Chapter Four
Declan
“Here’s your coffee,” Caleb said, passing me the deliciousness as I walked to his car in the parking lot by the office. It’d been a week since I’d run into Trent at the grocery store.
As I took a sip of the coffee, my mind focused on Trent. I’d sent Trent several recipes, and he’d texted me a couple times asking about certain ingredients. But always in that weird Trent way. He was a character, and maybe a little odd, but he made me laugh, which was a nice feeling, and somehow, one I hadn’t been used to lately. I didn’t trust him, not after what he’d done at the cookout, and I figured he’d tire of me soon enough, but I could have a little fun in the meantime.
“Thank you, Leb,” I replied before taking a long swig of coffee. “Where’s your other half?”
“I guess he’s still dropping the kids off at school. I’m surprised I beat him here,” he replied and I nodded. It wasn’t uncommon for Leb’s husband Reese to take the kids to school while Caleb made a coffee run before work. It worked out great for me because Leb always brought me a coffee, too—one from The Chipped Mug, which was the reason I’d had the constant Matty reminder. He also brought our coworker Trish one, but she was likely already inside. She typically beat the three of us there every morning.
“Oh look, there he is now,” I said, pointing to Reese’s car.
Leb and I waited for Reese, my best friend from high school, to park and get out of the car. As he joined us, I fist-bumped him, and Leb passed him his coffee and asked, “What took you so long, Daddo?”
“Daddo?” I interrupted.
Reese grinned at me and said, “The kids decided to start calling me Daddo instead of Dad, like Leb, because apparently it was ‘too confusing’ when they talked about us.” He did finger quotes, then looked at his husband. “Jake wouldn’t put his shoes on… he literally sat there crying for fifteen minutes straight about it. I had to pretend I was leaving without him before he finally put them on. Then he cried the whole way to school, but the second he got out of the car he was fine and smiling at that little girl Charlotte from his class.”
“Of course, he was,” Leb replied. “I told you he was being crazy with his shoes, and I know they’re not too small or anything… we just bought him new ones.”
Reese shrugged and looked at me. “How are you doing? I thought you’d come over this weekend.”
I sighed as I held the door open for my friends. “I went out with Kade on Saturday, then I was running errands and shit yesterday.”
“You should’ve come over for dinner,” Leb said as we piled into the elevator.
I shrugged, but didn’t reply. I knew that I could’ve gone over there yesterday, but I’d just wanted some alone time. I’d been feeling a little off the past few weeks—months, even—though I couldn’t put my finger on why.
“Will you come out to dinner tonight?” he asked.
“I don’t know, Leb. I don’t really want to see Levi,” I answered as honestly as I could as we got off the elevator and headed down the hall. Leb and Reese always met Caleb’s brothers and sister for dinner on Monday nights. And they always invited me. But I didn’t like invading on their family time. Plus, Andy didn’t really like me, so I didn’t feel up to dealing with all that drama.
“What about tomorrow night? Come over to the house after work,” Reese suggested, stopping at my office.
They both stood in the doorway waiting for an answer, so I agreed, “Yeah, sure,” as I walked in and sat in my desk chair.
“Hey, my lovelies,” Trish’s sing-song voice floated into my office, though I couldn’t see her since she was behind Reese and Leb. A second later, she squeezed her red-headed, tiny self into my office and threw her arms around my neck with her large breasts in my face. I patted her back as she said, “I thought you were going to be there on Sunday!”
“Hey, Trish,” I said a little awkwardly. She wasn’t typically the type to hug me for no reason, so I had no idea what the hell her problem was.
When she finally pulled up a little, I looked at Leb in question, but he shrugged a shoulder.
“You’re terrible,” she said, kissing my forehead before standing up straight and smacking the back of my head. “I can’t believe you didn’t answer my texts, Declan.”
“Ow, Trish. Fuck.”
She started rubbing my head. “Sorry, there was a little more punch to that than I’d meant.”
“Ya think?”
“Why were you avoiding all of us this weekend? We don’t hang out enough as it is.” It was true that I didn’t typically see her outside of work. Still, she was overreacting. “Are you doing okay?” she asked a little more gently. She’d been acting strange toward me for a few months. Well, really, she’d been acting all concerned and overprotective since my mother passed away. But it’d been months since the funeral. Not to mention, my mother had been a bitch to me for my entire adult life.
