Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
DECLAN
I didn’t sleep much last night, and every time I woke up after dreaming of Ruby, I had to talk myself out of not un-deleting her text. I’m not proud that I know how to do these things, but right now, as I do something as mundane as drive through town, I’m still convincing myself not to do it.
But I want to know.
I need to know.
What could she have said to the girls that she didn’t want me to know?
It has to be about the other night.
I could do it and never tell her.
But that would be considered an invasion of privacy.
Right?
Then again, the text was sent to my phone, so it’s on my property, and that means I have a right to look at it.
Plus, it was about me. That’s the only reason she would want to delete it, right?
I groan, get out of my truck, and head into our town’s small recreation center.
It’s not much, but it’s freshly remodeled and has a basketball court indoors where the boys and I meet far too many times a month than I'd like.
Only for the sole fact that it was their idea to start playing this sport I never grew up playing, yet somehow, I have managed to be a better player than the rest of them.
I’d be fine with just hanging out at someone’s house with a beer or two or even no beers, like we normally do.
I push open the front door and spot Hudson, Miles, and Luca at the front counter. The receptionist is handing them water.
“I’ll take one of those,” I say as I approach.
All three turn to look at me. They’re smiling, but it’s Luca’s massive grin that stops me in my tracks.
“What?”
They each look at each other, and then Miles slugs Luca. “Bro, you’re so damn obvious.”
Luca slugs Miles back. “I’m not obvious. Declan has no idea what we’re thinking right now.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Hudson groans. “Now you have to tell him.”
I imagine this is what it would have been like to grow up with brothers.
The teasing and arm punching. And of course, the annoying need to know what the heck Luca’s talking about.
Maybe it’s the fact that their sister is also keeping something from me.
These Ashers sure are something else.
I clear my throat. “Soooo.”
Hudson gives in. “Luca thinks you and Ruby are going to start developing feelings for each other.”
I keep my facial expression as neutral as I can.
Luca nods as if he’s waiting for me to confirm that he’s right. Miles looks like he’d rather be anywhere else, and Hudson has his arms crossed as he, too, waits for my response.
“Me”—I point to myself with my thumb—“and your sister.”
“Yeah, I thought it was stupid, too,” Miles says and heads for the court.
Is it, though? I mean, we have been living together for almost two weeks now, and the other night we almost …
“It’s not stupid,” Luca argues. “It’s fitting.”
“She’s our sister,” Miles goes on. “That’s not Declan’s style. She’s like a kid to him, and as our sister she’s off-limits.”
Ruby is far from a kid in my eyes.
“I wouldn’t say eight years makes her a kid, and are sisters off-limits?” I ask. Everyone stops to look at me.
Shit.
Why the fuck did I ask that?
“Wait for me,” Linc shouts as he comes through the doors.
His steps slow as he approaches. “What’s happening?”
“Declan just asked if sisters are off-limits,” Hudson catches him up.
“To what?” Linc asks.
“Him,” Miles answers.
Linc doesn’t answer— he simply erupts into laughter. “Considering that fact mine is taken, I’d say this is a Ruby-specific question. Are you two …”
My hands go up instantly. I’m about to get bombarded with questions.
“No. No, I was thrown off by the approach to this conversation and I wanted to clarify it, but it doesn't really matter, because I can confidently say that your sister still has a strong distaste for me.”
That might be a lie.
Maybe I would know if I just read her text.
“Boooo,” Luca says.
Miles grunts.
Hudson just keeps watching me as if I’m going to do something to give myself away.
Which, honestly, what is there to tell? I don’t even know what’s going on or if anything is going on. It could have just been a weak moment that developed from the fact that we are forced to be around each other more than normal.
Convenience. Maybe that’s all I was to her.
That’s not what she was to me.
But, what is she to me?
“Let’s just play, huh?” I suggest, moving along toward the court and letting out a breath when they all follow.
Linc jogs up to me and leans in.
“I thought Hudson had it bad with Sadie. You have three brothers to deal with.”
“I’m not … there isn’t anything happening.”
But shit, he’s right.
Dutton is already waiting for us when we get there.
“Took you guys long enough.”
“Sorry,” Luca speaks up first. “We were just discussing how—”
“Vegas,” Hudson cuts him off. “We were talking about Vegas and how I hope you are all ready to go in two days.”
Everyone seems to be fine with that answer, so we sit to change our shoes and stretch.
But of course, Luca still has more to say.
