Chapter Twenty-Four
NowI can get some work done. Before Casey leaves at six, she sticks her head through my open office door. “I have that charity thing tonight. Are you good?”
I don’t sense any tension or issues with her. Nothing…different. “I’m good. Have fun.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Next time I sign up for one of these things, please do me a favor and smack me.”
I laugh, because she says that every time. Then she smiles and holds up a hand in a wave before she takes off.
Maybe everythingiscopacetic.
I don’t know.
My plan is to work until seven, which will give me plenty of time to go home, eat, and prepare for Declan’s arrival.
I cannotfucking wait.
Just to be safe, I text Aussie to make sure she isn’t planning on stopping by tonight and tellher I have work stuff I’m doing. She says no problem.
We’re pulling through the entrance to my development when I realize I should’ve asked Declan to stop and get lube and condoms, because it’s not like that’s something I can easily buy for myself.
I mean, I can order them through Amazon and have them delivered, but I can’t stop by a grocery store. Just what I need showing up on some gossipnews site, or circulating on Facebook and Twitter—pics of me buying rubbers and lube.
It’s bad enough Istillget love letters a few times a week, e-mails and actual snail-mail, from mostly women—and the occasional man—who want to go out with me, or who even propose to me.
Ew.
I’m flattered they think I’m handsome, although I’m sure at least a few of them have ulterior motives, but no. Notgoing out with someone who might also be proposing to jailed serial killers, or randos on the Internet.
At first, Casey didn’t even tell me about those. It wasn’t until three or four months after my return she finally told me about them. Rightfully, she’d been afraid of that overwhelming me in bad, dark ways.
It would have.
That’s just one of countless reasons why I need that woman in my life.
Again, I feel conflicted.
I do need her.
But I need Declan, too.
I eat, tidy up around the house, and even change the sheets to prepare for tonight. I pre-position a couple of towels, the implements I want to use on him, the bottle of lube Case gave me the other night, which still has a little in it, but we’re going to need a lot more than that.
Alotmore.
Case has texted me a few timeson her personal cell from the event. This is something else she frequently does with me, leading me to believe everything really is okay. Right now, she’s bored, she’s snarky, she doesn’t want to be there, and it’s making her cranky because she has to wear her public face. While she’ll be a plus-one for one of her string of boyfriends, she rarely takes a plus-one to these events, unless it’s somethingwe both can attend. Then we’re each other’s plus-one. Sometimes she takes Declan, and in retrospect I realize she only does that with work-related events, or campaign events where it would make sense for her to be seen there with him.
He’s definitely her secret as much as he is mine.
Still, she’s said nothing to me today about Declan.
At 8:55 I’m starting to pace, hoping he actually shows up,wondering if he’s going to be late, if something’s happened, if—
I see headlights sweep across the foyer windows and I hurry to the door to look out the viewfinder.
It’s him.
I’m practically dancing in place as he gets out, grabs a garment bag, overnight bag, and his laptop case from the backseat of his car, and heads toward the front porch. He’s still dressed for work, blazer and everything,although he’s loosened his tie. I time it to open the door before he can even reach to ring the bell. I grab his hand, drag him inside, and slam the door shut behind him, locking it.
