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I laced my fingers with his, hoping that would help as everyone tried talking to him at the same time. Declan took it well, and we got all the introductions out of the way before grabbing our bags and heading into the house.
My parents hadn’t accepted much help from me, but we did remodel the house and made improvements on the farm. Mom loved natural light and had all the blinds and curtains open, and they’d set finger foods out on the table.
“Are you hungry, Declan? We made a whole lot of food. You have to try my mashed-potato balls. They’re my specialty.” Mom grabbed Declan’s hand, and he had no choice but to leave his bag by the door and let her drag him over. He flashed a concerned look at me over his shoulder, but then turned back to her, answering something she said to him.
“He looks scared to death,” Brooke said softly.
“He’s not used to this. He doesn’t have much family.”
“He does now.”
“I wanna be with him, B. Forever. I want to find a way to make this work.”
“Why wouldn’t it?”
“I just don’t know how well he’ll deal with the whole celebrity part of it, and honestly, I don’t know if I’ll want to leave him for months at a time. I know that sounds crazy, but—”
“No, it doesn’t, and I’m sure you guys will work through it. As long as loving each other isn’t the problem, the rest will sort itself out.”
I hoped so, but the thing was, I didn’t even know if Declan loved me. Yeah, he was here, and he called me his boyfriend, but that didn’t mean he was creating a happily-ever-after in his head for us the way I was suddenly doing—one that included living together and hanging out with the podcast guys and having Christmas dinners in Idaho with my family.
God, I was ridiculous over this man, but I wanted those things in a way I never thought I would.
“He’s really hot,” Brooke said as I watched my mom mother Declan. He was holding a paper plate, and she was pointing out foods, talking to him and helping him pile everything on. Had Parker’s, Marcus’s, or Corbin’s families been this way with him? It didn’t seem like it. I knew he had to know them because they’d been close for so long—and also from the stories I’d heard from when they were growing up—but did they invite him into their lives the way I knew my family would now?
“I know, right?” I finally responded to her statement about his looks.
“I kinda want to run my fingers through his hair. Maybe fist it.”
“Oh my God! Brooke!” My sister laughed, and I couldn’t help doing the same. “You’re so gross. I don’t talk about your husband that way, so don’t do it with my boyfriend.”
“My husband doesn’t have hair like that.”
I rolled my eyes, but I loved this, loved her. “I’m going to go save him.”
“Okay. I’m happy for you, Bastian. I can tell you’re happy too. I know it hasn’t been long since you wrapped filming and decided you’re not sure what you want, but do you miss it?”
“Miss what?”
“Acting.”
I didn’t feel like that was accurate because it wasn’t like I’d taken six months off or anything. It had just been a few weeks. I loved films and slipping into a role, making people feel things from my art. I felt guilty if I said I didn’t miss that, but right now, I just didn’t. I was enjoying the moment, something I hadn’t let myself do in a long time. I was always so busy chasing the dream and then keeping the dream, I didn’t enjoy living. “No, I don’t miss it, but that doesn’t mean I won’t. It doesn’t mean I don’t want it.”
“I know. I was just curious. I’ll also remind you that actors and actresses have happy relationships every day despite what they do.”
“Now you’re just telling lies.” I winked, and she chuckled, right before I heard Declan doing the same thing and looked up to see both my dad and my brother had joined them. I wasn’t sure who’d made him laugh, but it was a real one, the kind that came from deep in your gut and wasn’t faked. It made my stomach do flip-flops and heat spread through my chest. Seeing Declan with my family was right in ways not many things had been in my life.
As if she knew what I was thinking, Brooke squeezed my bicep.
I headed over to join them. “What’s so funny over here?” I asked, standing beside Declan.
“Mom started in on the stories from when you were young,” Ollie said.
“Oh God. Aren’t I too old for that?”
“You’re never too old for that, at least when it comes to your mama.” Dad wrapped his arm around her.
