Take It Down A Notch

by Weston Parker

  Declan bumped his shoulder lightly against mine as we walked. “Don’t even pretend to be disappointed. I can see right through your act, you know?”

  “We’re glad you’re coming with us,” Lawson said. “You’re going to love Spiro’s. It’s themed like that old computer game with the magic dragon.”

  “There are murals against the walls, and the menus have pictures on them, but there’s also a pretty cool playground,” I added to Lawson’s description, then chuckled at the brief tightening of his features. “Don’t worry. The food is pretty good, and the prices are reasonable.”

  He opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something but then decided against it. “As long as the food is good.”

  I waited for him to add whatever it was he’d been thinking, but I let it go when he didn’t. Declan’s clothes were nice but not overly flashy. He drove a newish model SUV, and he smelled expensive, like his cologne wasn’t of the grocery-store variety. I was sure he could afford dinner at Spiro’s. I’d never have made that bet if I didn’t think so.

  Deciding to put whatever weirdness had just come over him out of my head, I led him to my car. “Are you sure you don’t want to catch a ride with us?”

  “I’ll meet you there,” he promised, then took off across the parking lot with long strides. Lawson and I climbed into our car, waiting until he pulled up behind us before we took off.

  On the way to the restaurant, Lawson told me all about their day together and, as usual, didn’t seem to be able to stop raving about Declan. It brought a smile to my lips to know that he was enjoying what the program offered so much. If ever there had been a Big Brother match made in heaven, it was with these two.

  My fears about the program and Declan’s motives had subsided in the weeks since Lawson had met him. We were all becoming so comfortable together that we felt like some kind of real unit, if not a family.

  It was a bit soon for the family thing, but we were definitely forming a cohesive unit. It was nice, and trust was an intrinsic part of that. It had taken me a while to build up to this point, but I was there now, and I had to admit it felt good.

  Declan parked beside us at Spiro’s and motioned for us to precede him again, getting the door and striding through it after us. Once we were seated, he looked around and blew out a breath. “Wow. I didn’t know places like this existed. It’s pretty awesome. I used to love this game.”

  “I love it, too,” Lawson said, excitement bleeding into his tone once more. “So does Mommy. She taught me how to play it. That’s why we still have it, even if it is old now.”

  Surprise flicked across Declan’s gaze, his delectable lips pulling into a smile. “A secret chess champion and fan of retro video games? Anything else I should know about you?”

  “So much.” My mouth curved into a smile. “But a girl’s got to have her secrets if she’s going to keep winning free dinners.”

  He scoffed, trying and failing to hide his grin. “I let you win that match, I’ll have you know.”

  “Keep thinking that,” I quipped, but I didn’t argue with him. If that was what he wanted to believe in order to soothe the tiny knock his pride had taken, I was okay with it. I knew I had beat him fair and square, but I didn’t feel the need to rub it in his face.

  “I will.” He winked at me before the lightness and humor evaporated from his eyes. They took on a contemplative gleam, and I could see him trying to make a decision.

  Not wanting to interrupt him, I busied myself with choosing a meal for myself and then helping Lawson to do the same. A few minutes passed while we debated the pros and cons of a hamburger versus fried chicken, but once Lawson’s decision was made, Declan leaned forward and captured my gaze.

  “If you guys are available and want to come with me, I’d like to take you somewhere tomorrow.” There was a tenseness I didn’t quite understand in his tone, matched by the rigid set of his shoulders.

  Whatever he wanted to show us, it was clearly important to him. “Sure, where are we going?”

  Lawson bobbed his head yes from his seat next to mine, his eyes locked on Declan as he waited for an answer to my question.

  We didn’t get one, but some of the tension melted out of Declan’s posture. “You’ll see tomorrow, but I think you’re going to like it.”

  Chapter 23

  Declan

  Nervous anticipation thrummed through my veins. The decision I’d made was arguably one of the most defining moments of my adult life, and I was about to share it with Lawson and Raeanne first.

  I’d briefly considered discussing it with Finley first, but it just hadn’t felt right. There was a gnawing feeling in my gut that Raeanne and Lawson were the people I needed to let in on this first, and I’d gone with it.

  Regardless of what they thought of my ever-evolving plan, I was going to go ahead with it. Even so, I couldn’t deny that their reactions to it and thoughts about it meant a lot me. If they didn’t think it was a good idea, it would shake my confidence and determination.

  It wouldn’t break me, but it would dim the glow of purpose that I felt so deep within me that it felt like it was emanating from my soul. It wouldn’t sit well with me if that happened, but I wasn’t afraid. It still felt right to share my news with them first and take whatever the consequences for that decision might be.

  Dragging in a deep breath, I pulled up outside of their house and shook out my hands to expel some of the nervous energy before pasting an easygoing grin to my face. I had seen the curiosity in Raeanne’s eyes last night, followed by the realization that my invitation meant more to me than I’d been letting on.

  I didn’t want her to see just how important this was to me, though. Everything I knew about her told me that while she was an honest and upfront person, she also didn’t like being unkind. If I wanted her to be entirely truthful with me, she couldn’t know that it hurt me if she didn’t like what I was about to show them.

