Chapter Four – Declan
Declan
I watched as Harper practically ran from the kitchen after kissing Sean, if that was what you could even call it. It was more like a peck. Turning to Sean, I raised a brow.
He let out a nervous laugh. “She’s, um…had a long day.”
“That’s what she said. When did you two get back together?”
“A few days ago, maybe a week.”
I nodded. “What made you break up?”
Sean rubbed at his neck. “Listen, Declan, I would love to chat but I’ve gotta get going. I’m really glad you’re home, though.”
Smiling, I replied, “Me too. I’ll be looking for my own place if you know of anyone renting.”
“Yeah, I’ll, um…I’ll keep an ear out for you.”
“Thanks, bro.”
“Sure thing.”
I watched Sean hightail it out of the kitchen nearly as fast as Harper did. Something was up with those two. From the moment they’d walked in and Harper tripped him, to the awkward goodbye kiss only seconds ago, I’d smelled something rotten.
Hearing my parents say goodbye to Sean, I made my way out to the living room. Mom shut the door and leaned against it, letting out a long sigh.
“Why is he dating her again?” she moaned.
“You really don’t like Harper, do you?” I asked.
My mother looked at me and forced a smile. “She’s a sweet girl but not the right woman for Sean.”
“Here we go again,” Dad mumbled, sitting on the sofa and picking up the remote to turn on the TV.
Mom waved her hands in front of her. “Sean needs someone he can depend on. Harper is…well, she’s so set in stone. She runs her own business, and I’m afraid she’d put that before Sean.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You don’t think she’s capable of having both a career and love?”
My mother had been a stay-at-home mom all her life, but as far as I knew, she’d never looked down on women who wanted to work outside of the house. So why she was suddenly against it in Harper’s case, I had no idea.
“You want him to be with Crystal so bad that you’ll dislike Harper?”
She turned and gave me a fake look of shock. “I don’t know what you mean.”
I let out a bark of laughter. “Mom, I can see right through you. And like I said earlier, it’s never going to happen.”
With a huff, she turned and started back toward the kitchen. I glanced at my father. “Have you always known that she wants Sean and Crystal together this badly?”
He nodded as he reached for the remote to turn down the TV. “I’ve tried to talk to her about it countless times. She was over the moon when she found out Sean and Harper broke up, since that was his longest relationship.” Dad shook his head and sighed. “Then the hope of Sean and Crystal was sparked back to life. But now that he’s back with Harper, your mother isn’t taking it well. It’s foiling all her plans.”
“Right. They’re back together .”
“What do you mean by that?” he asked, eyeing me.
I thought about whether or not I wanted to share with my father my thoughts about Sean and Harper’s so-called reunion. In the end, I decided to keep them to myself. “Nothing…just that Mom probably needs to stay out of it.”
He pointed at me. “Agreed. But do you want to be the one to tell her that?”
I held up my hands and shook my head. “I’m Switzerland.”
Laughing, he turned the TV back up. “Coward.”
I set my two bags in the back seat of my truck and turned back to look at my mother and father.
“Mom, please don’t cry.”
She shrugged. “It’s just that you’ve only been home a week, and you’re already moving out!”
“I’m a thirty-five-year-old man, Mom. I can’t be living at home.”
“What if he wants to bring a date home?” Dad said, causing my mother to perk up.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
I nearly choked. “No! Not now, at least.”
She put a hand to her heart. “Well, are you interested in anyone? Because—”
“Mom, don’t even go there.”
“Go where?”
I rolled my eyes. “You know exactly where. I’m going to kiss you goodbye now, and I want you to promise me, no matchmaking.”
She crossed her heart. “I promise, no matchmaking.”
Raising a brow, I gave her a questioning look.
“I crossed my heart, Declan!”
Laughing, I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’ll miss seeing you every day, Mom.”
“And you’ll miss my home cooking, as well.”
With a wink, I shut the back door and said, “Good thing I know where you live.”
