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Me: Yes.
Parker: He might get more broody because he’s stressed out. Don’t take it personally. Just bat your eyelashes at him, and he’ll be putty in your hands.
Me: You sound like you speak from experience.
Parker: No. I just know him and can tell how much you mean to him.
Well, shit. That felt pretty fucking good to hear.
Parker: Thank you for loving our boy. He ended the message with a smiling-face emoji.
I got slightly choked up looking at his words. They were so damn incredible, and I felt honored to be let into the fold.
Me: He makes it easy.
“Who’s that?” Declan asked, and I set my phone down. Would he be upset if I told him? I didn’t want him to think we were talking about him behind his back.
“Parker.” But surprisingly, he just chuckled.
“I had a feeling he’d be messaging, the little brat.” He took a deep breath. “I should pull over and let you drive. Your parents might think it’s weird if I’m behind the wheel of your car.” The tension had returned to his voice.
“I’m taking my boyfriend home to meet them. They won’t think you driving is weird.”
“Holy shit,” he said, the panic clearly setting in. Even though I’d offered to say we were just friends, he’d told me he didn’t want me to lie to them. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“Any regrets?”
He paused for a moment, then turned to me. “No.” His eyes returned to the road.
“Me neither…though I’ve never tried to have sex with someone in my childhood bedroom. It might prove difficult. My parents’ room is close, but I also know I won’t be able to keep my hands off you.”
He blinked dramatically. “We’re not having sex while we’re here.”
“Please?” I reached over and cupped his bulge, hoping to make him smile.
“Fuuuuuck. Maybe.”
I just wanted to see him smile, wanted to help him relax because it meant everything in the world to me that he enjoyed this.
I was surprised when Declan twined his fingers with mine, and we made the rest of the drive that way.
My parents lived in an old farmhouse on about ten acres. My brother, Ollie, built his house on the same property, but Brooke lived about ten or so minutes away. I was the only one who’d left, the only one who’d ever wanted to leave. There were many the-only-one-who situations in my family where I stuck out. But I was lucky—they loved and supported me and would have never treated me the way Declan’s father treated him. And yet Declan had still hired someone to go fix the air conditioner for him.
The second he turned off the car, the screen door opened so fast and hard that it hit the side of the house as Mom and Brooke came spilling out. Dad, Ollie, and the spouses and kids made their way out next, at a slower pace.
“Jesus Christ, I feel like I stepped into a movie.”
I smiled. “It’s kinda great.” I’d missed them, and I’d known that, but I hadn’t realized how much until I saw them. Declan cleared his throat, drawing my attention to him. “They’ll love you, Declan.”
“How do you know?”
I shrugged. “Because I do.” I wasn’t sure if he would take that the way I meant it or not, but the hard set of his jaw, from what I assumed were nerves, loosened. There was no chance to reply because I had a whole crazy family outside the vehicle waiting for us. If we didn’t get out, Mom and Brooke would climb inside, so I said, “Let’s go.”
Declan nodded, and we got out. I was immediately wrapped in hugs from my sister and my mom while getting pats on the back and hellos from the others. I often ended up staying away for too long, and it was hard on them. That wasn’t what they were used to, and I knew that even though they were proud of me for following my dreams, they also wished those dreams had kept me here.
“I’m so glad you’re finally home,” Mom said, and I kissed the top of her head before ruffling Brooke’s hair.
“Stop, you brat,” she teased, and I kissed her too, then turned to look for Declan. He was lingering toward the front of the car with his hands stuffed in his jeans pockets.
“Gimme some space, gimme some space,” I said playfully but also tried to make my way through the group and to him.
“Is that Uncle Sebastian’s boyfriend?” Little Ollie, my brother’s son, asked. “You said he was bringing a boy home.”
“Hey.” My brother nudged him.
“It’s fine.” I looked down at my nephew. “Yep, this is my boyfriend, Declan. I’m excited for everyone to meet him.”
“Hi, Mr. Declan,” Little Ollie said, and I couldn’t lie, it made my heart squeeze a bit.
“Hey. You must be Ollie. It’s nice to meet you. Sebastian told me all about you.” To everyone else, I was sure he sounded fine, but I could tell he was unsure of himself.
