Page 25 of Growing Into Love

“Driven her to hate me,” he grumbles.

“She doesn’t hate you. She just wants to, you know, spread her wings and all that. But you stepped up when your own dad died. And after Virgil left too. You’ve got all the tools already. Seriously. I don’t think there’s a man more prepared for fatherhood.”

God, how I wish things could work out for me the way they’ve worked out for Dec. I’d love to have a kid the same age as Declan’s, the two of us becoming fathers together. Instead, all I’ve got is an ex who comes and goes like a yo-yo.

Declan looks at me pleadingly. “Promise me you’ll talk to Cass while you’re there. Please? Even if she delays the idea for a year or so…”

I sigh.

“Fine,” I agree. “I’ll talk to her. But I can’t guarantee she’ll listen.”

He claps me on the shoulder. “You’re the best, mate.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I say, thinking about all those times I was looking at her legs.

As if the fates are trying to fuck with me on purpose, my phone buzzes.

It’s Theresa.

Hey, you okay? Just worried I haven’t heard back from you.

“Who’s that?” Declan asks.

“No one,” I say quickly, turning my phone over.

Declan’s eyes narrow. “No,” he says.

“What?” I ask innocently.

“There’s only one person who makes you make that face.”

“I’m not making a face,” I say, quickly trying to suss out what my face looks like.

“Theresa came back again, didn’t she.”

“Yeah,” I admit.

“Did you sleep with her?”

I grimace.

Declan signals Blair. “We’re going to need two shots of whiskey, Blair.”

“You two are having some kind of night,” Blair says as she pours us the shots.

We clink and down the drinks.

“Let me guess,” Declan says. “She and Postman Craig had another row.”

“Yup.”

“She swore they were over for good.”

My stomach twists. “Yup.”

“She cried on your shoulder and then you two…”

“Yes, yes, you’re right, Declan. Happy?”

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