  Their front door swung open before I’d knocked on it. Lawson tumbled out onto the porch and held out his fist. “You’re here! I’ve been waiting all morning.”

  Despite my nerves, a genuine grin spread on my lips as I knocked my fist to his before yanking it away and opening my fingers to mime the explosion. “I’m five minutes early. You can’t have been waiting on me.”

  Raeanne appeared in the doorway behind him, shaking her head with a smile as she turned to lock up. “Time means nothing to him where you’re involved. He’s been pacing up and down in front of the window, waiting for you for at least an hour.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind next time,” I said, but when Raeanne stepped away from the door and I got my first good look at her for the day, my mouth dried up.

  Although she was dressed in her usual casual style, her jeans looked like they had been painted on, and her fitted black coat accentuated every curve. The blues and greens swirling in her hazel eyes were bright and happy, her jet-black hair tumbling in loose waves to her shoulders.

  “You ready to go?” she asked as her hand came down to rest on Lawson’s shoulder. There was a moment where I had to resist the urge to take her into my arms and greet her properly, but I knew I couldn’t do that.

  Shoving my hands in the pockets of my jeans to keep them from reaching for her, I jerked my head toward my SUV parked on the curb. “Sure, ready whenever you are.”

  “If we’re taking your vehicle, we’ll need to transfer Lawson’s booster seat to it.” Opening her purse as she started to walk away from me without waiting for an answer, she fished her keys out and headed for their car.

  I caught up to her in a few strides, then took the seat from her once she’d released it from its mounts. Thankfully, it was easy enough to secure to my back seat and we were on the road a few minutes later.

  “So,” she said once we were on our way. “Are you going to tell us where we’re going yet?”

  I grinned as I glanced over at her. “To the art museum. I wanted to get your thoughts on a few things.” />
  She looked taken aback for a moment. “Unless it’s a photography exhibition, I won’t be able to add much value to whatever you want to get our thoughts on. I’ve never quite been able to look at a painting and see anything on it except for what was actually there.”

  “I tried reading a book on artists of the Renaissance era once,” Lawson piped up from the back, a small frown between his eyebrows. “I didn’t understand much of it.”

  “Don’t worry,” I assured them both. “You’ll understand once we get there.”

  “Okay.” Raeanne shrugged, relaxing back into her seat. “Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.”

  “I won’t.” I turned up the volume of the radio just enough that we’d have background music, then chatted to them about anything I could think of to distract myself until we got there.

  After I paid our admission, ignoring Raeanne’s protests about how she would cover theirs, my pulse spiked, and I led them inside. The first exhibit was a historical picture gallery showcasing how Hilton Head had changed from the 1900s.

  Lawson let out a soft but exhilarated laugh and dashed to the nearest wall to start reading the plaques beside the photographs. Raeanne stayed by my side, but I felt the joy coming from her in near-palpable waves. “I can’t believe I never knew this was here. Between Lawson’s love of history and mine of photography, I feel like I really should have thought about it before.”

  My heart pounded against my chest, and I turned to face her, keeping Lawson in my periphery. It was weird how it was becoming normal for me to keep an eye on him whether I meant to do it or not.

  “Why did you choose photography as a career?”

  A surprised frown pulled her brows together as she cocked her head. “I’ve already told you. It’s my one true passion and it also happened to be something that could help us live comfortably if I went about it the right way.”

  “Right.” I nodded. “Remember you asked me that night what my one true passion was?”

  “You said you didn’t know,” she replied without the need to pause to think about it. My heart did a strange flop at the thought that she knew me so well already, better than ninety-nine percent of people who had known me for years. And she’d only known me less than two months.

  Swallowing past the strange sensation that the knowledge brought about, I nodded again. “I did say that, but then I was talking to Lawson last week, and I realized that it wasn’t true anymore. I do know.”

  “What are you saying?” She kept her eyes on mine, the expression in them burning with curiosity and maybe even a bit of confusion. “What’s your passion then?”

  “Books,” I answered simply. “My love for reading has gotten me through every tough time I’ve ever had. It entertains me and excites me. It offers me an escape no matter where I am, and it has the capacity to calm me regardless of what’s going on in my life.”

  A slow grin curled her lips. “It definitely sounds like you’re passionate about it, all right. If that was what you wanted to tell me, why are we at an art museum and not a library?”

  “This exhibit,” I opened my arms and swept them across the room, “showcases how our community has grown and the landscape around us has changed.”

  “Okay?” Confusion darkened her eyes.

  “I grew up here, and as much as I have a passion for reading, I’ve also realized that I am passionate about the town and its community. It took being part of the program for me to realize it, and I think I’ve figured out how I can live my passion, as well as adding to the landscape and the community.”

  “How?” she asked, but I saw excitement suddenly in her gaze.

  “Lawson gave me the idea actually. I’m thinking of opening a contemporary library. I’ve been doing some research, and libraries have been positioning themselves as cultural, social, and civic hubs with some books thrown into the mix. I think we could really use something like that around here, and I want you to do the pictures for the building, if you want.”

