Declan: Steamy Friends to Lovers Romance (Lucky Irish Book 4)

by Anna Castor

  “Wow.”

  “I know,” he said before he kissed her shoulder.

  “Are you ready?” Declan asked as they stood hand in hand on the porch.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be…” Bree tried to joke.

  “It’s all going to be okay, Love. I’m here for you and Little Love.”

  He kept saying that. After barging into her apartment at Thanksgiving, he did his best to show her how happy he was with their baby growing inside of her.

  They’d spent two days together in their own little bubble. It was time to tell their families. The front door opened and Bree’s heart skipped a beat.

  Joan Ryan remained stoic at the sight of Declan and Bree holding hands on her porch. If she minded, she didn’t let it show. Joan motioned for them to come in. “Don’t just stand there. Come in.”

  “Thanks,” Declan said as he brought his hand to Bree’s lower back and guided her inside.

  “How long has it been that you’ve been in my home, Dec?” Joan asked as she walked in front of them into the living room.

  Nothing had really changed in Bree’s old home. Joan sure loved her red carpets, red curtains and her recently bought ruby red couch. She’d kept the rest of her living room rustic but still warm of color with sandy tones.

  Bree looked over to the grand windows looking over the backyard. The Mills’ tree house peeked over the hedge. Declan’s dad was next on their list to visit.

  “Christmas Eve last year, I think. Yeah, it had to be Christmas Eve, because on Christmas Day, Bree went along with me to my old man.”

  Bree stood uneasy next to the couch. When Joan went to grab drinks, Declan laughed at Bree. “You’re acting so weird right now,”

  “What? I’m not acting weird. You are! Acting like nothing’s going on—”

  “Are you sure you don’t want some coffee, dear?” Joan said as she walked back in with two coffees and a tea for Bree.

  “No, tea is fine, thanks.”

  After a few minutes of sitting awkwardly together, Joan asked, “Okay. So, are you finally together now?”

  Bree’s cheeks flamed, and she looked over from the calculating eyes of her mom, over to Declan, who gave Bree a lopsided grin. He’d predicted this would happen.

  She hadn’t been ready to give in to him then. How could she? It was all going too fast for her.

  Bree cleared her throat and shifted to the edge of her seat. She placed her teacup on the table and rubbed the palms of her hands on her knees.

  “Okay, so I called you today… ehm, yes… to tell you that…”

  Sweat broke out on Bree’s back and she felt like fainting. She searched for Declan’s eyes and he took her hand in his.

  “Girl, spit it out. What in the world is going on?” Joan’s fiery expression could match about ten Fianna’s—easily. How this woman could ever let her husband walk all over her had been the world's greatest mystery.

  “Mom… I…”

  “What?” Joan said. She cocked her head as she looked over from Bree’s teacup to Bree’s hand on her stomach. Joan narrowed her eyes at Declan.

  “You did this to her? You got my baby pregnant? Why? Were you afraid she was finally over you? You needed to tie her to you?”

  “Mom!” Bree gasped.

  “Ma’am, you’re Bree’s mother,” he said calmly. “You’re going to be the grandmother of our child. But never, ever, repeat this shite if you want to be a part of my kid’s life.”

  “Like you could stop me from seeing my grandchild!” Joan turned red and aggressively slid her black-rimmed glasses up her nose.

  “Let me tell you something, Declan Mills. No man is ever going to tell me what to do. Ever again. How could I support this? You’re not even together? Or are you?”

  Joan leaned forward in her seat and dismissed Declan entirely now. She looked at Bree.

  “Haven’t you learned anything from me? From my mistakes? How could you be so stupid?”

  “And we’re done here,” Declan said as he stood from the couch, pulling Bree up along with him.

  “See what he’s doing, Bree? It’s like watching myself being manhandled all over again.”

  “Dec…” Bree said as she tried to slow him down by taking her hand out of his.

  Declan instantly halted and turned on his heel. He held up a hand. “You, Ma’am, are poison. Your daughter is sharing the news she’s pregnant and you make it all about you. Talking down to your own daughter, telling her she’s stupid…”

  She took two steps to her mother. “Mom, I love you. Declan’s just mad you would treat me like this. Like… well, let’s be honest, like you’ve always done whenever I didn’t meet your standards.”

