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“No. You said not to.”

Declan went to the fridge and took out the box. I leaned against the counter, eagerly awaiting my view of the cake. He opened the lid and shook his head before facing the cake toward me.

I covered my mouth in laughter. It featured a photo of the most awkward-looking little boy with crooked teeth and a bowl cut. It vaguely looked like a young Declan. Happy Birthday, Scooter was written on top.

“Oh my goodness! That’s you?”

“They always get a cake made with the worst photos of me. Last year, it was just my fat baby butt. This year, my first-grade class picture takes the cake. Pun intended.”

It was funny to think such a goofy-looking boy had turned into such an Adonis.

“Wow. You look so…different.”

“That’s putting it lightly.”

He opened the drawer and grabbed two forks, handing me one. Declan dug into the center of his face on the cake and took a bite. “At least it’s good,” he said with his mouth full. “Try it.”

“Not as good as your cupcakes, but yeah,” I said after sampling. “So where does the name Scooter come from?”

“I was waiting for you to ask that.” He wiped some frosting off his bottom lip. “Well, you know I’m the youngest and the only boy. I used to follow my sisters around the neighborhood on my scooter, like a little pet. So, all the neighborhood kids would call me Scooter. It stuck, and my sisters started using the nickname, too.”

“It must have been something being the only boy in that house, huh?”

Declan nodded. “They gave me a lot of shit growing up, but I wouldn’t trade it. I think having sisters makes me a better man. I don’t think I could relate to women in the same way if I hadn’t had sisters. I’ve witnessed a lot—their hurt over guys, the challenges they’ve had to face in being seen as equals in things like competitive sports. Even though I’m the little brother, I’m very protective of them.”

That squeezed my heart. “That’s so sweet.”

“At the same time, I’m pretty sure any one of them, especially Sister Catherine, could still kick my ass any day.”

“Still being the operative word. Meaning it’s happened multiple times?”

“Yup.” He sighed.

“I would so pay to see that.” I laughed.

Declan swiped a chunk of frosting off of his bowl cut and smeared it on the tip of my nose. We both started cracking up. I was relieved. Despite him ending our texts abruptly last night, it seemed things were all good between us.

CHAPTER 10

* * *

Declan

My birthday turned out better than I’d expected. I hadn’t planned to say anything about it, but thanks to my sisters, Molly and I devoured half that cake. Then she insisted on taking me out, so we went to the Italian place on the corner. We had a great time, but then again, I always did with Molly. It had been not quite a month since I’d moved in, but she’d become a good friend. Molly was funny, bright, and easy to talk to.

The following day at work, Julia was acting a little odd. She seemed spacey and not really attentive to the presentation one of our managers had flown in to give.

As we exited a conference room that afternoon, I asked her about it.

“Everything okay with you?”

She hesitated then said, “Bryant and I broke up.”

Her announcement stopped me in my tracks.

“What happened?”

Julia blew out a breath. “I decided to just nip it in the bud. If I didn’t want to be with him exclusively, there was something wrong, right? Even if I couldn’t pinpoint it?”

Still trying to process, I nodded. “Yeah. I’d have to agree. You shouldn’t feel trapped in a relationship. You should want to be there. That person should be all you think about. You shouldn’t want to be with anyone else.”

“Exactly. So...that was my revelation last night. I decided to call him early this morning and tell him. If I’ve been a little out of it today, it’s because I feel sad that I hurt him, even though it’s a huge weight off my chest.”

“I bet.”

This was a weird feeling. I’d waited for Julia to break up with her boyfriend for the longest time. But now I didn’t know how to react.

“What now?” I asked.

She batted her lashes. “I don’t know. You tell me. How should I mark this occasion?”

“I think we should have a drink. Or two.”

Always the opportunist, Declan.

She smiled. “That sounds awesome. I want to go home and change first, though, if that’s okay. It’s been a long day.”

“Yeah. That’s cool. I’ll do the same. I can pick you up at seven at your place?”

“Perfect.”

For someone who’d just broken up with her boyfriend, Julia seemed to perk up pretty fast.

***

Molly was getting ready for her date with Dr. Small Willy when I got back to the apartment. My reaction the other night when she told me he’d asked her out had been a surprise. There had definitely been a vibe between us since the night she’d dressed up in that fuck-hot outfit to make Julia jealous. But I don’t think I realized the shift had to do with my feelings for her until that text.