There’s something both freeing and kind of strange about this moment. Declan now knows more about me than any of the other siblings. How is it that one of the ones who was the most hostile has managed to get all that information out of me? Oh, that's right, he almost gave me an orgasm last night. Maybe I’m feeling just a little bit warmer toward him even though he did deny me in the end. Honestly, if I had put bets on who I’d confide in first, I would’ve put my money on Kai. But there’s something… almost nice about talking to Declan when he’s just being a normal human being.
The drive is true to the GPS’ estimation, taking about six hours, and we spend the time chatting on and off about different things, only taking breaks for lunch, horse checks, and gassing up. I discover that Declan scuba dives and loves cars. Apparently, a few of the fancier ones in the garage are his. He asks me more about my love of abandoned buildings, and I try to interrogate him about the count’s home. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to know that much. The count had disappeared by the time Brad had adopted him, so he never got to meet him.
The last hour or so of the ride is quiet, with Declan looking like he’s deep in thought, so I open my book up again and read the rest of the story. At one stage, I read an entire scandalous scene, constantly looking between the pages and him to make sure he isn’t somehow reading over my shoulder. Reading sex scenes in public always makes me feel so fucking shifty, but this time, it’s a little different. It might make the scene even hotter, knowing that Declan’s right next to me while I’m reading through an orgy.
Finally, the truck starts to slow down, and I look up from my book, literally pages from the end. Damn it, it looks like we’re here. Here being a vineyard with a castle on the property. Putting my bookmark back into the book because only heathens dog-ear pages, I throw it into my bag and look around. It’s my turn for my eyes to just about bug out of my head. Before me in all its medieval splendor is an honest to goodness castle.
Surrounding the castle is a vineyard, but I can also see trailers and vehicles and tents set up, as well as paddocks of horses.
“The owners of this property rented it to us for the duration of the movie. We’ve set up all around it, and we make trips to nearby forests to film scenes. Most of the crew are staying in town close by, but we have trailers on site for the stars to use in between filming breaks. It gets quite hot, so they're all air-conditioned.”
As we approach the area teeming with people, someone wearing a high-vis vest approaches the truck, gesturing for Declan to wind down the window.
I can only hear Declan’s side of the conversation, but soon enough we're moving forward toward paddocks that I can see contain more horses. Just as the truck comes to a full stop and he pulls the brake, a blur is already running toward us. She stops dead in front of the truck, and a squeal of excitement escapes my mouth as I watch her jump up and down, waving her hands, barely visible over the front end of the truck.
Ignoring Declan’s questioning look, I open my door and jump down. My knee aches a little when I land, but I ignore that as I run to my best friend.
Max and I collide like long-lost lovers who have been separated by war or something. Both of us babbling, not paying any attention to one another, and by the time we pull apart, I have tears streaming down my face, and she looks pissed off as fuck.
“What the fuck, Harlow Stubbs.” She punches me in the shoulder, enough actual force behind it that I have to wince. “Apparently, you have a whole heap of shit going on, and I have to find out about it from a stranger! Do you know how that makes me feel? You have a fucking stalker and have been indanger, and I'm just finding this out now. Mom and Dad are going to kick your ass when they find out. ”
I roll my eyes as, once again, Max makes it about herself. I love her, but she's extremely self-involved. “How on earth did you find out?”
“Your new friend Alex has enough common sense to realize that your oldest friend in the world may be a little concerned and gave me a heads up, telling me everything that’s happened.” She gets distracted, her gaze moving over my shoulder, and I feel someone approach behind me. I’m assuming it’s Declan because Max gets a wicked glint in her eye before she looks back at me and punches me in the shoulder again. “And Alex Winters, bitch. Please tell me you are tapping that fine piece of man meat. Girl, he looks like he could give you averygood time.” She fans her face before acknowledging the person behind me. “Oh hey, Declan, long time no see.”
I turn so I can see him. There’s a frown on his face, and he looks like he’s a little tense. “Declan, do you remember Maxine Boston?”
His frown clears into a smile, his body relaxing a little. "Of course I do. Maxine and Jacinta used to be the terrible twosome for a couple of weeks every summer, but then she stopped coming.” A frown crosses his face as if he’s just thought of something troubling. “How come you never came with them when they used to visit?” Before I can answer, Max does.
“That bitch of a mother wouldn't let her. Treated her like trash and wouldn't let her have any fun.” Like usual, Max’s face twists as though she’s sucking on a lemon. Yep, my mother tended to have that effect on people. Then it’s her turn to get some sudden idea, and she almost does a double take at Declan. Now, her expression has darkened into fury, and I step back as she pushes past me and approaches the unfortunate soul, her finger jabbing into his chest.
