Page 7 of Take Two (Valleywood: Season Three)
Chapter 7
Phobos
I should’ve thought this through.
The ride to my parents’ mansion was… interesting. Though we didn’t really speak much, the space was filled instead with his cologne. I’d never smelled anything like it before, musky and earthy but also crisp, like walking through a forest in the winter. It wasn’t what I would’ve described as sexy, but my body sure reacted, my pants tightening around my crotch.
I opened my mouth to start a conversation a dozen times, but every time, I remembered the look on his face when he’d said my house was filled with germs. He was disgusted by me, which kinda made me disgusted with myself. I made a silent vow to try harder. Ever since Cameron left, I hadn’t been able to find the motivation to bother, but I’d clearly let my self-pity get the better of me.
We pulled up in front of my parents’ mansion, and Declan’s jaw dropped a little lower. “How is this real?” he muttered under his breath.
I got out of the car and rushed around to open his door for him. He seemed startled, as if no one had shown him the courtesy before. “Oh, uh… thanks.”
“Of course.” I waffled on whether to offer him my elbow or not, but his gaze was angled away from me, so I passed on it. “Um, so, I didn’t tell my parents much about you, but—”
Declan’s head whipped around. “I’m meeting your parents ?!” he blurted out, eyes widening.
I frowned. “Yes, and also my siblings, but—”
“Gods, fate must’ve been drunk when they sent you.” What was that supposed to mean? He took a long, slow breath, pinching the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed. “You invited me to meet your family as a first date?” He was speaking slowly, like I was a child or something.
“Y-yes?” Was that wrong? I was kinda new to the whole human dating thing.
“Was a little heads-up too much to ask for?” He shook his head, frowning. “Let’s just get this over with. I should’ve asked for more money.” He stomped toward the front door ahead of me, and I raced to catch up. Damn this new human body of mine, I was so slow. How was he so fast? He’d already rung the doorbell by the time I got there.
“Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spring this on you. It’s just that my brother—” That was all the explanation I managed to get out before the door opened to my mother’s beaming face.
My mother, of course, gushed over Declan, taking him by the hand and leading him into the dining room. I trailed behind them, hating the way Declan’s shoulders tensed, inching up toward his ears.
I hadn’t meant to put him in an awkward situation. My foremost thought had been impressing my family, and who was more impressive as a date than Declan? It was two birds with one stone, dinner with my family and spending more time with the hot lumberjack. But now, I realized that I hadn’t spent nearly enough time thinking about what Declan would want.
Shit. I screwed up.
“There he is,” Deimos said, rising from his chair, smiling widely at me before his gaze slid over to Declan, and his grin slipped a little. “And this must be… your date?”
But then Declan froze, and I swore the hair at the back of his neck rose, his upper lip curling in a feral snarl. “ You ,” he seethed between gritted teeth. “ You’re his brother?”
I looked back and forth between them. Was I missing something? “You two know each other?”
Cameron was the one to answer, though, as he pushed his chair back and came over, carrying my nephew, Damon. “Oh my gods! It’s you, from the bar! Seeing you again must be fate.”
I started putting two and two together. Right, the bar. The Wolf’s Den must’ve been where Cameron ended up giving birth during the blizzard. Huh, that was… quite the coincidence.
“Here, you want to hold him?” Cameron shoved the baby toward Declan, who looked stunned over the whole experience.
“Uhh, okay?” He looked a little uncomfortable holding a baby. At least he didn’t seem angry at Deimos anymore. Why was he mad at my brother, anyway?
As I watched him get more comfortable with Damon, though, a strange warmth crawled through me. He looked good with a baby. Like, really good. The strangest image popped into my head, of him pregnant with my baby.
After Harmonia led us through some stilted conversation, Declan passed the baby back to Cameron, and we all settled in at the table.
“So, how long have you two been dating?” my dad asked, plopping himself down in his seat and reaching for the platter of meat.
“A few months,” I blurted, panicked gaze flicking over to Declan, pleading silently with him to go along with it.
He glared back with narrowed eyes but thankfully didn’t dispute my claim.
“Months, hmm?” Deimos said smoothly. “Strange that this is the first we’re hearing of him.”
I chuckled tightly. “Oh, you know how new love is. I wanted to keep him all to myself.”
Declan choked on his sip of water and set his glass down, reaching for a napkin. “Went down the wrong way.”
“Are you okay, pookie?” I asked, patting him on the back.
His glare turned murderous. “I’m just fine, shnookums .”
I should’ve made our excuses and left, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. With every little tidbit my brother dropped about his perfect life with his perfect family, I felt this uncontrollable urge to one-up him. To prove that I was okay, that my life was sunshine and roses, that my future was bright. I bragged about this secret movie I was filming, called Declan pet names, and just when I thought things couldn’t get worse… we reached the dessert course.
“Zeek’s baby food business is really taking off,” Deimos said, draping his arm across the back of Cameron’s chair. “Who’d have thought a low-level, uh… employee could do so well for himself.” He’d almost said the word “demon” instead of employee, but he didn’t know how much he could say around my date. Zeek was his butler of sorts, but now even his demonic lackey was doing better than me?!
This weird fluttery panic made my anxiety surge. Without thinking about it, I burst out with, “Declan and I are thinking of starting a family!”
My dad dropped his fork with a clatter, and all heads turned to me wearing matching shocked expressions—including Declan. It was like I’d dropped a bomb onto the center of the table next to the soufflé. My parents shared a knowing look, before my mom said, “That’s wonderful, dear.” Her words didn’t match the guarded look on her face.
With a screech across the floor, Declan shoved his chair back and stood up. “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious,” he said tightly, dropping his napkin onto the table. “Sorry, I think I should be going.”
Without looking at me, he headed toward the front door, and I raced after him. “Declan, wait, I can explain,” I called.
“Don’t bother,” he called over his shoulder on his way out the door. Before it could slam shut, I pulled it back open, running down the stone steps.
“At least let me give you a ride home,” I tried, but he turned around so fast that I nearly slammed into him.
His eyes flashed dangerously. “Look, you seem like a nice-enough guy—most of the time—and trust me when I say I understand family drama, but I do not take kindly to being used. That’s what you did in there, you used me as some kind of prop for this weird image you’re trying to build. And if there’s one person you don’t treat like that, it’s your m—” He cleared his throat, his cheeks blushing. “It’s me. I deserve better.”
“You do,” I agreed, but it was too little, too late. He’d already turned away, walking around my car and heading for the street.
“I’m sorry! Please, Declan,” I called, trailing after him slowly.
“Don’t call me,” he said with a sense of finality that hit me right in the chest.
My eyes followed him as he walked away, an unfamiliar ache blooming inside me. It was hot and squirming, and I didn’t like it one bit. Was this… guilt? I was supposed to be the good guy! I was the god who turned his back on war, who chose to be a hero and save lives! But this… this felt…
My eyes burned as Declan disappeared around the corner, and I held a hand to my abdomen, dinner turning to a stone in my stomach.
Maybe if I sent him a tip, it would make this awful feeling go away. Another fifty thousand should do it.