Chapter 22 #2
Declan’s hand reaches out, and he pulls me into a hug.
I soak his shoulder with tears because that’s the first time I’ve ever told the story out loud.
My parents don’t know, Jordan doesn’t know, nobody knows any of it.
As far as they’re all concerned, I had a one-night stand with a stranger and never saw the guy again.
I have no idea why I just told Declan all of this, why he was the one I chose to divulge this information to, but it feels good getting it out. Really good in fact.
One of his hands cradles the back of my head, and the other rubs circles on my upper back, just like how he did with Autumn when she had her night terror. My body relaxes into his touch, and he holds me until I calm down.
When I finally pull away to wipe my nose with my sweatshirt sleeve, Declan is looking at me with a stone-cold sober expression.
“If you signed an NDA, that means his dad, or mom, must have been someone powerful.” I don’t confirm or deny, I just look down and fiddle with my sweatshirt sleeves.
“Has anyone contacted you about it since?”
I shake my head. “No.” And I hope they never do. It will be a cold day in hell if I ever see Autumn’s father again, or if his family ever tries to come for me.
“I almost got rid of her,” I whisper to Declan.
“The day after I told him, I went to a clinic. I sat in the waiting room, thinking about how it could have happened with such an awful human being. I was on birth control at the time, and he used a condom. It shouldn’t have been possible.
But when the nurse called my name, I just stared at her, thinking about how, on God’s green Earth, could this tiny little thing make it through two forms of birth control?
I walked out of the clinic with tears running down my face, but with my mind made up.
It wouldn’t have mattered if anyone came knocking at my door to make me sign an NDA because I was never going to tell a soul whose baby it was.
It might not have been my dream to be a teenage mom, but I was willing to sacrifice for the tiny little human growing inside of me. ”
Declan pulls me to his side and wraps an arm around my shoulders, and I lean my head against his frame.
I would pay good money to know what he’s thinking right now, but he’s quiet as can be.
I don’t think he thinks less of me because of this, but if people knew, they would tell me I was naive and stupid.
And I know I was. But I got the smartest, most beautiful little girl out of the whole mess, and I would live through it a thousand times over just to have Autumn in my life, no matter who her father is.
“You should cash the check they gave you. Set up a college fund for Autumn. It shouldn’t go to waste.”
I look up at him. “I’ve thought about it, but I just haven’t done it yet. It feels like dirty money, you know?”
“You’re owed that money. Autumn is owed that money. Don’t think of it as dirty, think of it as a fuck you to them for emotionally fucking you over when you were going through one of the most challenging times of your life.”
I’ve never thought of it like that before.
I’ve always looked at that cashier’s check like if I didn’t cash it, I was sticking it to the man.
But I think Declan is right, Autumn is owed that money, and I could use some of it to pay back my parents for the things they’ve freely given us over the years.
It’s a two-hundred-thousand-dollar cashier’s check that doesn’t expire, and I’ve been sitting on it like a fucking idiot when I could have put half away for Autumn and invested the other half.
“You’re right,” I tell him. “Thank you.”
He gives me a squeeze and then stands up and takes our plates to the sink. He grabs the ice cream out of the freezer and opens a cupboard door to pull out a bag. “So, I wasn’t sure what kind of chocolate you liked, but I bought one of everything. And I got extra Oreos to put in the ice cream, too.”
“Wow. I’m going to go into a sugar coma by the end of the night.”
He smiles and then reaches into the bag, pulling out a little teddy bear holding a heart. “This is for Autumn. I wasn’t sure what to get her, but I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a teddy bear.”
My heart flutters. “She’ll love it.”
“I got you something too,” he says as he brings everything to the living room.
“You got me something?” I say incredulously. “But I didn’t get you anything.”
“I’m a man, I don’t need anything. Plus, what I got you isn’t a physical gift. At least not right now.”
I furrow my brows, and he sits down on the floor next to me, reaching into his pocket. He pulls out a card, and I notice it’s the coffee shop and tattoo shop shared card. “Okay…”
“Look on the back.”
I turn the card over, and it has Declan’s handwriting on it. It says, “One free tattoo.”
I gasp. “A tattoo… seriously?! I’ve always wanted a tattoo.”
He gives me a dimpled smile. “There’s a catch, though. I get to pick what you’re getting, and you don’t get to see it until it’s done. I also get to pick the location on your body.”
My eyes go wide. “But I really wanted ‘Boner Garage’ tattooed above my pussy,” I faux pout.
His eyes narrow. “You want that just as much as I want ‘Pussy Tamer’ above my dick.”
I grab the ice cream off the coffee table.
“Ew. Touché. But I’m so excited. I’ve always wanted one but could never think of anything concrete to get.
I trust you, though,” I tell him honestly as I wrap my mouth around a spoonful of ice cream.
He doesn’t know this, but I’ve stalked the Blank Canvas Ink website to check out his work.
He’s stupidly talented, and I know he would never steer me wrong.
He grins and grabs the second spoon, digging into the ice cream too.
I’m curled up to Declan’s side, with his arm thrown around me, as we finish the movie. “Do you need to go home?” he asks as the credits roll.
“Um, no? My parents are taking Autumn to school in the morning from their house. Why?”
“Stay with me,” he whispers. I go to say no, but he says, “Just sleep. Nothing else.”
I search his eyes and he gives me a trusting, warm smile. “Okay,” I say back. I’m not sure if this is a good idea, but I don’t want to be alone right now either.
We clean up our mess in the living room, and he lets me borrow an unopened toothbrush, so I don’t have to go next door to get mine.
When we get into his room, he pulls the covers back and I crawl in on one side, setting my phone on the nightstand. He sheds his sweatshirt but keeps his T-shirt on, turns off the lights, and climbs in next to me, pulling me over so my head is on his chest and our legs are intertwined.
This feels like more than a friendly embrace, but also doesn’t.
The warmth emanating from his body makes me feel safe and, dare I say, loved.
The kind of love you feel for the important people in your life.
Our friendship means the world to me, and even though we don’t have the benefits part of it anymore, I’m glad I can call him my friend.
“Is your ringer turned up in case Autumn needs you?” he asks.
Oh, my heart. “It is.”
“Hey, Penny?” I look up at him, and he cradles my head in his hand and moves his face towards mine.
I don’t have the will to stop him, and a moment later, his lips brush mine in a gentle caress.
I open my mouth for him and our tongues tangle, tasting each other for just a moment before he pulls back and whispers, “Happy Valentine’s Day. ”
My heart skips a beat. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”