Page 22 of Promised Secret (Promises, Promises #3)

Chapter Eighteen

DAN

Clay loved me?

Clay loved me!

I mean, sure, I kinda knew he loved me in one way or another. We’d been so close for so long, but he’d admitted that maybe, just maybe, he loved me and not in the way one loved their brother.

Clay didn’t say those exact words, but he said he belonged only to me, which was basically the same thing, right?

I was going to have dreams about the way he pressed his body on top of mine in my minivan and kissed me until I couldn’t tell up from down.

I giggled and kicked my feet against my stool. Making out in broad daylight and on the side of the road had been risky as hell, but who could think that far when they had Clay’s lips on theirs?

“Frederick! Dan’s acting weird again,” Rosa rudely said from beside me, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Hey! Don’t forget I’m your boss,” I grumbled, kicking her chair.

She popped her gum at me, completely unfazed. “And I’m Rosa. What’s your point?”

My reply was an angry huff that had her smirking. It was all I could really do. Rosa basically ran the place, and she knew it.

Frederick strode in from the back. Mondays were usually slow, but it’d been extra slow today. I figured nobody wanted to do their annual right after the summer fair. The only patients who’d dropped by today were those who’d gotten sick to their stomach from all the fair food.

I was surprised Jones and Ryan hadn’t shown up after seeing pictures of all the funnel cake they’d eaten these past couple days. They must have controlled themselves for Karla’s sake.

“How are Captain and Hook doing?” Frederick asked about my pet rats.

“They’re settling in well,” I told him, and pulled out my phone. “Wanna see pics?”

He came around the reception desk and peered over my shoulder. Rosa leaned in, too, as I flipped through the many photos I’d taken of my babies. I hadn’t had them for long, but they already dominated my photo album.

Frederick chuckled when we came across a photo of Hook looking like he was wearing a dandelion flower as a hat. Clay had managed to time the photo at the exact moment Hook came up for a break from eating the stem.

“I never thought I’d say this about rats, of all things, but I have to admit, they’re pretty darn cute,” Rosa commented.

“Of course they are!” I replied. My babies were fucking adorable. The way their little hands would grip their treats or how they’d squint their eyes as they ate, or the high-pitched squeaks they made when they especially enjoyed their snack. Everything they did was cute.

“I brought some things for them. I figured I’d go over for a visit today if you’re free,” Frederick said.

I nodded immediately. Clay said he’d be home late tonight, anyway. “You wanna come too?” I turned to Rosa and asked.

“I’ll pass. I’m good with just seeing them through the safety of your phone,” she said with an exaggerated shiver.

“Aw, c’mon! They’re even cuter in person. And if you give Hook treats, he might even let you touch his belly. It’s really soft,” I tried persuading her.

I hated how misinformed people were about rats. One bad news article about them and their entire lot got categorized as dirty and diseased, when in fact, rats spent more time grooming themselves than cats did.

The way they used their little hands to fluff their fur was stinking cute, too.

Rosa didn’t seem impressed by the temptation of soft, chubby bellies. “No, thanks,” she replied curtly.

I shook my head while Frederick just chuckled.

“How are things going with the dude from the club?” I asked Frederick on the drive back to my place. I left my minivan at the clinic and figured I’d catch a ride with Clay tomorrow. Or walk, depending on the weather.

Frederick shrugged. “Things kinda fizzled out,” he replied, but I had a feeling there was more to it than that.

I wanted to probe, but his jaw was tightly set, and he had the steering wheel in a death grip. He clearly wasn’t in the mood to discuss his relationships, so I changed the topic.

“What did you get my babies, anyway?” I asked and turned to the back to take a peek.

Frederick’s grip on the wheel loosened, but there was still a strain in his tone when he replied, “I got my bunnies an inflatable pool to use as a playpen, but they’re not really a huge fan of it, so I thought the rats might like it. Have you taken them swimming yet?”

“Not yet, but I bet they’d look super adorable in the water!” I said, now excited.

I knew rats could swim, and some even enjoyed it, but I was honestly too busy feeding and cuddling the cuties to do much more.

Clay had been the one to teach them little tricks, with him having much more patience than I did.

Plus, he would actually wait to give them treats as rewards.

Unlike me, who gave them whatever they wanted as soon as they twitched their cute little noses at me.

Frederick worked on inflating the pool in the playpen I’d set up for them in the corner of the living room. Meanwhile, I went to say hi to my babies.

They’d probably just woken up for the night and immediately came running when I called their names. I hugged them to my chest, and Captain let out a high-pitched happy noise, and Hook licked my chin. My boys were always so affectionate.