“What's this I hear about you and all the others being complete and utter fuckheads to my girl? You guys are idiots for not seeing how lucky you are that she even allows you to breathe the same air as her, let alone want to be friends. And to even think she was after Brad's money is completely ridiculous. My parents have tried to give her shit over the years—a car, a trust fund, her own veterinary practice—but she’s refused them every time. All it would have taken is for Jacinta to call me and say hey, what’s she like, and I could have cleared up this whole fucking mess, but no, the Summers kids know best.” She stops, taking a huge breath after that little spiel, and drops her finger before turning her back to him.
“You guys are fucking lucky that she wants to be part of your life, and if you all want to reject her so badly, just know that my parents will always welcome her back with open arms, knowing how absolutely valuable she is.” And with that mic drop she grabs my hand and pulls me away.Fuck me.
What the hell is going on with Max? She never, not once, joined in with her snobby friends belittling me, but that doesn’t mean she ever really stood up for me either. She supported me at home or when we were on our own, and I never took it to heart or let it hurt the sisterly bond we had between us. I honestly thought she didn’t have this much of a backbone in her, but I guess I was wrong. Maybe our time apart, however brief, has hit her differently now that we’re adults. There’s a real chance that I could make a life here and leave her back in Connecticut. Absence must really make the heart grow fonder and all that shit… If this is the new Max, I will happily take this version of my best friend and pseudo sister who’s got my back in fantastic fashion.
“Come on, I’ll show you where the horses need to go and then I’ll give you a hand unloading them.” She drags me away, not realizing I'm speechless at her last little rant.
“Harlow.” Declan’s voice has us stopping in our tracks, and I turn to face him. His eyes tell me how sorry he is for his behavior. I guess it hurts to be called out, but I’m going to need to hear that apology in words. At this point, his dad, grandparents, me, and my best friend have all had some kind of “come to Jesus” moment with the Summers kids, so they need to either join the party or just leave me alone. “I’m going to find the director and have a chat with him. I’ll text you later when it’s time to leave?” I nod and he walks away without ever saying anything else. My eyes go to his ass that’s lovingly wrapped in his jeans, traveling eagerly to those powerful thighs which I can personally attest to the strength of.
“Oh, girl, you eye fuck him any harder, you’re going to give yourself a concussion,” Max whispers in my ear, and I whip my head around, guilty that I’ve been caught. I start to deny it, but she holds up her hand. “Oh no, you don't. Alex has told meeverythingthat’s been going on with those boys. He thought that your two besties should get together and share some information. He’s even pulled Hope into our three-way chat now, so quite frankly, you’re fucked. But I want to hear the story from your mouth now, and you better not skimp on any dirty details. I want them all.”
Breathing out a huge sigh, I roll my shoulders. “Well, hold on to your panties because Alex and Hope don't know the half of it.”
So, as she shows me around the movie set and points out the paddock the horses will be in, I tell her everything that has happened from the moment I stepped onto the plane with Nana and Poppy until I got out of the truck. All the drama with the stalker, the animosity with the siblings, and the sexual tension with each and every one of the damn brothers. By the time I’m finished, I’m exhausted.
Max looks at me incredulously. “Holy fuck. I think I need a cigarette after all that. How is it that you haven't thrown yourself at any of their feet and begged one of them to fuck you?” I scowl, thinking about last night.
“I almost did last night, but they're all about safety first now, and we’re not talking condoms. We’re talking ‘protect Harlow from the psycho who wants to…’ Well, who knows what they want to do, actually. They’re sending some mixed fucking signals. Max, I’m so fucking confused, and to be honest, I’m scared. Scared of my attraction to all of them, but mostly scared of what this stalker may do. I had every intention of tucking tail and coming home, but Declan has convinced me to stay for Dad's sake. And I'd be lying to myself if I wasn't staying to see what could happen with the guys. It's like something out of one of our books, and my attraction to all of them is just making me even more confused. Hope insists I don't need to choose, but… I just don't know. Could I do this? For real?”
She gapes at me before a determined look crosses her face. “Right, let me introduce you to the grooms who are going to help me with the horses, and then we’ll get them unloaded and settled. Andthen,you and I are heading to the bar in town. This calls for copious amounts of alcohol and a bestie night out.”
I shake my head. “We didn't plan to stay the night, and I brought nothing with me. Also, I’m not sure what Declan has planned.”
She scoffs and drags me in the direction of a couple of men standing around a horse being shoed. “If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll shut up and just accept the overnight stop. Neighpalm Productions has booked out one of the hotels here for crew, so there are a few rooms available there. You can stay and still be on your way early tomorrow morning.”
I don't get another chance to get a word in before she’s introducing me to some of the crew and I get caught up with the hustle and bustle of unloading the horses and gear and getting them where they need to be. Max never did like hearing the word no.
