Chapter Ten – Declan
Declan
I immediately wanted to drive away when I pulled up to my parents’ house and saw Sean’s car. He was the last person I wanted to see today because I was getting more and more agitated with his and Harper’s whole situation.
One week ago today, I’d stood on Harper’s rooftop and watched the sunset with her. I’d been trying to avoid her since then…which wasn’t hard because it was clear she was also avoiding me, as well. While walking down Main Street the other day, heading to my apartment, I saw Harper outside, watering her plants and flowers. She took one look at me, turned off the hose, and rushed into her shop.
Something had happened that night on the roof for both of us, and I was conflicted about what to do. I just knew deep down inside that something was off with Sean and Harper.
Glancing back at the house, I stared at the front door. There was only one way to find out what that something was.
“Fuck it,” I muttered, as I turned off my truck, climbed out, and started for the front door. I could hear Sean’s voice the second I walked in. He was talking to my father, and they both glanced over at me when I shut the door.
“Declan. What brings you by?” Dad asked with a wide grin.
I shrugged. “Just wanted to stop in and say hi.”
“Well, your mother will be thrilled. Both her boys, dropping by out of the blue. She’s in my office at the moment, talking to Viola and Caroline about a surprise birthday party for Crystal.”
Sean perked up. “Caroline’s here?”
Now my father and I both looked at him .
“What’s your obsession with Caroline?” I asked.
“Excuse me?” Sean replied with a nervous tone to his voice. “I’m not obsessed with her.”
“Really? Because you seemed to pay more attention to her at the anniversary dinner than your girlfriend.”
Sean lifted a brow. “You paying that close of attention to who I’m talking to, Declan? Jealous, are you?”
“Boys,” my dad warned.
I barked out a laugh. “You think I’m jealous of you ?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Are you kidding me right now? If anything, I’m wondering why in the hell Harper would ever date you in the first place, let alone get back together with you after you dumped her.”
Sean pointed at me. “Shut the fuck up, Declan. You don’t know anything about Harper.”
“I know a prick like you doesn’t deserve her. You can’t even hide your feelings for another woman in front of her. Even Dad noticed.”
My father put his hands up. “Do not bring me into this.”
“What do you mean, Dad noticed?” Sean asked, glancing at our father. “Dad?”
Our father shook his head. “Nope, I’m not getting in the middle.”
Sean studied me for a moment—then he laughed. “Holy shit! You’ve got a thing for Harper, don’t you? It must really kill you that she’s with me.”
I’d managed to keep my anger at bay to this point…and, if I was honest with myself, the jealousy over Sean being with Harper. But with that nasty, smug look he was giving me, the dam broke.
I launched myself at my brother, causing him to stumble backward. He turned in an attempt to get away, but I was too quick. I took him to the floor and managed to hit him square in the face, before he caught me on my jaw.
The sound of our mother screaming caused us both to freeze.
“What are you doing? Declan Gallagher, get off your brother right now!”
My mother—who was all of five-feet, three-inches tall—towered over us with her hands on her hips, her face full of anger and disappointment.
“Get up off that floor! I didn’t raise you two to fight with each other like this. And you’re grown men, for crying out loud!”
I pushed off of Sean and stood, straightening my shirt. Sean did the same, then ran a hand through his precious hair, which was never out of place.
“What in the world is going on?” Mom asked Dad.
Holding his hands up again, he replied, “I’m not getting involved.”
Sean cleared his throat. “It’s nothing, Mom.”
“It’s nothing ?” I repeated, still just as angry as before. “You don’t deserve her, Sean. Not one bit!”
Confused, my mother looked between us. “Doesn’t deserve who?”
I turned and started toward the door. Without looking back, I barked, “Harper.”
I sat in my truck in the back parking lot of Memory Lane Toys, trying to figure out how in the hell I’d snapped like I had with my brother. Dropping my head back, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply.
A knock on my window caused me to jerk my head up. To my surprise, Harper was standing there, a smile on her face. I grabbed my keys and opened the door.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, a look of concern on her beautiful face.
“Yeah, it’s been a long day.”
She nodded. “Listen, are you busy?”
Smiling slightly, I leaned against my truck. “Why? Do you need help making arrangements?”
Laughing, she shook her head. “No, I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes. Maybe invite you up for a glass of wine or a beer.”