“I’m fine, I swear. And for the record, I stopped answering my phone because I was sick of rehashing everything and talking about my feelings every five seconds when you call. It’s been months, Trish. I’m fine.”
She gave me a look of sympathy before saying, “Okay, I get it. Sorry. I won’t do that anymore.” I heard Leb snort, and I tried to hold in my comment about Trish promising this to me multiple times already, so I bit my lip as she said, “I’m buying you lunch today.”
I didn’t even have the urge to argue for fear of getting wacked in the head again, so I simply agreed, “Okay, thanks.”
She nodded at me before looking at Reese and Leb, who were still standing in the doorway watching our conversation with amused expressions. Trish said to them, “You two still owe me. I had to go to lunch with Sophia on Friday when you left early since Mr. Parnell over here,” she jutted her thumb in my direction, “decided he had to work through his lunchbreak. Do you know how tortuous that was?”
Leb started chuckling. “I can only imagine.”
Reese looked at me as Trish and Leb started gossiping, and he asked, “No offense, but you seem off.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Are you upset about Levi getting married?”
“Seriously? Why is everyone so obsessed with that? No, I’m not upset. I’ve moved on. I just wish everyone else would, too.”
Reese eyed me, then nodded. “You’ll let me know if you need something, though, right?”
I looked at my oldest friend, seeing the sincerity in his eyes and whispered, “I will.” However, I didn’t know if that was actually true, but I figured that I’d at least try. Not that I needed anything. I was fine. It was everyone else that was acting weird around me.
“Lunch at noon?” Leb asked, drawing my attention back to him.
“Sure.” I nodded and they nodded back as they headed to their own offices. I had a shit-ton of work to do, and a few clients who’d called to reschedule their meetings this week. Two of them wanted to come in a week earlier than they’d originally planned. This week was gonna blow.
My cell beeped in my pocket, so I took it out to check my text.
Trent: That roast beef stew I made last night was delicious. I have leftovers for lunch, but I need a new recipe. Hit me with your best shot!
I smiled and shook my head at that before typing back a response.
Me: I think that’s the 7th time you mentioned how good that stew was. You trying to make me jealous?
I quickly sent a second message.
Me: What are you in the mood for? Chicken, pork, breakfast food, what?
Trent’s reply came back almost immediately.
Trent: Obvs you should be jealous of my superior cooking skills. And breakfast for dinner? Idk, I could be into that.
I chuckled a little and wrote back.
Me: If you’re so superior, why are you asking me for a recipe? Maybe you should find one for me.
A minute later, my phone beeped again.
Trent: Challenge accepted.
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. I had no doubt that he’d be sending me a ridiculous recipe within the hour.
Forty-three minutes later, a text came through of a picture of some kind of bread-like meatloaf concoction. It looked like a loaf of bread on the outside, but inside there were peas and corn and a bunch of things I didn’t recognize, and to top it off, there was a line of pickle slices along the top of the “bread.” It was disgusting.
Me: Not in a million years. Nice try though.
***
“I’m sorry, Dec, I swear I didn’t know until right now,” Kade apologized for the millionth time on the phone. He was—supposedly—at the school library “studying” with his girlfriend.
“Maybe I shouldn’t come, then,” I suggested as I walked into my apartment and threw down my briefcase.
“No, please. I swear I haven’t seen you in like two weeks. We keep missing each other. If you’re not going, then I’ll just come hang out with you.” It was true, between his studying for some big test and my working late, we hadn’t seen each other longer than it took for me to ask if he was going to be home for dinner.
I sighed. I didn’t want to be the reason that Kade missed out on something with his friends. Our father had done enough of that to last a lifetime. “No, it’ll be fine. Maybe I can just find someone to come with me.”
“I’m sorry it’s such short notice,” he said quietly.
I snorted at that—short notice? I had less than two hours to find someone to go to this couples-only dinner he’d convinced me to go to. “It’s fine,” I told him, even if it really wasn’t.
