“I’mfine,” Declan responded, but he had trouble even getting the words out. Charliedidn’t look convinced.
“Wecan go into Owen’s office. Perks of being related to half the town,” Charlieoffered, nodding to a door off to the side.
Declanlooked between Charlie and the door, biting his lip. He really didn’t want tocry in the middle of a grocery store. He couldn’t ever remember crying inpublic, and he really didn’t want to start now.
Forthe last few years, he’d been too exhausted to cry even when he’d wanted to.Hope Springs had made everything feel brighter, more vibrant.
Thatwent for emotions, too. Everything felt so muchbiggerhere, so muchmore alive.
Mostof it was good. This, less so.
“Don’tyou have things to do?” Declan asked. He didn’t want to keep Charlie fromwhatever he was doing this morning.
“Ialways have time for a friend,” Charlie said, taking Declan’s elbow and steeringhim toward the office. “This way we can steal the Girl Scout cookies Owen keepsin his desk drawer.”
Despitehis mood, Declan barked a laugh at that. Charlie was a good friend, and he andAsh were both lucky to have him.
Charliesat him down on the worn-out couch in Owen’s office, offering him a Thin Mintas he shoved one in his own mouth. Declan took it, his fingers trembling as hereached out.
Hewasn’t okay, and he couldn’t even pretend to be right now.
Charliesat down on the desk opposite him, and waited. Waited for Declan to say whateverhe was going to say.
“Ashand I got married because of Marv’s will, not because we were really together,”he said.
Itdidn’t matter anymore. It didn’t matter if everyone knew his secret, not if helost Ash.
“Iknow,” Charlie said gently. “Please don’t be mad at Ash for telling me. Heneeded someone to talk to.”
Declansmiled wryly. Charlie was an even better friend than he’d thought.
“Ilove him,” Declan said.
Itwas strange to hear it out loud, in his own voice. He’d never loved anyone likehe loved Ash. Ash, who’d been a constant in his life for nearly ten years now.
Ofcourse he loved him. He’d probably loved him for a long, long time, and beentoo busy feeling sorry for himself to really think about it.
Whenhe’d heard that he needed to marry someone, Ash had been the first—theonly—personto come to his mind. That wasn’t an accident.
Ashhad always been the one, and now Declan was on the verge of letting him getaway.
“Forgiveme if I’m being dense, but I don’t see why you’re upset by that,” Charlie said.
“Thedivorce papers came,” Declan said. “Ash tried to get me to sign them pretty muchimmediately.”
Charliefrowned. “What did he say?”
“Hesaid he didn’t want me to be stuck with him.” Declan sighed, taking a tiny biteof his cookie.
“Sonot that he didn’t want to be stuck with you?” Charlie asked.
“Doesit matter?” Declan raised an eyebrow.
“Actually…yeah, it does. I would never break the confidence of a friend, but… I thinkyou’ve misunderstood what Ash was saying, kind of. Phrasing is important.”
Declanwet his lips. Ash had talked to Charlie about this at some point. That was whathe meant by saying he’d never break the confidence of a friend.
Andnow Charlie was trying to lead Declan to the answer without telling him what Ashhad said.