I started to walk around to the driver’s side of my truck when my father called out. “Wait! Declan, you never told us where you’re living now.”
Part of me was hoping they didn’t realize I hadn’t shared that information. It was wishful thinking on my part. It wasn’t that I didn’t want them to know. I just knew my mother. She’d be at my door tomorrow with some casserole she’d made for me. Sean said she did it for months after he’d moved out.
“Brystol Duggan offered me the apartment above Memory Lane Toys. She said her former manager lived there for a couple of years, but she got tired of the weather and moved south somewhere. So, it was available to rent.”
“Oh, how sweet of her. She’s such a nice young lady,” Mom said with a wide smile.
“Mom,” I warned.
“What?” she replied, her hands on her hips. “I simply said she’s a nice young lady.”
When I looked at my father, he shrugged.
“Right. I love you both.”
“Love you, Declan! Make sure to eat!”
I couldn’t help but laugh as I started the truck and headed toward the beginning of the next chapter of my life.
The moment I stepped into the elevator of the Moose Village Hotel, the one and only historical hotel in Moose Village, two women smiled at me. They both looked to be in their early twenties, way too young for me, and dressed for a night of fun that I wasn’t interested in. Those days were long gone.
I nodded my head. “Ladies.”
They were both blondes, hot as hell, and most likely looking for a good time. I, on the other hand, was simply meeting a few friends I hadn’t seen in years for drinks up at the rooftop bar, The Muddled Moose.
Yes, everything practically had the word Moose in it in this town. It was kind of a thing here.
“You here visiting?” the shorter blonde asked.
Clearing my throat, I replied, “Um, no. I’ve recently moved back to Moose Village.”
“From where?” the other one asked, but not before swiping her tongue over her bottom lip and eye-fucking the hell out of me.
“North Carolina. I was in the Marines.”
They both let out high-pitched squeals that nearly had me covering my ears.
“A Marine, huh? Care for some company?”
Politely smiling, I replied, “I appreciate the offer, but I’m here to meet some friends and have a few drinks. That’s it.”
They both pouted in unison. It was rather impressive.
“Bummer.”
The elevator doors opened, and I motioned for them to exit first. They were carded and then let in. I hung back a few moments, then walked up to the hostess stand.
“You can head on in,” the woman said with a smile.
I wasn’t going to show how disappointed I was that she hadn’t asked to see my ID.
Getting old sucks.
Returning her smile with my own, I started toward the terrace. The Muddled Moose had an indoor bar as well as an outside one. I knew Kian would be outside, along with James and his brother Gavin.
“Declan!”
Turning at the sound of my name, I grinned when I saw Kian Carter. I made my way through the crowd and stopped at their table. Kian stood, gave me a quick bro hug and pat on the back, and James followed.
“Shit, it’s good seeing you, man,” James said as he slid back onto his stool. “It’s been what…ten years?”
Nodding, I replied, “At least. Longer for you, Kian.”
Kian had been a year behind me in school, but we’d all grown up with each other. We played football and baseball together, and our younger brothers despised one another. I never knew why, and I don’t think Kian did either.
“Yeah, probably since high school. Right? You went right into the Marines, and then I think you came home once or twice before I graduated and headed to college.”
I shook my head. “And now you’re back home and no longer a lawyer.”
He smiled. “Nope. Home and writing a book.”
“That’s great, man. I’m glad to see you’re doing what you want, not what your parents wanted.”
Kian held up his beer. “Amen.”
The waitress walked up and set a cocktail napkin in front of me. “What can I get you?”
I pointed to Kian’s beer. “I’ll have the same.”
“Anything to eat?”
“No, thank you.”
Turning back to the table, I glanced at Gavin. The gangly boy I remembered had grown into a full-fledged man. A good-looking dude, actually. His brown eyes were light in color, and his brown hair was cut short on the sides, a little bit longer on top. He definitely wasn’t a kid anymore. “Jesus, the last time I saw you , you had pimples all over your face and you followed us everywhere.”
Gavin laughed.
