Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“Yes, and no. A mutual friend of Declan and Sebastian’s circle of friends has moved to the area, and Sebastian wants to have a dinner party to welcome him. They’ve been throwing the idea around for a while. However, when Rome came to our house announcing that Declan was secretly dating someone and threatened to take Rome’s head off in the middle of the store, Sebastian declared the party needed to happen now so we could officially meet you.”
I blinked at Byron because my brain could not process what I’d just heard. “I’m sorry, what?” It hadn’t been too hard to follow Byron’s explanation since it was pretty much what I had expected following Franks’s announcement of his arrival. At least, it had been until Rome had claimed that Declan made threats. “This is the first I’m hearing of it. I thought he just glared at Rome, but I guess he might have said something after I left to shop with Joy.”
“Yeah,” Byron drawled. “What you need to know about Rome is that he exaggerates. A lot. Plus, Declan doesn’t need to say anything. He’s got a threatening look that sends Rome into a panic. He claimed Declan was holding you and the baby while threatening his life.”
That…might have been true.
I hadn’t been in the best mental space when we were in the grocery store. Okay, I’d been fucking overwhelmed and on the verge of collapse, but Declan had been there to pull me together.
“Ah…gotcha.” I nodded and sorted through the facts to frame something that was true but didn’t give away too much of Declan’s personal life. If Declan wanted anyone to know that we’d been fucking for months, he would have told his friends already. “Total misunderstanding. Declan and I are friends. We met about a year ago, and recently my apartment burned down. He’s letting Joy and me crash with him for a while. Just until I get on my feet.”
“Fuuuudge…” Byron drawled out as his eyes snapped to Joy and he caught himself. “I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, thank you. I’m still sorting things out with the insurance company and figuring out the next steps. For now, Declan has commissioned me to paint some murals in his house.”
“You’re an artist?” Byron cringed the second those words were out of his mouth. “Really…I’m sorry.” He opened his eyes, looking so pained. “I’m not normally this awkward. Ever since Rome announced Declan was dating someone, Sebastian has been in a rush to meet you, but he can be…a bit much. Particularly with Declan. I volunteered to come check you out, because I usually have the ability to be more subtle. Unfortunately, I’ve convinced you that I’m a moron.”
Joy shouted and made some fussy noises. It was likely she was bored with sitting in her chair. I leaned over and pulled her out of her chair, flying her through the air above my head. Her grumpy noises turned into happy raspberries and giggles.
“I think Joy could use a snack. Want to join us for a snack?” I offered. While Byron had come to Declan’s for a nosy purpose, he seemed like a nice guy and he was a friend of Declan’s. I could at least be polite.
“That sounds great.” We stood, and Byron walked with me as we wandered through the massive house to the kitchen.
“I’ll never get used to a house this size,” Byron murmured as he strolled with me, smiling and waving at the restless baby in my arms. “I moved in with Sebastian last month, and his house is as big as this. Before that, my apartment was smaller than the master bedroom. He makes fun of me for putting sticky notes on some of the doors as reminders of what is or isn’t in a particular room.”
Well, that was interesting. So Byron came from common stock, like me.
“It is definitely bigger than my old apartment,” I agreed.
“Is your…wife…husband adjusting to this big house okay?” Byron asked, a little haltingly. I lifted an eyebrow at him, and he sighed. “Yeah, that sounded as horrible as it did in my head.”
“I’m single,” I said with a smirk. “Don’t worry. I can guess what your marching orders were. Find out who I am, if I’m dating Declan, am I taking advantage of him, and where did the baby come from?”
“Pretty much.”
When we reached the kitchen, Chef Donovan had Joy’s bottle waiting with a wide grin. Donovan was a sweet, somewhat chubby man with round cheeks that begged to be pinched and a deep barrel laugh that sounded like he was trying out to be Santa. I adored him, and not just because he made the best meals. He was relentlessly thoughtful and kind, taking such good care of us, but then so was Franks. If I’d learned anything while living with Declan, it was that his employees spoiled him.