AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Declan
When my dad summoned me to his house on Tuesday, he failed to mention there would be a giant moving van in the driveway. I shouldn’t be surprised. Katherine mentioned that she and Carys were moving in this week, but I hadn’t realized it was today. I make my way around a few boxes and into the kitchen to find Dad and Katherine kissing. Her arms are around his neck, and his hands are on her ass.
While this might skeeve Murphy out because it’s his mom, I’m forced to resist high fiving my dad. I don’t remember my mom and dad ever being overly affectionate with each other when they were married. So seeing my dad like this is strange, but I’m glad for him.
I clear my throat and fold my arms over my chest.
When they pull apart, my father glares at me, but Katherine, ever the hostess, turns around with a rosy tint to her cheeks. “Declan, we didn’t know you were coming over today.”
“Sorry, Katherine. Dad asked me to stop by.” I glance around the kitchen and down the hall to see more movers coming in through the front door. “This is me, stopping by.”
Dad grumbles, “I asked you to stop by this morning, Dec.” He raises his wrist and glances at his watch. “Morning,” he emphasizes, “not afternoon.”
“It’s eleven fifty, Dad. Technically, it’s still morning, and it’s Tuesday. You’re making a habit of consuming my day off.” I watch Katherine move to the stove and turn on a tea kettle.
“Does anyone want some tea?” She still looks nervous, like I almost caught them the way Murphy did a few months ago when he walked in on them having sex in Katherine’s kitchen.
Not a day any of us are likely to ever forget. Dad proposed a few hours later.
My father smiles at his fiancée. “No, thank you, sweetheart. Declan and I will be in my office if you need anything.”
“Thanks anyway, Katherine. I’m glad you’re moving in. Someone needs to keep the old man in line now that we’re all out of the house.” I hear her snickering behind me as I make my way down the hall and into my father’s office.
Dad has lived in this house for almost two years, and this office still has boxes scattered throughout the room. The built-in shelves lining the wall behind his desk are covered with pictures of Cooper, Natalie, and me through the years. Christmas mornings, graduations, ballet recitals, and more football games than I remember line these shelves. A framed jersey we gave him when he retired from playing pro ball leans against a wall. Other than that, the office is a mess. Papers litter his big desk. There’s a jacket flung over a chair, and a football that looks to be a hundred years old is sitting against one of the big windows. “You think you’re ever going to unpack this room, old man?”
He sits down and laughs at me. “I’m barely twenty years older than you, and let me tell you, those twenty flew by in the blink of an eye. Be careful because someone’s going to be calling you ‘old man’ before you know it.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I move the jacket off the chair and sit down across from him. “So, what’s up? I’m assuming it’s not as serious as last week since we’re not meeting in your office at the stadium. What’s going on?”
Dad studies me for a minute before casually leaning back in his high-backed leather chair. “Care to tell me what’s going on with you and Annabelle?”
Well, I sure as hell didn’t see that coming. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Don’t play coy with me, son. I saw the way you looked at her last weekend. I watched the two of you together. We all saw you on the dance floor, and then you both were together at your sister’s house the next morning.” He doesn’t continue. Just waits for me to respond.
“Uh-huh,” I breathe out an annoyed breath. “I brought Annabelle as my date.” I lean forward and rest my elbows on his desk. “A date you forced me to bring, by the way. So, I really don’t know where you’re going with this?”
Dad sits up, mirroring my position. “Don’t get defensive, Declan. I’m talking to you as your father, not your coach. I love Annabelle and Tommy. This is me giving you a friendly reminder that dating Annabelle Hart isn’t like dating anyone you’ve ever been with before.”
“Yeah, Dad. I know.” The hostility in my voice is loud and clear, so I force myself to back off.
“Do you though? She’s basically part of our family. If things go bad, you’ll still have to see her at family functions because I won’t take our family away from the two of them. They’ve lost too much already.”
Nervous energy has me standing from the chair. “I’m aware, Dad. She and I have already discussed this. She’s got it in her head that her life is too much for me and that she has too much baggage.”
“And what did you say?” Dad walks around the desk and leans against it, next to me.
I glance at him. When I was young, my dad seemed like the biggest guy in any room. He exuded strength and power. He was either playing football or coaching it. Everyone always stopped and listened when Joe Sinclair spoke, and I’ve never been any different. I’ve idolized my father my entire life, and the answer to this question matters to him.
I think back to Sunday morning and the feel of Belle in my arms. “I told her that Tommy wasn’t baggage and that I wasn’t going anywhere. She thinks she blew me off, but Tommy and I have a date to watch a movie and eat pizza Friday night. She might not be ready to let me all the way in yet, but those walls are getting knocked down, one way or another.”
Dad’s eyes are calculating. “Are you using Tommy to get close to Annabelle, son?”
“Wow, Dad. Guess I know what you really think of me. No. Tommy invited me over, and I told him I’d bring pizza. He’s a cool little kid. And if I’m going to be in Annabelle’s life, then I’m going to be in Tommy’s life. He and I need to get to know each other better.”
Dad nods in approval. “Good answer, Dec. I just wanted to make sure you know what you’re getting into. Annabelle and Tommy are a package deal. I’ve watched that girl struggle for the last year. She doesn’t like to ask for help. She also isn’t impressed by you at all...And that’s a good thing, Dec.” He slaps his arm around my shoulder. “When you decide to get into a serious relationship, it needs to be with someone who doesn’t care about your fame or the money. Those things come and go. It needs to be with someone who’ll fight for you—Declan the man, not Declan the quarterback. Annabelle couldn’t care less about all the extras, and money and fame don’t impress her at all. But I’ve watched the two of you circle each other for a few months now.” He taps his fingers against his desk. “And I’m telling you, that girl is worth the fight.”
“Thanks, Dad. I appreciate your advice.” I wasn’t expecting it today, but I appreciate it more than he knows. Any doubts I had about trying to get Belle out of her comfort zone were just erased.