He comes up to me and speaks low enough that no one else can hear him.
“Look, I know I’m being a little extra, but I need you to know that I'd be cool with it.”
“With what?”
He gives me a look that says I'm an idiot if I’m seriously asking that.
Which is fair.
“Nothing is happening,” I repeat.
“Alright, but if that changes, just know you can tell me or talk to me or whatever.”
I nod. “Got it.”
If I talk to anyone about it, it’s going to be Ruby.
“Tell me before Miles, though. He’s a little more sensitive about Ruby, as you’re aware.
He’d never admit it, but I think it hit him the hardest when she left.
They had a different connection than the rest of us growing up.
He’s going to be picky on the next guy she dates.
It can't be anyone who could steal her from our family again.”
I know some things about Ruby’s background, but not all the details, so his comment stuns me more than I expect.
“And Hudson,” he adds, and I find myself leaning in to hear what he’s going to say. “Well, everything is different when it comes to him. He knows what it’s like to lose a part of yourself and then to meet the right person who can bring you back to life.”
Shit. That’s deep.
“What I mean is, I think that if you can show him that you and Ruby bring out the best in each other, he’d be cool about it like me.”
I chuckle.
I like knowing Ruby has her brothers looking out for her, but Luca is forgetting one big detail.
Ruby has yet to admit that we are friends. She’d never admit to us being anything more than that.
“Good to know, Luca. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now do you have anything you want to tell me?” He grins, and it makes me laugh harder.
“Nope.”
His grin falls. “Really?”
“Really. Your sister does not like me that way, or any way that I’m aware of.”
He nods, his grin slowly coming back. I should get up before he says whatever he’s thinking. This guy’s mind goes a mile a minute.
“Okay” is all he says and stands.
Wow.
I lucked out. I think.
He turns and walks backward to where the other guys are waiting.
“But …”
Here we go.
“You never said that you didn’t like her.”
Shit.
Basketball was filled with weird vibes the entire time.
But I can't blame my friends.
Even though I denied it, my mind has been filled with thoughts of us.
Me and Ruby.
I thought of her through every shot I took, through driving to the store to get her a new laptop since hers will more than likely go on the fritz again, and the entire drive home.
And it was the first thing that came to mind when I walked in the door and saw her in the kitchen.
What if something more did happen between us? What if she didn’t dislike me so much? How would our day to day go? Would she be more flirtatious with me?
But then the kids ran into the house, and those thoughts disappear.
I can’t let my attraction for Ruby chance ruining our kids’ friendship.
So the moment Ruby mentions an errand she needs to run, I offer to watch Max and Susie.
It’s sort of been an unspoken agreement between us, this helping with the kids.
Speaking of Max and Susie.
It's eerily silent in here.
I glance over my shoulder to where they ran up and down the hall maybe five minutes ago.
“Susie?” I call out. It’s not exactly a yell, but it’s louder than normal.
No response.
I rise slowly, ready to catch the two of them doing something they shouldn’t. I’ve learned the hard way that silence is never good. They might be older now, but that means nothing when a kid becomes curious.
“Max?” I call out this time and wait at the bottom of the steps.
Possibly three seconds go by before his head pokes out of one of the bedroom doors.
“Yeah, Dec?”
I stand taller and place my hands on my hips.
“What are you doing in your mom’s room? Is Susie in there?”
It’s one thing for Max to be in his mom’s room, but Susie doesn't need to intrude on Ruby’s space like that. Not when Ruby isn’t home to make the official decision.
His head disappears and then Susie’s pops out.
Just her head and neck.
They are definitely up to something in there.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” She squeaks and her instant answer is all too telling.
“Come down here.” I nod and step back so she can stand in front of me.
Susie rolls her eyes and then disappears.
“Susie, now. Max, you too.”
Am I allowed to parent him?
Ruby said she’d be only a few minutes.
I think I'm good.
Both kids finally emerge, hands behind their backs. Like two deer in headlights, they stare at me.
“What are you hiding?”
“Nothing.” This time the squeak is from Max.
It’s when they try to slink down the hall, turning their backs away from me that I grow more serious.
“Show me. You can’t go into Ruby’s room and take things that are not yours.”
“But I think these are supposed to be ours. One is blue and one is purple,” Max defends. “Like maybe an early birthday gift.”
Shit. They were snooping.
“Then you really shouldn’t take it. If it’s a gift, she should get to see you open it, bud.”
I hold my hand out.