  “This isn’t about meeting standards about grades or finding the right job to become self-sufficient, Bree. This is about you getting pregnant with a man who isn’t in love with you.”

  “Now hold on, I’m in—”

  Bree shot him a pulverizing look over her shoulder and hissed, “Don’t you dare say it now. I don’t want you to say it like this. Shut the fuck up, Dec.”

  Declan held his tongue.

  “I know I’m nothing like you. I’m not as strong as you are, or even as independent,” Bree said to her mother.

  “Oh, dear Bree… but can’t you see? You are just like me. You’re exactly how I used to be with your father. I was love struck the moment he smiled at me that first time. And let me tell you this… if he ever came knocking… I still don’t know if I would close that door in his face. I see that same quality in you. You’ve devoted your all to him.”

  She waved at Declan standing behind Bree, “And now you’re pregnant with his child and never going to move on.”

  Declan walked over to them and placed his arm over Bree’s shoulder. “She’s never going to have to move on, Joan.”

  Joan snorted.

  “The times Rob told me he loved me, pffft. If I got a dollar each time he said I was it for him, I could’ve bought a Ferrari. And in the meantime…” Joan shook her head and looked down at her red pumps.

  “What? Had he been cheating during your entire marriage? Not just at the end?” Bree asked.

  “Bree….” Joan looked up and her voice held a warning.

  “I think I have a right to know. You brought him into this discussion. You’re even comparing Declan to that man. So tell me. All those ‘breaks’ you had, were they because of dad cheating?”

  “I’m not having this discussion with you, young lady. This is about you and Declan. Not about me and your father.”

  “This is rich. Real great, Joan. First you fixate your own insecurities upon your daughter and the moment she wants you to open up about what happened to this family years ago, you clam up.”

  “Why are you still here? I want you out of my home, Declan Mills.”

  “No problem. Are you coming, Bree? I’m going next door.” She shook her head, and he gave her a sweet kiss on her forehead. “Okay, I’ll see you at my Dad’s, right?”

  “I’ll be just a minute. See you there.”

  Declan walked out of the living room, and the front door closed with a bang.

  “Are you telling Sean Jr. today? Now there’s another ladies man that could blow some smoke—”

  “Mom! Stop it. Sean Jr. did nothing to you. Yes, after his wife died, he slept around with a lot of women. So what?”

  “It’s like talking to a brick wall with you. What happened with that nice boy, what’s his name?”

  “That boy was so memorable you can’t even remember his name. Mom, I’ve been in love with Dec since forever. You’ve been away for months and months, and now that you’re back from Brazil, you want to tell me how to live my life? No. I’m twenty-six and I’m doing this with Dec. With or without you in our lives.”

  “Hmm. That’s a first.”

  “What?” Bree said as she dropped her fists from her hips.

  “You standing up for yourself. Must be the hormones.”

  “Bye, Mom.
I’m going over to see Sean Jr. Let’s talk in a few days. Give it some time…”

  Joan tugged Bree close to her chest before she could storm out of the house. Her straight golden hair was so contrasting to Bree’s dark brown curls.

  Bree knew her dad’s side held the olive skin complexion and dark hair. She never knew her grandparents from either side. Her mom’s parents had died in a car accident when Caitlin hadn’t even been born yet. And her grandparents from her dad’s side had always been a mystery. She’d never met them.

  Bree took a pensive step back. “Who are my grandparents? Where’s Dad?”

  “Oh my God, Bree Juliana Ryan! I am not doing this with you. You go now, before Declan brings out his buddies from Austin PD to retrieve you.”

  “Why can’t you talk about it?”

  “Because it hurts! I promised myself to never let him get to me ever again. And talking about him brings out all those painful memories….”

  “I’m sorry, Mom. But he’s my father and I want to see him.”

  “What? Why? He’s a liar and a cheat. He’s going to bring nothing but trouble to your life. Please, don’t do it,” Joan pleaded with Bree with her gray eyes.

  Bree sighed. “I’m leaving.”

  Joan grabbed Bree’s arm. “Promise me you won’t go looking for him, Bree.”

