Page 129 of Huckleberry Hill
I giggled and dunked myself up to my chin to stay warm.
Declan glanced at me, the light of the moon and stars showing the heat of his gaze. And then he dashed toward the truck, disappearing from my sight.
“I’m getting dressed first!” he called out. “Give me a minute!”
I floated on my back in the hot spring, my eyes on the sky. A wave of peace settled over me. I’d always been the good twin, the one who did the right thing. I wasn’t loud or bold. I wasn’t ostentatious. I was downright modest.
I’d lost myself. I’d accepted Gianni’s excuse for ending things, thinking there was something inherently wrong with me.
But Declan . . .
Declan showed me that I could be loved for exactly who I was.
Declan proved to me that I was deserving of a family, of having my dreams come true. And that I didn’t have to sacrifice a part of myself to feel worthy of that love.
I was crying again by the time he returned with a big fluffy towel.
“No, you’re crying again,” Declan said. “What happened? I shouldn’t have left you alone and given you time to think. Come out of there and let me hold you.”
His words only made me cry harder. “Happy tears,” I blubbered.
“They don’t sound like happy tears. You’re a very loud bawler, did you know that?”
I laughed through my watery gaze. “Are you trying to distract me?”
“Yes, is it working?”
“Kinda.” I waded through the pool to the edge and got out. I’d barely begun to shiver before Declan had the towel wrapped all the way around me. He rubbed his hands up and down my arms to warm me up and then he slowly led me back to the truck. He’d lit an oil lamp that rested on the roof. Between that and the moon, I could see fairly well. I changed into my pajamas and then climbed up into the truck bed, sliding into the sleeping bag to keep my lower half warm. I’d never given Declan back his hoodie and I’d packed it with me for the night. I threw that on, too.
He came around to the back of the truck and set the picnic basket down onto the sleeping bag and then climbed up, taking a seat next to me.
I opened the picnic basket and pulled out the goodies and arranged them on the cutting board between us. The cheese, fruit, and baguette had been pre-sliced, the jams set in their own containers with several serving spoons.
“Can I ask you something?” he asked as he took a piece of apple and brie and put them together.
“Sure.”
“The first night we were together, and you said you couldn’t get pregnant . . . you weren’t talking about birth control, were you?”
“No,” I admitted. “I wasn’t.”
Nodding slowly, he took a bite of his cheese and apple combination.
“Are you mad?” I asked quietly. “That I didn’t tell you right away?”
“Not even a little bit,” he said. “Look, I can’t imagine what it must feel like, finding something like that out. No, Hadley. I’m not mad you kept it to yourself. I’m glad you told me tonight, though.”
I ate a piece of bread and let it settle in my belly. “I promised myself I’d tell you the truth tonight. But I didn’t expect . . .”
“What?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t expect your reaction.”
“It’s not bullshit. I’m not a liar.”
I reached out and cupped his jaw. “I know that. You’ve been honest about who are you from the beginning. Even though I didn’t trust it at first.”
“I should be offended, but I’m not. You didn’t want to get burned again. I get it. We often don’t see things when we’re right up on it.”