“A beer sounds really fucking good right about now.”
Her eyes drifted down to my chin, and she frowned. “Is your chin bruised?”
I reached up and winced. Fucking asshole got in a good one. “Yeah, but I’m fine.”
This time, Harper’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Well, let’s head up to my place, then we can make our way up to the rooftop. Sound good?”
Nodding, I motioned with my hand. “Lead the way.”
I followed Harper as we walked to the back door of the flower shop, then through the back area and up the steps to her apartment. She unlocked the door…and my heart started to pound in my chest. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous to be in her home.
That was a lie. I did know why I was nervous. I’d had a thing for this woman for far too long, and now I was alone with her in her apartment, and all I wanted to do was kiss her.
But first, I needed to know what in the hell was going on with her and Sean.
Harper dropped her purse and keys on the table and went to the refrigerator. I glanced around the large, open space. It was decorated in soft shades of green, blue, and gray. The furniture looked comfortable, like Harper was more concerned about having cozy places to sit rather than pieces that made a statement. There was a sofa and a giant chair that looked like it could easily fit four people. The latter sat next to windows that faced Main Street.
A small orange and white, long-haired cat was curled up on the massive seat cushion, and I walked over to it. The moment it saw me, she stretched and started to purr.
“I didn’t know you had a cat.”
Harper laughed. “Neither did I until yesterday when she followed me up the steps and into my apartment. She’s been in that chair ever since. Well, I did take her to the vet this morning. She’s young, just a few months old. No chip or anything and a bit underweight.”
“You’re going to keep her?” I asked, stroking the little kitten and smiling when her purr grew louder.
“I think so. It’s kind of lonely living by myself, and I don’t really have time for a dog. I didn’t think I was a cat person until she snuggled up with me in bed last night.”
Lucky kitten.
“What’s her name?”
Harper handed me the beer and looked at the little furball. “I’ve been calling her Kitten. That’s what the vet put down as well. I’m a terrible fur mom already.”
I laughed and picked up the kitten with my free hand. Her little blue eyes looked into mine, and I smiled. “What about Daisy?”
Harper tilted her head and studied the little cat. “I like that name. It fits her and the situation.”
Kissing the little bugger on the head, I set her back down. She turned in a circle and laid back down.
“Guess that was it for introductions,” Harper laughed. “Do you want to head up to the roof?”
“Sure.”
We walked up the steps in silence. A large open area held an oversized chair and bookcases, all filled with books.
“My room is down this short hall, and the other rooms are down that way. The bathroom’s there, as well, if you need to use it.”
I nodded. “Sounds good.”
Harper headed to the short set of steps that led to the roof, and I followed. Once we were outside, she went to the sofa and sat down. I headed to the edge of the roof and looked down over Main Street. “They’re getting ready for the block party, I see.”
“Are you working this weekend? I’d assume you would be. What with the block party and the scavenger hunt.”
I turned and leaned against the railing. “God, I used to love doing the scavenger hunts. That and the apple festival were always two of my favorite things.”
Harper smiled as she tucked her legs up under her.
“Do they still do the dog parade?”
“For Halloween?” she asked. “Yep. And the Halloween Fright Fest. That was always my favorite.”
“Man,” I said, slowly shaking my head. “I didn’t realize how much I missed this place. I’ve got to be honest, it doesn’t feel like much has changed since I left.”
Watching me closely, Harper asked, “Is that a bad thing or a good thing?”
I thought about my answer. “It’s a good thing. I think. At least, that’s my answer right now. Ask me in about six months if it’s still the same.”
She chuckled.
We held a comfortable silence for a few minutes, until Harper cleared her throat, swung her legs out, and sat up straight. “Declan, I need to tell you something.”
Her voice was serious, and that worried me. Ever since the news of Hope Turner having cancer, I was a bit on edge. I didn’t even know the woman, but since learning she had a child under two and her chances of beating the cancer were pretty low, something had shifted inside me. Some of the things I used to think were important didn’t seem so vital anymore. And if I was truthful with myself, the thought of someone I loved getting cancer scared the living shit out of me.
“Is everything okay? Are you okay?”
Confused for a moment, Harper nodded. “Um, yeah. I’m fine. This is about Sean.”
My heart started to beat a bit faster. “What about him?”
