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We had a Byrne brothers birthday tradition. Whoever’s birthday it was, the rest of us tried to outdo the others with the wildest fucking stories about the birthday boy. The stories this time were all the crazier because we had Raven and Cade with us. Their virgin ears to our chaos meant our stories were more insane. However, none of that stopped Raven from chiming in with a very dramatic re-telling of Declan’s first time doing ax-throwing.
“I went to all the county fairs with you growing up,” I whispered, leaning close to my brother. He grunted but said nothing. “Declan, you’ve taken home those stupid blue ribbons every time for ax-throwing.”
“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about,” he murmured into his beer.
“Seriously? You mean to tell me none of these idiots told her?”
“The only one who ever followed me around the fairs was you,” Declan said. His grin widened. “You tell her and they’ll never find your body.”
“Oh, you adorable little shit,” I replied. God, I was fucking happy he found Raven.
“Every time I sucked, I got some very expressive gestures of sympathy from her,” he told me quietly. Good God, this whole plan started with his dick. “And she was in a tiny little dress. I’d be a damned idiot to turn that down. Besides, I made it up to her by eating goddamn cheese.”
“You ate cheese?” I exclaimed. “Woman, you’re a goddamn miracle worker.”
“We should take him to that cheese bar we went to in New York,” Cade chimed in.
“You mean the one you bribed—”
“I didn’t bribe them!”
“You bribed them!” Raven retorted. “And it was glorious. Bribe them again with your fancy baseball status. We got secret cheese out of it.”
“I don’t need secret cheese.” Declan shook his head.
“Everyone needs secret cheese, Declan,” I said.
“And for the record, I didn’t bribe them,” Cade protested. “It’s not my fault I walk into a room and people know me.”
“Hello!” All of us turned at the new voice. Chuck—I was almost positive his name was Chuck—from the post office rolled a cart up the drive. The longer I stared at our random intruder, the more I wasn’t sure his name was actually Chuck. But I wasn’t Declan. I didn’t memorize anyone outside of the pack if I didn’t need to. I didn’t extend my interest any further than necessary. He gestured to his cart. “I have a bunch of packages for the Byrne family collective.”
The Byrne family collective? What the fuck was that shit?
“How’s it going, Craig?” Declan asked. Fuck, it wasn’t Chuck. “Let me help you with that.”
“No, no.” Craig shook his head. “It’s all right. I need to go through this in a specific order—directions and all. She was thorough.”
“Who was thorough?” Mom chimed in, voicing the question we all had. I had to imagine surprise package drop-offs weren’t that common here.
“Ms. Goodwin,” he said. My heart dropped. No. She wouldn’t. But apparently, I wasn’t the only one as everyone fucking looked at me.
“Don’t ask me about it,” I growled. “I don’t know a damn thing.”
I didn’t. I wished I fucking did, but Jesus fucking Christ, she’d blindsided me with this one. First blocking my calls and now this. I looked to my brothers for some kind of insight as to what might be going on. From the expressions around the fucking table, they knew more than I did—which pissed me the fuck off. She was my wife. If they knew something, they should’ve told me. I could’ve fucking fixed it. Right?
I tuned out the fucking conversations as Craig passed out presents. Fucking presents. That was what she sent. Declan’s birthday present, Christmas presents, a year’s worth of birthday presents, and a wedding present for Raven and Declan.
I was fucking fuming. Absolutely goddamn livid as I watched it all unfold.
“And for you, Mr. Byrne,” Craig began as he looked at me with a certified manilla envelope in hand. My dark mood must’ve shown because he approached me like he was afraid I’d bite. “I need you to sign this.”
I knew—I knew—what was in that goddamn envelope. I didn’t want it. I didn’t want it, but I fucking signed for it. As I dropped it on the table, it fucking jingled. What the fuck did she put in the goddamn thing?
“Thank you, Craig,” Mom said. “We appreciate it.”
“Of course, Mrs. Byrne. Have a great day.”
There was no way anyone was having a great fucking day. Not after this bull shit. No one fucking moved as Craig wheeled his goddamn cart down the driveway and disappeared. No one touched their goddamn presents. No one said a fucking word.
