Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
RUBY
It’s officially been one week since we got home from Vegas, and I don’t think I can keep this secret for much longer.
The tension at home is painful, and Declan and I keep finding ourselves in these little moments.
His hand brushes my back while we pass each other in the kitchen or I look up from my work at the kitchen table to find him watching me.
Or we are watching a movie with the kids and his arm finds its way to the back of the couch and his fingers play with my hair.
Just being in the same room as him is tempting, and I swear—I swear—that despite how casually he left things in that hotel room, he’s finding any reason to touch me.
Not to mention the way he compliments me on everything I do.
It’s … he’s … I don’t know what to do anymore.
Do I tell him that I take it back? What if he doesn’t agree because it’s complicated? Do I just keep going how we are and pray neither of us snaps and ruins everything?
Which is why I have decided that keeping it bottled up is the wrong answer and, if I share my worries with the ones I trust the most, maybe I can get different perspectives and decide how to proceed.
Declan and Susie have only seven more weeks with us, and I don’t want to ruin the rest of the summer by making the wrong choice.
Like always, I walk right into Brooke’s house as if I own it.
I make a mimosa, grab a turkey and pesto sandwich Brooke made, and join the girls outside on the back patio.
Shay wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed home.
Quinn is telling us why she will be gone for only two weeks on her next trip—apparently, that’s the time limit on how long she and Miles can be separated.
It’s cute.
I’m happy my brother found her.
I down my mimosa, stand to make another, then notice all eyes are on me.
“What?”
They exchange glances with each other, and Sadie smirks.
“Is everything okay?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod, but it quickly turns into a head shake. “I need advice.”
I flop back into my seat, leaning my head onto the back of the couch, where I close my eyes.
“Declan and I had sex in Vegas, and we agreed to keep it there, but now I’m not so sure that’s what I want. He seems to be fine with it, or at least, he’s hiding it better than me.”
“Wow,” Sadie says. “This is huge.”
“I know, and it’s complicated for so many reasons, but I was so wrong about him, you guys. I hate that I disliked him for so long.”
“Aww,” Grace says and then rests her chin in her hands. “So, what now?”
“That’s what I need advice for. I don’t know how to go about this. I’m sure he has his reasons for why this couldn’t go on, but I don’t know what they are. We just agreed.”
“Then I say that’s where you start.” Brooke nods. “What are your reasons?”
“The kids for one, and …”
“And …” Quinn encourages me.
“I don’t want people to think that I only like men who have money.”
All of them erupt into laughter.
“Who cares what people think?” Sadie asks. “If he makes you happy, I think you need to talk to him.”
She makes it sound so easy.
I wish I didn’t care so much what other people think of me, but I spent so long trying to impress Colt’s parents that somewhere along the way, it’s now a part of me.
I don’t want it to be part of me.
No one can fix that but me.
“I think you should go for it.” Brooke grins.
Sadie nods. “Me too.”
“Same.”
“Agreed.”
“If he were just some guy you had a crush on, you wouldn’t come looking for advice. But this is Declan. That man had eyes for you the first time I saw you two in a room together.”
“No, he didn’t,” I say and can feel my cheeks warm from blushing.
“Yes, he did.”
I try to hide the smile on my face.
“He’s a really good dad, and he’s kind and thoughtful. Living with him has been much easier than I thought, and I get excited that he’s there. It makes me sad to think they will move out eventually. I like having him near me.”
“And you trust him?” Quinn asks.
Her question takes me by surprise, but not for the reason you’d think. It surprises me because I don’t have to think twice when I say, “Yes, I do.”
Sadie squeals with a clap.
Quinn’s phone rings, interrupting the conversation, but that’s okay.
I know what I need to do.
I need to forget what everyone is saying or thinking about me and focus on me and Declan only. Who I want to be and who I think we could be.
It’s easier said than done, but there’s only one way to give it a chance.
An unfamiliar car is parked outside the house when I get home a couple of hours later.
I pull into the garage then head inside; the noise of two kids laughing hits me the moment I open the door.
All eyes shift to me
“You must be Ruby!” An older woman with gray hair cut into a bob rushes toward me.
An older man sitting next to Declan on the couch chuckles.
“Now, dear, don’t overwhelm her. This is her house, and she didn’t know we were coming.”
“They just showed up maybe ten minutes ago,” Declan adds.
“Declan’s mom and dad brought cookies!” Max says between bites.
“And presents!” Susie adds, pointing to a couple of new games on the table.
Declan’s mother wraps me in a hug and holds tight. “I’m just so happy to finally meet you in person. I’ve heard so much about you.”
I shift my gaze to Declan, who has his head down, shaking it back and forth.
“Not that much, Mom.”
“A little from you but mostly from Susie.”
His mother pulls back and holds me at the shoulders. “You truly are an amazing woman, and this little girl looks up to you. Not to mention you helping my son out when he needed it. I’m not so sure there is anything a mother can do to repay you.”
She turns and grabs the cookie tray. “I baked these for you.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” I say as Declan’s dad stands.
“I’m Troy, and this is my wife, Emma.”
“Oh gosh, where are my manners? I never even told you my name. I’m so nervous,” Emma looks over her shoulder at Declan. “She’s so gorgeous. You forgot to mention that. Lord knows, you have two good eyes and can see it.”
Declan rolls those good eyes and grins.
I break out into a laugh as Troy shakes my hand.
For a brief moment, I’d feared meeting Declan’s parents, thinking they would be too similar to the last ones I met, but I was wrong. So incredibly wrong.
“Would you two like to stay for dinner?” I ask, not just because it’s the polite thing to do but because getting to know them is something I very much want right now.
“Oh, we don’t want to intrude.”
“You’re not,” I rush out when I see Declan beginning to reply. “Let me whip up something real quick.”
“I’ll help,” Emma says, and we head for the kitchen, both kids right behind us.
Troy excuses himself to use the restroom.
I take this moment to move closer to the man I’ve been falling for.
He stands as I approach and leans in close.
“Are you sure this is okay? They just showed up. Said they wanted to see me since they barely saw me before Vegas.”
“It’s more than okay.” I rub my hand down his arm.
His gaze drifts to where we touch and then flickers to mine.
Our fingers touch and he doesn’t pull away. I lace our fingers together.
The smile he gives me is like an electric current to my heart, which begins to race.
“Where are you—” Emma's voice startles us, and I pull my hand away from his.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Carry on.” His mother steps into the living room and then smiles as she walks out.
We both laugh, and Declan is right behind me as we head toward the kitchen, his hand on my lower back the entire way.
Now isn’t the right time to tell him about the choices I made while I was with the girls, but this moment right here tells me that maybe I’m not alone in my thoughts.