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With a sigh, I open my mouth to speak, but a familiar voice catches me off guard and silences me. “Well, good afternoon, ladies.” Dean’s eyes roam over me, a smirk forming on his lips.
What the actual fuck. Why is he here?
“Son, hello, join us.” Lydia smiles, gesturing toward one of the empty seats at our table. With his eyes on me, Dean leans down to kiss his mother’s cheek before he claims the open seat. As usual, he looks handsome. He’s dressed in a navy suit that looks phenomenal against his bronze skin.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“I was in the neighborhood, and Mom mentioned you two were having lunch today, so I decided to stop by and say hi. Such a coincidence that it just so happens to be my lunch time as well. I’m starving.” He smirks, waving a waitress over to get a menu and place his order.
I roll my eyes. This sly motherfucker.
“I’m happy you’re able to join us. Karina keeps you all to herself, and I never see you anymore.” Lydia smiles, moving her napkin from the table to her lap when the waiter returns with our meal. Dean sits back in his seat, getting a little too fucking comfortable.
I’m uncomfortable around him. It’s been two weeks since we’ve seen each other, and the last thing I want to do right now is see him and try and make meaningless small talk in front of his mother.
My phone beeps, and too eagerly, I grab it and check the new text message. It’s a text from Declan asking if I want him to make dinner reservations or eat at home, but they don’t need to know that. “Shit, I have to go,” I lie, grabbing my purse hanging on the side of my chair.
“Is everything okay, sweetie?” Lydia asks with concern in her soft brown eyes.
From my peripheral, I see Dean, and I urge myself not to look directly at him.
“Yes, well, it will be. There’s an emergency at work, and I must go.” I stand, and lean down to give Lydia a quick hug, promising to plan lunch for another time.
On my way out, I fail and glance at Dean. The glare on his face tells me that he knows I’m lying.
Oh, well. I lied because I didn’t want to sit here with him at lunch and pretend everything is okay.
I don’t want to be his friend, and I don’t want to pretend I do.
Fuck him.
OperationGet Over Deanstarts now.
After runningout of the restaurant during lunch, I stop by my office to grab a few things and take the rest of my work home for the day. I had a suspicion that he’d show up at my office, and that’s why I chose to spend the rest of the day at home. That way, I wouldn’t be around for any surprise pop-ins.
It’s 6 p.m. now, and I hadn’t realized I’ve been buried inside my home office for so long until Declan knocks on the door and lets himself in. “Hey babe, you plan on coming out anytime soon?” I look up at him and shrug, sitting back in my chair.
I’ve been here for nearly six hours, buried between my sketchpad and laptop. I’ve been emailing back and forth with Sadie for a few hours, going over different designs. She even emailed me a few attached images, and I responded with ideas and images of my own that better fit my vision for the décor of my headquarters once the build is complete. It'll take months to get in a few of the pieces, so we have to order things much earlier to ensure they’ll be here in time.
“I guess I got lost in my work a little bit.” Which isn’t unusual for me. Especially with the transition of my operations from New York to here, I am swamped. I must work twice as hard to manage both locations. Thank fucking God for my incredible staff in New York for their assistance.
“When am I going to get my wife back? I miss you, you know.” He stands behind the chair in front of my desk, his hands holding onto the back of the chair. It’s been two weeks since I let Declan touch me. Every night he tries, and every night I have an excuse already prepared. Sex has always been the main thing we’ve had between us, and now that we barely have it, I’m not sure what’s left. If anything. We don’t talk much, I’m too busy working, and he does… whatever Declan does. At least he’s not doing drugs.
“I’m sorry, I’m just busy trying to ensure my fall launch goes smoothly and managing two locations.” I’m stressed the fuck out, and the last thing I need is a guilt trip for ignoring my husband.
“What if we go back to New York for a few weeks, or until your new building is complete and you can move operations here?” My eyes snap to his. No, that isn’t an option. Sure, it would be easier to be in New York. I can easily communicate with my staff and construction from New York, but I can’t go back there.I can’t.
I shake my head. “No. I need to be here to oversee the build.”
“Do you, though?Deanseems to be doing just fine.” He says his name with such malice. “Listen, I’ve been talking with Adam and the rest of the band, and we want to start recording again now that I’m back. I’ve been writing again, and I think getting back in the studio and on the road is exactly what I need.” Adam is Declan’s best friend. The two met at sixteen, and two years later they started Riot, and their once small-time rock band blew up practically overnight. Adam was at the courthouse when we got married and drove us to the hospital when I was in labor with Luca. He was even the one who helped convince Declan to go to rehab. He flew all the way here when I’d called him. He’s always been such a great friend to us both.
I’m surprised to hear that Declan has been writing songs again. It’s been a while since he wrote anything new. A year to be exact. And even longer since they’ve been in the studio together and have toured. I know recording new songs will mean touring, and I have concerns about him traveling and being around drugs and alcohol. He isn’t strong enough to resist his addictions yet.
“Dec, I’m happy that you’re writing, but you should wait before thinking about a tour.”
“Why? Because you think I’ll do drugs again?” He scoffs, and I shrug. It’s a very valid concern. “I’m not thinking about a huge tour, just something small, just a couple of shows in New York. I wrote songs about Luca, and I want to share them.” His words cause my blood to practically boil with rage.
We’ve discussed this before and agreed we’d never bring up Luca to the public. Our family is private; his death was private. We don’t need the death of our son to be exploited. Declan already has enough haters and crazed fans that we didn’t want our son exposed to that, and I don’t want his death exposed to the lunatics out there either.