James ruffled his brother’s hair. “Now he’s one of Moose Village’s most eligible bachelors.”
Gavin shoved his brother’s hand away and snorted. “Hardly.”
“How old are you now, Gavin?” I asked, nodding my thanks to the waitress when she set down my beer.
“Twenty-eight.”
I whistled. “Still a baby. I bet you got carded when you walked in.”
“So did I,” James said.
When I glanced at Kian, he shook his head. “She didn’t ask for my ID.”
I leaned back in my chair, feeling a bit better.
“You mentioned you found a place to rent?” James said.
Nodding, I took a swallow of my beer and set it down. “Yeah, Brystol Duggan is letting me rent the apartment above the toy store. Does she own the store now? I didn’t get a chance to ask her.”
Gavin groaned and rolled his eyes, as James laughed.
“What?” I asked, confused.
James grinned and said, “First, her mother passed it over to her when she decided to retire. And second, Gavin and Brystol are archenemies.”
Putting my attention on Gavin, I raised a brow. “What now?”
“She’s a pain in my ass,” he stated. “Her best friend, Evelyn, is married to my best friend, Denny McCain. So I’m forced to see her all the damn time.”
“And that’s a bad thing why ?” Kian asked.
“Because she’s hated me since high school, and I have no clue why. I’ve tried asking her about it, but she claims I already know why. Whatever. I stopped playing that game, so I basically just ignore her now. Which I think drives her even more mad.”
“You don’t remember what you did?” I asked.
He shook his head. “All I know is she’s hated me since high school. For the sake of Denny and Evelyn, I just deal with her when I have to.”
“That’s got to be hard when you hang out with your best friends,” Kian said with a slight laugh.
“Luckily, I only have to see her during parties and things like that. Enough about me. Why did you get out of the Marines, Declan?”
I sighed and picked up my beer. “It was just time.”
“What does that mean?” James asked. “Did something happen?”
A humorless laugh slipped free. “A lot of shit happened, but I decided it was time to get out and do something else. Settle down and all that stuff we’re supposed to want to do when we reach our mid-thirties.”
My eye caught James’s. He said, “It’s a totally different world here than what you experienced.”
Gavin leaned forward. “You’re joining the force?”
I nodded. “That’s the plan.”
“I don’t think you’ll see the kind of action in Moose Village that you did in the Marines,” James stated.
“Have you thought about state police?”
“Hey.” James glared at his younger brother. “What are you doing?”
Gavin grinned. “I’m just saying, if Declan wants more action, the state police is where he’ll find it.”
“Are you NYSP?” I asked him.
“Was, but a position opened here when Dad retired, and I took it. It’s nice being back home, and I’ll admit that I like the quieter life in Moose Village.”
I nodded. It wasn’t surprising that Gavin was a police officer, just like his brother, father, and his father before him. It was in their blood.
“I’m not looking for action, James. Unlike Kian here, I’m just looking to not sit behind a desk.”
Kian’s brows shot up. “Why are you picking on me?”
Tapping his beer with mine, I replied, “Because I can. A writer? At least when you were a lawyer, you had interesting clients.”
“I’ll have you know, I live a very interesting life.”
James laughed. “Considering his girlfriend is a mystery to the entire town.”
I nearly spit my beer out. “A mystery?”
Kian rolled his eyes. “It’s a long story. I’ll fill you in later.”
Gavin’s low groan had us all turning to see Brystol, Harper, and two women I didn’t recognize walking toward us.
“Speaking of,” Kian said, standing and kissing a dark-haired woman. She was beautiful, and she clearly only had eyes for Kian. I smiled, happy he’d found someone who looked at him like he hung the moon. The other woman wore a wedding ring, and she leaned in to kiss Gavin’s cheek.
“Hey, Gavin! Better not let Denny know you’re out on the town without him.”
And that must be Evelyn, Brystol’s best friend.
Gavin shrugged. “I invited him, but he said he had to work late.”