  Her jaw slackened. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.” I grinned, once more fighting against the intense desire to wrap my arms around her and haul her closer to me. Now that the words were out there, I felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted from my shoulders. “What do you think?”

  “I think that’s a great idea,” she said slowly, a radiant grin lighting up her features just before she took a step forward and threw her arms around my neck. “I can’t wait to hear more about it, but I think you’re right. It would be great to have something like that around.”

  More than relieved about her enthusiasm, as well as the fact that her body was finally plastered against mine and I could wrap her up in my arms, I grinned against her hair and lifted her briefly as I hugged her.

  “Great, but will you do the pictures?” Her hair moved against my lips and a soft sigh escaped her as I set her back down on her feet.

  “I’d love to,” she said, but then her smile faltered as she looked up into my eyes and her hands found her hips. “You know, I’ve never gotten a straight answer from you about what you do for a living, and now this?”

  “I’m an entrepreneur.” A brand-new one, but it was the truth now.

  Her hazel eyes narrowed on mine. “That seems like a cheap way of not really telling me what you do.”

  I was saved from having to answer her accusation when my phone started ringing. Seeing it was my mother, I held up a finger to show her I needed a minute and then turned to walk a couple of paces away from her before I answered.

  “What can I do for you, Mother?” I asked instead of greeting her. It had long since become the way we communicated over the phone. I knew she wasn’t calling me to exchange pleasantries, and she knew it too.

  “We’re having a family dinner on Tuesday. I’m expecting you to be there, considering how many dinners you’ve missed since the new year.”

  My eyes closed in frustration, my free hand diving through my hair. “Yeah, sure. I’ll be there. Seven?”

  “Seven,” she confirmed. “Don’t be late. I’m having the chef prepare all the family favorites. Goodbye, darling.”

  The call ended before I could say my goodbyes, and a low groan tore out of me before I could stop it. When I turned around, I found Raeanne had moved with me and was standing right behind me.

  “Is everything okay?” Concern flashed in her eyes, her hand lifting like she was about to rest it on my forearm before she thought better of it.

  I released a heavy sigh but made myself smirk as I nodded. “Everything’s fine. It’s just my mom. She wants to have me over for dinner, and she wasn’t taking no for an answer.”

  She searched my eyes for a moment before the concern melted out of hers, her tone returning to light and playful. “Do you want me and Lawson to come with you to soften the blow?”

  I balked at the idea of having them come home with me. My family and I were the embodiment of what she despised, and once she met them and saw our home, there would be no more hiding that fact.

  Quickly shooting down the idea without making my alarm about it obvious was the only way to get out of this if I wanted to avoid her suspicion. I would tell her exactly who I was when the time was right. I just didn’t think that time was today.

  “That’s okay. You would both be horribly bored once my mother stopped questioning you about every aspect of your life. I wouldn’t want to subject you to that.”

  Raeanne laughed. “Okay, it’s no big deal. I just thought I’d offer, but thank you for being honest.”

  The pit in my stomach grew several sizes. The web of lies I’d inadvertently gotten myself caught up in was becoming larger, and I had a sudden feeling I was going to get stuck in it soon. I needed to figure out how to tell Raeanne the truth, and I needed to do it soon.

  Chapter 24

  Raeanne

  “Mommy!” Lawson yelled from his room. “Where’s my red T-shirt?”

  Hopping around while trying to get my foot into my shoe with my bru
sh mid-way through my hair, I nearly toppled over as I called out my reply. “The red superhero one or the red dinosaur one?”

  I caught myself on the bed just in time, my brush toppling out of my fingers and landing beneath my ass, which unceremoniously ended up right on top of it. The sharp teeth dug into me through my pants.

  I yelped as I leaped back up, forgetting that I was wearing only one heel so far. My balance wasn’t that great, and the next thing I knew, I was back on the bed.

  What a fucking morning. I blew out a breath and rubbed my behind when I stood up—much slower this time. Carefully lifting my other foot to slide the shoe into it, I was reminded of the reason that I didn’t wear heels too often.

  But the client for the corporate photoshoot I had booked today had specifically requested that I dress the part to blend into their new product launch party. He’d sent me a few snapshots of how the people in their firm dressed, and it required a little more class than my usual look.

  Another reason why this morning sucked. I would be stuck in a suit all day. Plus, my hairdryer had burned out just before I could finish using it, and my mascara had run dry. Lawson wasn’t having the best morning either.

  He’d woken up late, the milk he’d poured into his cereal had been sour, and as much as he loved Tessa, he’d rather have Declan looking after him while I was at work today. I sighed when I noticed that my freshly painted nails were smudged all over after my dressing disasters.

  “The superhero one,” Lawson shouted as he raced into my room. “I can’t find it anywhere. It’s gone, and I want to wear it today.”

  “It’s not gone, baby,” I said as soothingly as I could muster. My stress levels were through the roof as I glanced down at my watch. It turned out that my attempt at using a soothing tone hadn’t mattered anyway because he wasn’t really listening.

  “It’s gone! I’ve looked everywhere and it’s nowhere. This day sucks.” He launched himself onto my bed with his head buried in the pillows.