She chewed nervously on her lower lip before finally blurting, “We’re not dating.”
The relief that coursed through my body was palpable. I just hoped it wasn’t showing on the outside.
“Sean came to me with this stupid idea of pretending to date again so that your mother would get off his back about Crystal. She wants them together.”
“That’s not new news.”
Harper shrugged. “Anyway, one of the reasons Sean broke up with me was because he was in love with someone else.”
That caused me to lean forward a bit, in anticipation of learning who this person was…though I was sure I already knew. “If it’s not Crystal, then…” My words trailed off, and Harper gave me a look before I said, “Caroline.”
Harper tapped her nose. “Yep. Except, she started dating someone. And your brilliant brother thought if we pretended to date, it would get both his mother off his back and possibly make Caroline jealous.”
“And you actually agreed to do this for him?”
A wicked smile crossed her face. “For season tickets to the Giants. Yes, I did.”
It took a second for her words to register—then I started to laugh. “You bribed him?”
“Hell yes, I did. If I was going to have to pretend to date his ass again, I wanted to be rewarded handsomely. I’m not exactly a fan of Sean’s anymore.”
“I noticed. Honestly, I knew something was off.”
She screwed up her face in the most adorable way. “Was it the trip?”
“That, and just the way you acted around him, in general. It seemed like he was constantly getting under your skin.”
“That’s because he does. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to bitch-slap him. I also think he’s a pussy—pardon my language—for not standing up to your mother.”
“No offense taken because you aren’t wrong. No one else knows?”
“Oh, I’ve told all my closest friends. And my family. There is no way they’d believe I was back with Sean, and I didn’t want them to.”
Then I remembered the day Mayor Browning came into the flower shop. “Now that day with your dad makes so much more sense.”
She let out a soft laugh, and I loved the sound. I wanted to hear more of it, and see more of that smile that seemed to light up the whole roof.
“I felt so terrible about lying to you.”
“Why?” I asked, genuinely curious.
Harper shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve liked our time together, and it didn’t feel right to keep it from you.”
I winked. “I liked it too. And I hated the idea that you were dating my brother again.”
She leaned forward slightly. “Really?”
“Yes, really! I hated it the first time around, and this time was even worse.”
Harper blinked rapidly a few times and stood. “Wait—does that mean you liked me before you left for the Marines?”
I let out a humorless laugh as I shook my head. “Harper, I’ve liked you since you were about fourteen years old, and I was a senior in high school.”
Her eyes went wide. “But…but I was so overweight back then.”
“I thought you were perfect.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and she quickly blinked them back. “ What? ”
I set my beer on the table and stepped toward her. Harper turned, and when she looked up at me with those big, hauntingly beautiful eyes, I nearly fell to the floor.
“You thought I was perfect, but you never said anything?”
“You were younger than me, and I knew I’d be leaving for the Marines. It wouldn’t have been fair of me to expect you to wait around.”
She shook her head slowly. “I’m still younger than you.”
I grinned. “True…but if I make love to you now, I won’t get thrown in jail.”
A bubble of nervous laughter slipped from her mouth, and her cheeks turned red. God, I wanted to do things to her with my hands and mouth that made her whole body turn that shade.
“I…I thought I felt something between us, but I was too young to know for sure. Then this whole stupid thing with your brother, and I…”
Cupping her face in my hands, I pressed my forehead to hers. “I have something to tell you , as well.”
“Yeah?” she whispered.
“Sean and I got into it at my parents’ house earlier today…and I punched him in the face.”
She stepped back. “You did? Why?”
“I told him he didn’t deserve you. And honestly, I’ve been wanting to hit my brother since he first asked you out years ago.”
Harper laughed. “Did you make up?”
“Um, no. I stormed out. And I’m sure my mother will have a barrage of questions.”
Groaning, Harper turned and went back to the sofa and sat down. “I texted Sean and told him I couldn’t do this anymore. I didn’t tell him why , but…it’s because I wanted to be honest with you about my feelings.”
“How’s that going to work? Will you break up your fake relationship?”
“I think Sean needs to tell your mom and dad the truth. I told him if he doesn’t, I will.”
I sat down across from her. “Do me a favor, will you?”
“Sure.”
“Be sure I’m there if you’re the one to do it. I don’t want to miss this.”