He sits across from me.“Oh, yeah.We’re talking way gross.For example, I bought a pair of red velvet Gucci slippers, like the ones the Pope wears.”
“Thatisgross.”
“I made a few other luxury-brand fashion mistakes, but I’ll spare you those details.”
“Thank you.”
“And I bought some property!”He gestures to the blinged-out, cavernous apartment.
“Declan, in all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never heard you talk about staying in New York.Have you ever even slept here?”
“We’re here now, aren’t we?”He starts to explain, but I stop him.
“No, I get it.The penthouse is just a huge Pope’s slipper.Totally ridiculous and something you’ll never use.”
“But the farm in Lanai, nowthatyou’re going to love,” he says.“I’ll take you there on our honeymoon, if you want.”
I feel my face heat up under his gaze.He wants to impress me, and more than that, he wants to please me.
Attention.Care.Love.Pleasure.Patience.Laughter.
Declan has spoiled me rotten.And I can’t help it—sometimes I wonder if I deserve all this from him.Especially now that I’m a dead girl walking.
“Is there any food in the joint?”I ask.At that same moment, the doorbell rings.
Declan arches an eyebrow and smiles from ear to ear.“How’s that for timing?”
He jumps up and runs to the door like a kid on the first day of summer break.“Come in!”he says, opening the door to a small army.Immediately, I see that they’ve come to set up for a candlelight dinner.
There’s linen and silver, china and crystal, fresh flowers, and tapered candles.But when they’ve finished setting the table, three more people stroll in, and I get a whiff of what’s on the menu.
They place three foil-covered pans on the table, along with four paper bags.Then everyone files out as quickly as they appeared.
“Is this really—?”
“Why, yes.Yes, it is.It’s Interstellar BBQ from Austin.”
“Declan!How—?”
He holds up his cellphone.“I’m a badass on a motorcycle.I’m a genius with anything that flies.But, baby, I can perform miracles with a Wi-Fi connection.”
I blink, staring at the food.Everything smells delicious.It’s an over-the-top sweet gesture.And this is the exact wrong time to do what I’m about to do, but I can’t stop it from happening.
I look up at him.I feel my chin trembling.I feel the tears coming.
Declan drops to the floor at my feet and cradles both my hands in his.“What’s wrong, Summer?Should I have gone with Tex-Mex?”
I close my eyes and start laughing, which means I’m now laughing and crying at the same time, and I don’t even know how that’s physically possible.I drop my head, embarrassed.
“What’s going on?”Declan’s voice has gone calm.“You can tell me.”
I raise my glance and pull one hand away so that I can swipe at the tears.“It’s too much, Declan.You’re too much sometimes.Because I… I’m not sure…” I trail off.I don’t want to sound like a drama queen, which is the last thing I ever thought I’d become.
“It’s just that I haven’t earned any of this,” I say, my eyes locked on his.“I don’t deserve all the extra stuff, like the private planes and the best doctors and the nurse concierge or whatever Wendy called herself.I’m just a plain, average person.”
He starts to say something, but I stop him.“Declan, I’m not worth all this trouble.You’re bending over backwards for me, and it just doesn’t feel right.It feels like all this should go to someone else.”
He falls back on his heels, frowning.“What exactly haven’t you earned?”
