Page 45 of Unexpected Love

I breathe a sigh of relief. I don’t know why I was holding such a weight on my shoulders, but hearing him say those words helps me release all of it.

“Thank you.”

Scott throws his arm over my shoulder, pulling me into his side as we continue walking. “I’m sorry we’ll miss you for Christmas this year, but I’m quite happy you’ll be around indefinitely when you get back, so I’ll accept the loss for now.” He smiles at me, giving me a quick squeeze.

“I’m sad I’m missing Christmas with you all, too, but I’m excited for what the future has in store for me.”

And I realize I really mean that. It’s been a while since I’ve been excited, but even with all the uncertainty of my future, I can’t wait to see where it takes me. And I won’t lie; there’s something even more exciting about this secret I’m sharing with Gage.

I’m already looking forward to seeing him again.

The rideback to Declan’s is tense. I can feel the energy pouring off of him from the driver's seat. And while I want to say something to make the situation better, I don’t know whattosay.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I finally ask as we walk through the front door.

He shrugs, opening the fridge and pulling a beer out. “There’s nothing to talk about.” He twists the cap off, tossing it to the island counter before taking a large gulp.

“Did she say anything before they left?” I follow his lead, grabbing a beer from the fridge and taking a seat at the kitchen island when he takes a position leaning against the counter.

“Not really. Just that she needed time to herself.”

“Do you have any reason not to believe her?” I ask gently.

Declan and I haven’t talked much about what’s going on between him and Quinn. Heck, we haven’t talked much, period. Part of that is my fault for avoiding talking about Brian and myparents, but part of it is on him, too. He hasn’t been home much since he started seeing Quinn.

Declan sighs, setting his beer on the counter and shoving his hands into his pockets. “Quinn doesn’t know what she’ll do after Scott is gone.” His eyes fall to the floor. “Living in Ashford Falls was never part of her plan, and without Scott holding her here, she doesn’t know if she wants to stay.”

“It would probably be hard living here, seeing Scott around every corner. But he isn’t the only one keeping her here. She’s got her brothers. And you.”

He nods his head almost absentmindedly. “That may be true, but I don’t know if that’s enough.”

I don’t know what else to say, so I don’t say anything.

Declan visibly shakes himself from his thoughts before continuing. “I understand it. Her mom showing up stirred up a lot of emotion, and she was already in a weird place with everything going on with her dad. I don’t blame her for needing a minute to figure out what all of it means for her.”

“I know you don’t,” I tell him when he doesn’t continue.

“I just want to support her—however I can.”

“You’re doing it.” I lift my shoulders, letting them fall after a second. “You listen to her and trust that she’ll tell you what she needs.” I stand from my seat, moving around the counter and pulling him into a hug. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you. You’re not alone in your feelings.” I pull back, looking up at him. “You mean more to her than you give yourself credit for. You’ll work it all out tomorrow. I have no doubt.”

Declan leans down, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Thanks, squirt.” He pulls away from me, offering me a tight smile. “I’m going to shower and then probably veg on the couch. You’re welcome to join me if you want.”

“Yeah.” I give him a closed-lip smile. “I’ll change into comfy clothes and meet you back here. How do you feel about ordering some pizza for dinner?”

“Sounds perfect.”

I watch him make his way up the stairs, wishing I could make all of this better for him. I didn’t lie to him, though. I really do believe that everything will be sorted by the end of the day tomorrow. As it stands, Quinn and I are meeting for breakfast, and I don’t see her agreeing to that if she plans to end things with my brother. That’s just not who Quinn is.

Before following Declan upstairs, I grab my phone to text Gage.

I’m not going to make it tonight. Declan’s staying in.

Gage

All good. I’ll see you when you get home.

This is the first text exchange I’ve had with Gage, having only gotten his phone number this morning, but something about the message has me worrying. I just can’t pinpoint why.

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