As Kade apologized again, I started running through my friends trying to decide if any of them would even want to come if they were available. Caleb or Reese might be able to come, but I knew they usually tried to do a movie night with their kids on Friday nights, and I didn’t want to interrupt or ruin their family time. But who else could I ask? Trent’s blond hair, brown eyes, and nose ring flashed in my mind. Hmm… I wonder if Trent has a wedding tonight?
I absolutely did not want to take him out on a date. But maybe he’d be willing to come hang out. It was worth a shot, I supposed, and he’d probably be fun to hang out with… as long as he wasn’t embarrassed by me again. I shook my head, ridding myself of the stupid thought. It’d be fine if he came, and I’d be fine whether he acted like an ass again or not.
“Hey, little bro, let me hop off so I can call my friend Trent. I’ll see you soon, okay?”
“Okay, see ya.” He hung up, so I immediately dialed Trent so I wouldn’t chicken out.
As soon as he greeted me, I asked, “Do you have plans tonight?” I cringed when I realized what that sounded like.
“Well, hello to you, too,” he breathed out, and hearing his voice made me smile despite myself. “Not really, I don’t have a wedding tonight. I’m just figuring out what I’m going to make for dinner. I was thinking of ordering a pizza. Why, what’s up?”
“Would you want to go to dinner with me? My brother invited me and I said yes before he told me it was all couples going,” I explained.
“Aw, are you asking me out on a date?”
I blanched and froze in place for at least thirty seconds before Trent burst out laughing on the other side of the phone. I muttered, “Asshole.”
“I’m sorry,” he said between bouts of laughter, “but that was just too easy… I wish I could’ve seen your face.”
“Ha ha ha, very funny.” I put the phone on speaker so I could change out of my suit. “So can you come or not?”
“Sure, I’ll be your date.” He was still laughing at me.
“Fake date,” I corrected as I changed into jeans.
He sighed. “Fine, I’d love to be your fake date, Declan.” He still sounded amused.
“I’ll pick you up in an hour.”
“Shit, alright, I better get going so I can get ready.”
“Thanks, Trent,” I said before we both hung up.
***
“Why did you bring me to dinner with a bunch of kids?” Trent leaned in and whispered to me. He was very clearly trying to get me out of my weird funk. I’d noticed when I’d picked him up that not only did he have on yet another kind of boot, but he had a ton of earrings in, too. And everything matched the blue shirt he was wearing, even his nose ring.
I chuckled a little and whispered back, “I told you it was with my brother.”
He made a face. “I didn’t realize they’d all be that young. I don’t even know who the hell they’re talking about.”
That made me laugh a little louder, especially since Trent really wasn’t that much older than them. Kade and his friends had been talking about some new band for at least twenty minutes. The only reason I even knew who it was, was because my brother had been talking about them for the past couple months. “Aw, come on, Trent, have you been living under a rock?”
“I’ve practically been living at the studio lately. I’m like the editing king.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but Kade’s date’s voice interrupted me. “So you two are boyfriends?” I lifted a brow in the girl’s direction and saw Kade shrugging at me from beside her.
Trent started laughing softly beside me, so I elbowed him and answered the girl, “No, we’re just friends.”
Trent suddenly put his arm over my shoulders and said way louder than necessary, “Oh, come on, Dec, it’s okay, you can tell her.”
I heard Kade start to snicker while his new girlfriend—Lindsay—said dramatically, “Awwww.”
But I ignored them both in favor of facing Trent and his amused, pretty face. He was biting his lip, obviously holding back a laugh at what I was sure was a surprised, and possibly annoyed, look on my face. I took a little breath before saying to him, “Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is, Trent, and pucker up.”
His eyes went wide for a moment before he glanced down at my puckered lips, then back into my eyes. He stilled for a moment before whispering, “You sure you want to challenge me, Declan?” His eyes flicked up to mine, and I only had a brief moment to see the smirk on his face before he very gently pushed his lips against mine.
I froze, completely shocked since I hadn’t thought for even a second that he’d go through with it, but then I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy his soft lips. They were softer than I’d thought they’d be, and somehow the feel of them against my own forced a small moan from my throat. Luckily, the restaurant was loud, so I didn’t think he heard me. But unluckily, I couldn’t seem to pull away from him, either. I felt a flutter in my stomach and a tightening in my chest that made me want more. I pressed forward slightly, and just when I was about to grab his head and deepen the kiss, my brother’s voice caught my attention and broke my momentary lapse in judgment.