She nodded and looked at me. Reaching a hand out, she said, “I’m Evelyn McCain.”
I shook her hand. “Declan Gallagher.”
Her brows shot up. “Sean’s older brother?”
Smiling, I replied, “That would be me.”
“Sorry about that,” Gavin quipped, smirking.
“Declan, this is Cadie Waterford, my girlfriend. Cadie, this is Declan, an old high school buddy of mine. He just got out of the Marines.”
I reached out for Cadie’s hand next. “It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Cadie.”
She offered a brilliant smile, and I couldn’t help but notice that she smelled like sugar and cinnamon. “The pleasure’s all mine. Thank you for your service.”
“I appreciate that, thank you.”
Turning to Brystol, I saw she was smiling as well…but she let it slip when her gaze caught on Gavin. I nearly laughed.
Then I was looking at Harper. Fuck if she wasn’t beautiful. Her dark brown hair was swept up on the sides and pinned back while the rest of her hair fell in waves over her shoulders. She wore jeans and a blue shirt, making her grayish-blue eyes pop even more.
“Hey, Harper. Girls’ night?”
Nodding, she replied, “Yep, just blowing off steam with the girls.”
“Where is Sean tonight?”
She drew back as if surprised I’d ask. “I don’t know.” Then, as if she just remembered that she should know, she added, “I mean, I think he’s doing something with his friends.”
“Well, we’ll let you guys get back to your evening while we get ours started,” Brystol said, smiling at everyone again, before giving Gavin a go-to-hell look and marching toward the other end of the rooftop bar. The rest of the women followed. Cadie had to run to catch up since she’d been busy kissing Kian goodbye.
“You’re right,” I said, looking at Gavin. “She hates you.”
“See what I mean? And I have no idea why!”
We all laughed as James shook his head and sighed. “Little brother, there’s one thing you should know by now.”
“What’s that?” Gavin asked.
“If Brystol is pissed at you, you definitely did something wrong. Very wrong.”
Kian laughed.
“I’m sorry, but nope. I didn’t do anything.”
I looked at Gavin. “You just don’t remember what it is, but you did, most certainly, do something in Brystol’s mind, at least.”
Turning to glance toward where the women were now seated, Gavin exhaled. “Why doesn’t she just tell me what it was, then?”
“Have you given her a chance to?” Kian asked. “I mean, honestly, have you actually come out and asked her in a serious way, not in a joking or poke fun way?”
Gavin ran his hand through his hair. “No, honestly, I haven’t, but I don’t care. Far as I’m concerned, she can hate me all she wants.”
I glanced over to the table and asked, “So, Sean and Harper are back together, huh?” Hoping my friends might have some insight into that little mystery.
“They are?” James and Gavin asked at the same time.
“I thought they were broken up. Harper told me they were,” Kian said, leaning forward to stare at the women’s table as well. As if feeling our eyes on her, Harper glanced over at us. She gave a wobbly smile and lifted her hand in a brief wave.
“She went to my parents’ house last week for dinner with Sean. Apparently, they’re dating again.”
“Wow,” Kian said. “That’s news to me.”
“Me too,” Gavin said. “Especially since she and I had a date a few days ago. She mentioned she was very ready to move past that phase of her life. It was a friendly date, nothing serious.”
I narrowed my eyes. I wasn’t sure if I was more upset knowing that Harper and Gavin had gone on a date, serious or not, or that she’d considered that part of her life a phase. “That phase?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I’m not sure what she meant by it, either. But we can all agree that I’m not very good at understanding women.”
We all laughed, and James held up his beer. “You’re not alone, little brother; you are not alone.”
We clinked bottlenecks, then James quickly dove into a conversation about the police force, and I tried my hardest to pay attention to what he said. Now and then, though, I’d catch a glimpse of Harper, or hear her laugh, and my heart would feel as if it were tripping over itself.
Based on what my friends had said, and the fact that Harper obviously had no clue where Sean was tonight…
Something was off—and I was going to find out what the hell it was.