in before turning back to the bed.
I strip down to my underwear then slide into bed beside Zoe. She sighs as I spoon her from behind.
“Declan, I …”
“It’s okay. I’m going to nap with you. I know you need sleep. When she wakes up, I’ll get her.”
Zoe wriggles out from beside me and rolls onto her back. She reaches for my face, cupping my cheek, and I lean in to kiss her softly.
“I’m sorry. I’m just so tired.” She yawns.
“I love sex with you, but I’m never going to push it when I can see how exhausted you are. Is there anything else I can do to help?”
She shrugs. “We just need to get into a proper routine. This moving around hasn’t helped, but now we’re here we can settle in properly.”
“I’m sure I wasn’t helping by being out of the house all day.”
Zoe studies me for a moment. “You’re doing what you have to do. I get that. And I know you’d be supportive if the shoe was on the other foot.”
“You bet I will be.”
Her smile is faint, her eyes heavy. “We’ll work it all out. I love you.”
“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Zoe Drake. I thought my heart was dead until I met you. And now you and that little girl are the reason it beats every day.”
She pats my cheek. “You make me happy too.”
“I’ll call Josh and see if we can round up some visitors. I know Delaney has been champing at the bit to see you.”
“That would be nice.” It’s clear now she’s fighting sleep, and she yawns and turns back over.
I snuggle in against her and close my eyes. These are the moments that make everything worth it.