“Dec, gross. No making out in the middle of dinner,” Kade said, causing me to lean back, breaking contact with Trent’s perfec—lips, just lips. They’re just lips. Nothing special—or perfect—about them.
I waved my brother off without looking away from the man beside me. His eyes were still closed, his lips still puckered a little, and I watched as he took a shuddered breath. Then his eyes snapped open and locked with mine, and I could see the fire in them. If I didn’t know that he absolutely didn’t want me that way, I would’ve thought it was lust, though there was something else there, too. Something else that I couldn’t define. Not that I wanted to, not that it mattered, anyway.
Then his whole demeanor changed and he patted my cheek, looked at my brother and said, “Trust me, that is not how you make out at a dinner table. You’d probably be traumatized if I’d actually meant it.” Trent glanced at me, then away again. “That was just a friends kiss.”
I completely agreed. And yet… and yet hearing him say those words made my chest hurt in a completely different way, similar to the way I’d felt when he’d refused to tell Levi we’d hung out. What the fuck? I squeezed my hands into fists, then wrung them out a few times under the table trying to get rid of the strange feeling.
Trent is my friend. I don’t need to go ruining another friendship by sleeping with him!
Why the hell was I even thinking about sleeping with him in the first place? I didn’t need to sleep with Trent. I didn’t even want to.
Had I not been panicking, I might’ve laughed at myself for that ridiculous thought. Even in my panic, I knew I needed to get my head on straight. You don’t want to sleep with Trent. You don’t want to sleep with him. You don’t want to sleep with him. I continued my silent mantra, over and over again. Maybe if I said it enough times, I’d actually start to believe it.
Trent’s voice broke through my mini-freak-out. “How long have you and Kade been dating?” he asked Lindsay.
As Trent and Lindsay started talking, the tightness in my chest loosened, and I was able to relax and just enjoy Trent’s antics as he told everyone at the table about a waiter knocking him into a huge flower display last weekend. I laughed a little as his hands flailed around, telling the story with dramatics. He even smacked me in the nose at one point, then paused his story to pat my cheek and apologize in a ridiculous voice that made me laugh. I was happy for the first time all week. I was extremely glad that I’d invited Trent to come with me tonight. He was pretty good at making any situation feel a little lighter.
“What are you getting for dessert?” Trent’s voice pulled my attention to him.
“Huh?”
He grinned at me. “They all decided to get dessert. Wanna split something?”
“Sure,” I replied. “Whatever you want is fine.”
His grin grew wide. “Are you sure you want me to pick?”
I wrinkled my nose as I remembered the awful ice cream he’d gotten. “You’re right. I get to pick.” I snatched the dessert menu from him.
“Hey,” he said with a laugh.
“You have no vote, dude. I’m pretty sure I won the best dessert challenge last time,” I said, examining the menu.
He sighed. “That ice cream was really good.”
“I have good taste.”
He snorted and elbowed me, then leaned over my arm to look at the menu, too. His nearness made my breath catch, but I just ignored it as best I could and concentrated on the desserts. He argued with me when I picked, but I could tell he was just messing with me, so I didn’t back down, and I ordered what I wanted for us from the waitress.
“Declan?” Kade tried to get my attention, so I gazed at my brother questioningly.
He gave me a weird look as he asked, “Where are you watching the game on Sunday?”
It took me a second before I realized he was talking about the hockey game. He and I had started watching the games together whenever we could. “Uh, at home?” I had no clue why that sounded like a question.
Kade was still making that weird face at me as he said, “Well, we were talking about coming back here to watch it. You wanna come?”
I looked around the restaurant and noticed all the TVs everywhere, so I shrugged. “Sure.” Then I looked at Trent. “Wanna come, too?”
Trent eyed me for a moment. “I’ll have to see if I’m done with my shoot in time.” He leaned in and whispered so only I could hear, “I’m not really… into sports, so I don’t know anything about hockey.”
I smirked at him. “I guess I’ll have to teach you, then.”
“Okay. If you don’t mind. I’ll try to make it here in time.” He sent me a soft smile.
I nodded before brushing off the weird feelings I was getting and resuming the conversation with Kade.