30. Declan
DECLAN
“No, really, I insist on taking you to breakfast. You don’t need to cook for me.”
Astrid gives me a little grin. “Oh no, I really want to. Isn’t that a good wifely thing to do
I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her. “You’re doing just fine on your wifely duties,” I tease.
She presses her ass back against me and wiggles. “I’m glad you think so.”
The sex was awesome. Finally being with her like that was physically incredible, of course. But seeing this lightness about her the day after, knowing the emotional weight that has lifted from her, is even more satisfying.
“Who needs breakfast anyway?” I say, squeezing her waist.
She laughs. “Uh, me, actually. I’m starving.” She gives me an adorable smile over her shoulder. “I burned a lot of calories last night.”
I growl against her neck. “Yeah, you fucking did.” I kiss her neck. “And I guess you should eat, because I intend for you to burn a lot more today.”
She turns in my arms. “Today? During the day?” She gives me a fake scandalized look.
I back her up against the counter and press my hard cock against her belly. “Morning, noon, afternoon, evening…”
She pulls me down for a kiss. “Got it. And I’m fully on board. If we can stop in between for food.”
I laugh and step back. “Fine. But food other people cook.”
“I do actually cook. Well, kind of,” she says. “You know I ruined the gravy on purpose, right?”
“I do know that. But I also know that you have led a very privileged life, practically a princess even before you married me, and cooks did a lot of work before you met Miles, who then did a lot of work.” I pause, then add.
“I also know Bruce got you banned from the grocery store here unless you follow some rules.”
She looks surprised for a second before she realizes that there are no secrets in this town. “I think Bruce just does that to drum up business, and I intend to take it to the City Council.”
“Let me guess. The City Council is made up of people he went to high school with, people he’s related to, or people who he’s cooked for when they’ve broken legs, lost loved ones, or worked extra shifts. And hasn’t charged them in any of those instances?”
She smiles. “Or people who check all of those boxes.”
I chuckle. “Bruce can do whatever he wants when it comes to food in this town.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go to Bruce’s.”
It takes us another hour and a half to get out of the house though, because why shower separately when you can shower together?
When we step through the door at Perks and Rec, and everyone turns to face us, my first thought is, this is normal. I’ve never come through that door without the entire place turning to look.
But then I register the fact that they look…different.
This isn’t curiosity or humor. Or censure.
This is…shock?
The entire place is shocked about something? What’s going on?
“Uh, hey, guys,” Nora suddenly appears in front of us. Alex is right behind her.
They both look concerned.
What the hell is going on?
“Hi.” Astrid says it hesitantly. She has clearly noticed the vibe in the room seems off as well. “What’s going on?” she asks, her voice dropping.
“You haven’t been answering your texts,” Nora says.
We look at one another. “We’ve been distracted,” Astrid says.
Nora flashes us a genuine smile for just a second. “Oh, that’s good!” Then she remembers there’s a problem. “But something happened. With Declan’s grandfather.”
My heart stops for a moment, and Astrid gasps.
“Oh God, no,” Nora says quickly. “Sorry! He’s fine. I mean really fine. That’s what he’s telling everyone. Everyone,” she emphasizes.
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“There you are!”
We turn as Iris and Miles come through the door.
“What the hell, Declan?” Iris demands. “You answer my calls when I tell you it’s about Cara.”
“I don’t even have my phone with me,” I tell her, patting my pockets. Huh, I must have left it at home.
She gives me a look that says that is no fucking excuse.
It’s also highly unusual.
Astrid is the best distraction from everything.
“So glad I stayed in town.” This comes from Maggie Collins, who has risen from one of the tables across the room and approached our little group.
“Same.” Scott Stevens is right behind her.
Fantastic. The media is still in town.
I don’t know what this is about, but if they’re excited about it, I can already say, fuck.
“Shall we take this outside?” I ask, directing the question to Iris, who clearly knows it all and is perhaps the best person to decide how to handle whatever this is.
“Everyone here already knows all about it,” Maggie says. “Your grandfather made the statement hours ago. Everyone here has read or watched it, and Nora and Alex have been unable to deny it.”
Nora looks extremely uncomfortable right now. “I’m a terrible liar,” she says almost apologetically.
Alex rests a hand on the back of her neck. “No one’s asking you to lie, Wildflower,” he says. He pins me with a look. “Right? We wouldn’t put Nora in the position of lying to everyone she knows and loves.”
I frown. “Of course not.”