  “I can’t promise you that, Mom.”

  She walked out of her mom’s house. She remembered running over this driveway to her dad when she was little. He caught her mid air and swirled her around in his arms. Bree stabbed a tear from her cheek. She reached the sidewalk and shot a glance over her shoulder at her mother’s house.

  Joan wasn’t looking out of the window. Although she shouldn’t be surprised, it still hurt. Why couldn’t she be happy for her? Sure, Bree’s situation was far from ideal. But Bree had been unprepared at this wave of emotions crashing down on her. Being pregnant brought her upbringing in a whole different light.

  After walking up the driveway to the Mills house, she swore to never become like her mother. Even if things didn’t work out with Dec, she would not turn into Joan. Never.

  Pops opened the door to Sean Jr.’s home. “Aaah, there she is!”

  Declan’s grandfather opened his burly arms and Bree gladly snuggled up to his warm chest. His enormous belly and wildly looking locks of gray hair had made her think of Santa Claus when she was little. He even laughed like him. Although Santa didn’t swear and grumble as much.

  “What’s wrong, lass? My boyo’s face reminded me of thunder rollin’ over the green grass of Ireland. But he wouldn’t talk to me ‘bout it. He said it’s between ye and yer mother? What did Joan say to ye this time?”

  Growing up next to the Mills family brought them close. She could always talk to Pops. If someone were a father figure to her, it would’ve been Pops.

  “Stop the tears, sweet Bree. Come, let’s have it all out. We all know how ye mother can get. What’s up her arse this time?”

  “Pops! Don’t talk to Bree about her mother like that,” Sean Jr. said.

  Declan’s dad defended Joan five minutes after Joan slighted him about being some kind of manwhore. If he only knew. Bree blinked her tears away and sat down on the black leather sofa.

  “What time is it, son?” Pops said.

  “Not whiskey time yet, Dad.”

  “Phsst. It’s almost four. I have me lass cryin’ against me shoulder. Me boyo is doin’ his best not to tear this place apart… Let’s have a drink.”

  “Talking like a true bar owner,” Sean Jr. mumbled before he walked over to the liquor cabinet in the living room.

  “It takes one to know one.”

  “True,” Sean Jr. said before he pulled out the whiskey and walked over to a side table where he picked up four whiskey glasses. He walked over to the couch and placed all glasses on the table. When he brought the bottle over to the glass in front of Bree, she shot out her hand and said, “Not for me, thank you.”

  “Aah, don’t be silly. I was only joking. It’s not too early for whiskey. It never is…” Sean Jr. winked. Her mother had been right when she’d said that Sean Jr. could blow some heavy smoke about just about anything. His charms never let him down before, you could tell.

  “No, sorry… I….”

  She felt Pops stiffen his arm around her shoulder. He nudged her with his calloused hand on her bicep.

  “Nooo…. Really?” He looked from Bree over to Declan and the gleam in his eye misted over by the first tears.

  “Tell me now. And don’t take a piss. Are ye… Am I right to think yer….” He nudged his chin toward Bree’s belly. “Now? Tell me. Make yer Pops the happiest man ever to be alive!”

  Bree giggled when he gently nudged her by her arm. She turned in his arms and hugged him tight. “It is true, Pops,” she whispered. “Me and Declan are going to have a baby.”

  “Sweet Lord in Heaven!”

  “What’s happening? Dec?” Sean Jr. poured the final glass of whiskey as he pulled one eyebrow.

  “It’s true, Dad… Bree and I… we’re—”

  “Don’t be daft, son! Yer goin’ to be a daideó. A granda!” Pops shouted over Bree’s shoulder to Sean Jr.

  Sean Jr. clanked the bottle on the table and walked over to Dec, who was sitting in his father’s chair next to the fireplace. “Aye, is it true, son?” Sean Jr. asked while he pulled his six foot three tall son from his chair.

  Declan smiled the biggest out of everyone, if it were even possible. “Yes! Yer gonna be a granda and Bree and me are finally gonna be together!”

  She cleared her throat and tried to stand up from the couch, to say they weren’t quite together, but Pops pulled her right in for another hug.

