Page 41 of Hooked on a Demon
Declan huffs his amusement, knowing full well that Everest would absolutely send him a cleaning bill. “What brings you by?”
Everest brings his hand to his chest and leans back dramatically, feigning insult. “Does a best friend need a reason to stop by? Do I need to announce my intent to visit ahead of time?”
Yes, because I may be here with your sister and don’t want you walking in on something… Should we ever get to that point.
“A best friend? No. You? Yes.”
Everest scoffs. “Rude!”
“But true,” Declan laughs, bouncing out of reach of Everest’s playful punch to his arm.
“You know, I could go anywhere else and get this kind of treatment—” he raises a hand to stop Declan’s next verbal spar, “but I choose to come here, to spend time with my supposedbest friend. But I see how it is,” he pouts, turning away, making to leave.
Declan quickly slings his arms around Everest’s stomach, hugging him from behind. “I’m sorry,best friend. Won’t you please forgive me for my heinous treatment of you?”
“That’s better,” Everest replies, perking up. “Now get off me!” His hands pull at Declan’s in an effort to pull them apart to be freed from his grasp.
“Never!”
Everest squirms and manages to break free, putting distance between them, and holds his hands out in front of him, ready to karate chop Declan should he get within reach. Declan waves him off and laughs as he moves over to the cushioned wicker sofa and sits. Keeping his hands out ready to defend if needed, Everest moves to the other couch across from Declan and takes a seat.
Declan’s smoke unfurls from him, venturing into the house. It returns a moment later with two beers held aloft, depositing one in front of each of them before retracting back into Declan.
“I always love when you do shit like that.”
“It is a fun party trick. Also helps when I’m being super lazy,” Declan replies, popping the cap and taking a swig. “So what actually brings you here?”
Everest takes a sip before answering. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Seems like you’ve been super busy lately with the stuff for Ellie’s dance thing.”
“Yeah, between that and stuff at the shop, it’s been a busy couple of weeks. But we’re nearing the end of the prep for the showcase, so it should slow down soon. Which I’m sure Bucks will be happy about.” Hearing his name, Buckley raises his head. When no treats are offered, he dramatically drops it and goes back to sleep.
“I get that. How has everything been with Ellie’s dance group thing, anyway?”
“It honestly hasn’t been too bad. The shop helpers have been loving it. We’ve got a good crew, and Eliana has been great. She checks in on us every day and has been a wonderful guide through the project.”
Everest narrows his eyes at Declan as if trying to determine if he said something out of place. After a moment, his features soften, and he relaxes back into the couch, laying his arm along the back while his feet go up on the small table between them.
“Yeah, she’s had a rough go after that surgery of hers. She’s so stubborn, though. Did you know she didn’t tell any of us what was going on until well after it happened? She insisted she had everything under control and made Mom promise that she wouldn’t go out to help her.”
Eliana may have told him about Sam, but he didn’t know about this. That she didn’t get help. Or at least not from her own family, who would have been more than happy to assist her in her time of need. The strength it must have taken to go through all that with everything that was going on with Sam at the same time.
“Mom wanted to go so badly. Dad and I had to keep telling her not to. That if Eliana felt she needed help, she would have asked.”
“Absolutely,” Declan says, doing his best to agree with Everest despite knowing there were likely some other factors involved in her not wanting her mom there. Like a certain asshat named Sam. Which, reminds him, where was Sam during all of that? Declan wonders. The anger from the conversation with Eliana begins to rise, and he has to fight his demon and power to keep them in check. The last thing he needs is a shift for no reason while sitting here drinking a beer with his buddy.
“Anyway, she seems happy to be back at the studio, and it’s nice to have her home.”
“She is, and I bet.”
Everest tilts his head back, chugging the rest of his beer. Placing the empty bottle on the table, he looks to Declan expectantly. “Let’s go out.”
Declan starts to protest, but Everest interjects, “Nothing wild. Let’s go to the Acorn. I’ll text Tai and Joley, and we can go for a couple of beers. Well, a couple more. What do ya say?” Everest cocks his head, pouts his lips, and bats his eyes. The picture of desperation.
Fuck.
“Fine,” Declan groans. “But! Don’t try and pawn some girl off on me.”
“Why? Have you taken up a new pledge of celibacy?” Everest teases.