“So you confirm that you and Astrid are actually in an arranged marriage? Just a marriage of convenience? And that it was never real?”
Fuuuuuck.
“Why would you ask me that?” I ask Maggie. Then I glance at Iris and Miles.
Miles has moved closer to Astrid, who looks very pale suddenly. Iris just shakes her head.
“Because that’s what your grandfather said,” Maggie says.
“Would you like to read it? Or watch the video?” Scott holds out his phone.
“Highlights,” I say tightly to Iris.
Iris shoots a glare at the two reporters. “None of this is on the record.” She looks pointedly at Scott’s phone.
He puts his hands up in surrender. “Fine, fine.” He tucks his phone in his pocket.
Iris holds out her hand. “No way. You could still be recording.”
Scott sighs and hands his phone over. Iris inspects it. Then puts it in her pockets. She also holds her hand out to Maggie. Maggie surrenders her phone as well.
“And the little recorder,” Iris says.
Maggie gives the recording device up as well.
Then Iris looks at Astrid and me. “Diarmuid saw you and Astrid interviewed last night before the game.” She frowns at Scott. “The stuff he recorded. You looked tense and upset.”
Astrid and I had just come down from her office. After the attempt at sex that hadn’t worked. We were tense and upset.
“Then he saw the game,” Iris continues. “He said it was all completely out of character for you.”
Fair enough. No one has ever seen me do anything like that.
But I’ve never been in love before.
Or played bonkers hockey before.
“He said it was a clear message to him that you are not, and never will, take any of this seriously and you are both, obviously, unhappy.”
My brows arch. “Wait, what? He thought the game last night and us singing together was a sign that we’re unhappy?”
Iris shrugs. “Yes. He said that you were clearly acting out. Trying to get his attention.”
Oh my God. My grandfather has always been dramatic. And a bit of a narcissist, thinking everything has something to do with him.
“Last night had nothing to do with trying to get his attention,” I say for the reporters’ sakes. Iris, Miles, Nora, and Alex know this.
“He also announced that you’re leaving for Cara tomorrow,” Iris continues.
“That’s true,” I say.
“He said you renovated Astrid’s house, a sure sign that she’s staying in Rebel and that you’re fine with it,” Iris continues. “He said instead of trying to talk her into returning to Portland, you’re obviously supportive of her hockey team and her life in Rebel.”
“I am. But—” I look at Astrid. “How is that bad?”
“He doesn’t think there’s any way you would stay in Rebel.”
Instinctively, I slip my arm around Astrid’s waist and pull her against my side as I feel a cold pit land in my stomach.
“What else?” I ask, knowing there’s more.
“He said that he loves you both, and after thinking about it and realizing that it’s been a year and a half and you’re not even living in the same town, he can no longer insist on this marriage continuing.” She takes a breath and looks around the café.
No one is even moving. Not even picking up a cup for a sip of coffee.
“He told everyone about his heart attack, the poker game with Alfred, and the way you two stepped up and got married.”
“He told everyone?” I repeat.
“You can watch it online,” Scott says.
“Oh my god,” Astrid says softly.
Iris takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders and says, “He also confessed that he and Alfred were actually in love. Romantically in love. For obvious reasons—the fact that he was king, mostly—they could not be together. But he knows what it’s like to live a life with someone you’re not truly, fully in love with. So he has set you both free.”
I hear Astrid’s little sound of surprise. And maybe pain.
I look down. She’s staring at Iris as if Iris just slapped her across the face.
I knew about Diarmuid and Alfred being in love. Alfred had shared that with me at one point toward the end of his life. I didn’t know how many other people in the family knew about it. But I didn’t feel it was my secret to tell, and it didn’t really change anything for anyone.
But I’m shocked that my grandfather has come out. To the entire world.
All of that is rolling around in my head, and it takes me a moment for the rest of what Iris said to sink in. “What do you mean he has set us free?”
Iris nods. “Diarmuid has annulled your marriage.”
I…have no idea what to do or say to that.
“He…what?”
“Wait…already?” Astrid says.
“So is it true?” Maggie asks. “That this is just an arrangement between you? Just to make him happy? Is that why you live apart?” She looks at Scott. “God, that makes so much sense.”
“I think you have to understand my grandfather—” I start.
I feel Astrid squeeze me, and I stop and look down at her. She bites her bottom lip then gives me a look that I can’t fully decipher, but she clearly wants to say something.
I blow out a breath. I’m going to let her take this.
She looks at Maggie and Scott, then out over the entire restaurant.
“It is true.”