  “Oh my sweet, sweet lass! Yous two were made for each other. I’ve always said so. I’ll never forget that first day…” Pops let go of Bree and joined the hugging Declan and Sean Jr..

  Bree took out her phone from her back pocket and snapped a photo of these three burly Mills men, crying and hugging. What a sight to behold. She thought back to her Mom calling Bree stupid and almost wished she were a Mills girl. But then, she would be Dec’s sister, and that shook her right out of her weird thoughts.

  Pops walked back to the couch and grabbed his drink from the coffee table. After taking a hefty gulp, he burst out laughing as he remembered. “Ye were a six-year-old lass. Ye came runnin’ out of ye house and bumped right into me boyo.”

  Bree looked over at Declan, who walked over to sit next to her on her other side. With an amused smile across his lips, he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  “Sweet, little Bree knocked Declan right into the nearest puddle. Ye knocked the wind right out of him, I’ll tell ye!” Pops chuckled and Dec winked at Bree.

  “Of course Ronan had to step in and gave ye his best potty mouth. Ronan was always making sure no one would ever hurt his brother.”

  “Fianna had handled him already,” Bree said with a smirk, thinking back at Fianna standing up for her to Ronan.

  “Hmm-hmm,” Pops beamed at the memory.

  “I’m so, so happy. Let’s call the rest of me boyo’s... Call Errin and her sisters. Lets have a party, eh?”

  Bree tried to give Pops her best smile, but failed by the look of Pops.

  “No? Not a good idea?”

  “Pops, it’s still new and Bree… we’re…” Declan searched his words.

  “We just came from my Mom’s,” Bree said. “Let’s say things didn’t go so well…”

  “No? And why?” Pops asked before taking another swallow of whiskey.

  Bree sighed. She hated to defend her mother. She knew her mother was in the wrong today by calling Bree stupid and trying to drive a wedge between Dec and her. But in her own way, her mother was trying to look out for her.

  “Mom was being Mom.” Bree shrugged.

  “Let’s leave it with that, shall we?” Sean Jr. said. “Let’s share a toast to the Mills grandson—”

  “Or Pops’ first great grand
daughter!” Declan said.

  “Are you team pink?” Bree smiled at the thought of Declan with a baby girl in his arms, snuggling her close, smelling her hair like he always did hers.

  He kissed her nose and whispered, “I’m team Bree.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re so corny.”

  “I’m also thinkin’ it’s gonna be a girl,” Pops said.

  “Kera and Gwenn have a Baby Betting Pool,” Bree said. “You can wager bets on due date and gender.”

  “Aye, that’s me girls!” Sean Jr. smiled.

  “Tell yer sisters Imma placin’ a bet on a girl. Born on the fourth of… when’s the baby due?”

  “June,” Declan said.

  “Right… that’s over…” Pops counted the months on his fingers.

  “Six months from now. Pff that’s going to be just as long as we had to wait for little Tommy to be born. Can’t wait for Tommy to hear he’s goin’ to have a cousin.”

  “We’re going to have a baby shower at Lucky,” Pops said.

  “And when the baby is born, we have—”

  “That’s enough Pops, let the kids be,” Sean Jr. smiled.

  Pops raised his glass and said, “To baby Mills.”

  “What time is our appointment? I thought it was at ten?” Declan said as he narrowed his eyes at the clock hanging above the nurse’s station.

  At nearly half past ten, his already fluttery nerves had him practically jumping from his plastic chair in the waiting room to go fetch a doctor.

  “Shh. It’s just busy. We’re not going home without seeing someone,” Bree said.

  “Is that before or after our Little Love is born?”

  They had told everyone in their families about the baby. Last week had been everything. All the love and support they got from their families and friends had been exactly what Bree needed after that awful talk with her mother.

  It reminded him once more where Bree’s uncertainty and trust issues came from. He hadn’t helped with his stupid actions, sure. But seeing Joan spitting her venom had been the wake up call he needed.

  He was going to take action. It was suddenly clear to him that calling Bree his Love hadn’t been enough. He needed to make a statement. After telling Ro about the baby, he’d asked Ro to help him organize something for Bree at Christmas Day. He wanted to involve Ro in this new chapter of his life.