I offer her a sympathetic smile. “Now you know.Afteryou enjoyed your little getaway.” Her face is full of fondness and appreciation.
Declan stands and rubs a hand across his jaw. “I think I’m going to head out.”
“Me too, since I think you guys have a fun evening ahead. Pizza should be here soon.”
“Don’t you two want to stay?” Ford asks.
Brielle places a hand on her husband’s arm. “I think they want to run away after this.”
“Exactly what she said,” I tell my brother.
Declan and I begin to walk out of the room.
“Wait.” Ford stops us in our tracks. We both look at him, slightly concerned. “Is something happening between you two?”
The question instantly makes my stomach swirl, as if we’ve been caught out, and I think it excites me, if I’m honest.
“Of course not.” Declan is quick to laugh off his suggestion.
Even though I know it’s for the best, I wish we didn’t have to lie. “I knew Declan was in the area, and I needed a manly touch to deal with the varsity hockey team,” I add.
Ford nods slowly and seems to buy it. Brielle, meanwhile, hides behind her hand over her mouth because she knows exactly what we’re doing.
“Okay, I mean, if there was, I’m not sure I would be cool with it, to be honest.” Ford still eyes us with caution.
I offer a fake smile. “Nothing to worry about then. Just friends.”
He seems convinced, but I know we’re leaving having told the biggest lie of the century.
* * *
Unlocking my door,I enter my home, with Declan hot on my heels. I’m lucky he had a weekend bag in his car when he went to visit his parents, because he didn’t have to hesitate over logistics about staying at my place. After last night, I want to do something nice for him. He followed me home in his car, and I’m sure his Maserati will draw the attention of my nosy neighbors, but I don’t really care.
“If you give me twenty minutes, I’ll shower then cook dinner. I’m positive I have a stray Cheerio somewhere in my hair,” I mention as I toss my keys into the bowl on the side table.
I feel arms wrapping around me from behind, because how dare I forget how insatiable this man is when the setting allows.
“Go enjoy a warm bath, and food will be here in a bit.”
I glance over my shoulder with a raised brow. “What do you mean? I’m cooking.”
“No, you’re not. You deserve to rest and take it easy after what went down. In the car, I called the chef from the Dizzy Duck to send over some stuff.” He says it so casually.
Twirling on the balls of my feet, I come face to face with Declan and rope my arms around his neck. “You should be the one taking it easy, and the chef from the Dizzy Duck just won a bunch of awards, and now you’re saying he is sending over food?”
“And wine.”
My mouth opens then closes. “Is this a connections thing or a threw-some-money-at-them kind of thing? People wait weeks for a reservation there.” This is crazy. And expensive. But mostly sweet.
“Not us, babe. Now go relax.” Declan slants his shoulder up while he encourages me to walk forward.
I don’t unlink from around his neck, and instead, I stand on his toes as he walks, with me hanging off him. “Look at you. If I wasn’t wise, then I would call you a romantic. You know, this really ruins my ability to thank you tonight. You’ve outshined me.”
“That’s hard to do,” he promises.
But a few hours later, and it feels like I’m a tiny speck on the ability to impress. I’m for sure relaxed, and the food was delicious, right down to the drizzle of sauce on my chicken. I know thought went into the order because we got extra chocolate chip cookies that the inn leaves on pillows but are not on any menu. I feel like Declan asked for that just for me.
Drinking the last sips of wine from our glasses, we stand by the sink.