“Do you guys remember Frederick?” I asked as I walked over to him.

They sniffed the air, probably trying to place Frederick’s scent. They must have remembered him, since neither of them tried to run from him when I set them inside the playpen.

I watched them explore the inflatable pool and Frederick for a bit. I left them to get reacquainted while I did some spot cleaning on their cage and filled their bowls with fresh food and water.

By the time I finished, Frederick had already filled the pool just deep enough for them to float. I pulled one of their climbing toys from their cage and set it inside the pool for them to stand on if they wanted.

I gently placed them on the toy, and both Hook and Captain sniffed the water and spun around to look at me like they were confused about what they were supposed to do. It made sense. My boys were smart, but they’d never swum before.

“Do you have frozen peas? That might entice them to explore,” Frederick suggested.

I retrieved the bag from the freezer and plopped a few peas into the pool. The treats immediately got their attention.

Captain tried to stretch his short little arms to reach the closest pea, to no avail. Hook was more courageous. He climbed down the toy’s stairs and bravely paddled toward the closest pea.

“Look at him go!” I cheered for my little boy and whooped, and Captain followed closely behind his brother.

I always thought it was funny how, despite his name, Captain was the more timid one. Instead of taking charge, he always waited for his brother to lead him.

“They’re natural swimmers,” I commented and slid down into the space beside Frederick.

Frederick smiled and nodded.

We watched the boys play for a while. Hook finished his first pea and jumped into the water for another. Bypassing the closest pea, he opted to swim further out as if he were enjoying himself.

Their happy squeaks were the only sound in the room for a couple breaths when Frederick finally let slip, “He came to visit me.”

I didn’t need him to clarify who he meant. There was only one person who could make Frederick look this vulnerable when he spoke about them.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” I asked.

He shrugged, pulled his knees to his chest, and hugged them. It was a funny sight, his large form all compacted like that.

His eyes never left the rats, and just when I thought he wasn’t in the mood to talk, he added, “I thought the distance would help, you know? That if I was away from him for long enough, maybe these feelings would fade.”

“I’m guessing they didn’t?”

He sighed. “Nope. I still want to maul those fucking pouty lips of his every time I see them.”

“Let’s just stick to kissing,” I said, choking out a laugh.

That got a smile out of him.

“I’d settle for that, too,” he said, turning on his cheek to look at me. “How are things going with the stepbro?”

Last night’s make-out session came to mind, and my cheeks heated. Considering we’d been on the side of the major road back into town, we’d stopped before things had gotten too hot and heavy. And when we got home, our parents had dropped by for a surprise visit.

They’d wanted to make sure everything was okay after running out of the fair like that on Saturday. Their arrival had killed any cell of desire inside of me, and the way Sandra looked almost frantic with worry filled me with guilt.

I sighed.

“That doesn’t sound good. Did you guys really get into a fight at the fair like the rumors say you did?” Frederick asked.

“Stupid small-town rumor mill,” I muttered. “It was just a little misunderstanding, but things worked out in the end. Actually, they more than worked out.”

“Yeah?”

“I told him I loved him,” I said, still feeling giddy about the entire thing. I felt like a young schoolboy who’d just confessed his feelings to his crush. Hell, I wanted to tell Clay I loved him since we were schoolboys.

“I’m guessing by the way you’re smiling like an idiot that he took it well?” Frederick said with a grin.

I nodded. “He said he loved me, too.”

He nudged me with his knee. “Congrats on overcoming the first hurdle,” he said.

I had no doubt my friend was happy for me but also down about his situation at the same time.

“Maybe you should just be upfront with your feelings, too?” I suggested.

“How can I do that when I can barely even speak when I face him?” he replied.

“Is he at your house now, and that’s why you wanted to come over here? To hide from him?”

“Maybe,” he hedged. I didn’t think the man could even blush, but damn, was he turning red now.

“Do you wanna stay the night?” I asked.

He shook his head and stood. “I really shouldn’t. In fact, I should probably head out before your man gets back and gets jealous again.”

As if summoned, the front door opened, and in came Clay. Probably having seen Frederick’s vehicle instead of mine parked outside, he was frowning as he closed the door behind him.

“And that’s my cue,” Frederick said with a laugh. He said goodbye to the rats and nodded to Clay on his way out.

I thought Clay might glower, so I was proud when he managed to nod back in greeting. Even if he did look more intimidating than normal.

Knowing that he wanted to keep me all for himself? That was hot as fuck. The possessiveness just did it for me.