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“What the fuck?!”
Declan grabbed a napkin from his lap and wiped himself clean. If she’d done something this childish to his twin, Ro would have released a food fight on her arse.
Declan narrowed his eyes and in one swift move, disabled her from her ammo as he snatched the takeout bag from her lap. “Give me that. Damn woman, what are ye doin’, throwin’ food at me?”
“I needed to get your full attention and I’ve been trying to get through to your thick skull for quite some time now. And nothing has worked so far!” Caitlin threw her arms in the air, making her long brown ponytail swish over her shoulder.
“I’ve tried to avoid bringing up my sister to make you miss her more. I’ve tried talking you into following your heart. I’ve tried the silent treatment whenever you went on a stupid date because of Ro.”
Caitlin’s bottom lip trembled as she was so pissed at him she was about to cry. Cait only ever cried if she were pissed off. He furrowed his brows and leaned in to place his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged his hand off and jutted her chin at him.
“Enough is enough. Wake the fuck up, Dec. My sister is going on a date with a guy who could mean the world to her. He could be the guy she would binge watch those stupid shows with. Not you. He could be the guy she’d call for help. Not you.
“Craig is going out with her tonight and will show Bree exactly what she’s been missing all these years. He’s after her heart. The guy is serious and is in it for the long haul. He could end up as her man. Not you.”
His chest tightened, and he couldn’t get enough oxygen suddenly. Declan sat upright, clenching and unclenching his fists while concentrating on his breathing. He closed his eyes for a second. Cait’s hand on his shoulder made him look up.
“You wouldn’t have this reaction if you weren’t in love with my sister, Dec. Why are you fighting this? Please… I don’t get it.” Caitlin’s voice was small as she pleaded with him.
“I promised her… I promised Mom, when she—” His voice broke and he tapped a fist to his chest while he cleared his throat.
“You know I was six when she died.” Cait nodded but didn’t respond. He hated to talk about his past, but because Cait grew up next doors to him, he didn’t have to tell her about what happened after his mom died of breast cancer.
Cait knew all about his father ghosting on his five sons for sometimes weeks at a time. Cait’s family had moved in next doors when Declan’s mother had been gone for almost two years.
Caitlin had her own shit show for parents checking out on their kids. She knew exactly how he felt. It made it somewhat easier for him to talk.
“It was on my mom’s deathbed when she took my face between her cold hands and said that I would make the world a better place. She loved how I never put my own needs before others.
“After my mom died, I did everything I could think of to make my mom proud of me. I kept Ro from fighting as much as I could. And I helped Brennan out around the house since he was the oldest in charge.”
He glanced at the windshield in front of him and took a deep breath.
“Bree was the reason I smiled for the first time in two years after my mom died.” He shook his head and the corner of his mouth lifted.
“She tried to race me with that purple bike of hers. All along the way back to my house, she was boasting on how she’d kicked my Irish butt. Even though I let her win.”
Cait snorted. “Of course.”
He stabbed a tear from the corner of his eye and chuckled when he looked over at Cait, who also dabbed her eye with a napkin.
“Who would have thought the little Squirt from next doors would bring me back to the land of the living? I needed her, Cait. And you and I both know Bree needed me just as much. We were not just two kids sitting out a storm together. Bree is a part of me.
“I tried so hard to fight any feelings I had, and for so long. I just couldn’t risk having that part of my chest ripped out.”
Caitlin nodded. “Thank you, Dec, for sharing this with me. For the first time in months, I finally see where you’re coming from. But can’t you see, Dec? Your mom would have loved Bree for you. And she’s probably up there somewhere,” Cait waved her hand above her head, “and getting really annoyed with you depriving yourself from the love of your life.”
A smile ghosted around his lips at the thought.
“You can’t always play things safe, Dec. You might think you’re doing Bree a favor by holding on to the past. But you’re not only hurting yourself here. She’s hurting too. You’re no longer best friends. Things have already changed. For the first time in your life, you need to go after whatyouwant.”
“It’s nice here, isn’t it?” Craig asked as he placed his bulky arm around Bree’s shoulders. He smelled like citrus. It could go either way with citrus. It could remind you of fresh, homemade lemonade… or in Craig’s case, air freshener.
Bree deftly took a step aside to walk over to the first hole.
“The goal is to get the ball through this Moulin-rouge looking windmill, via that border, and into the hole,” Craig said.
“Hmm-mmm.”
