Page 34 of Destined Lovers

Agnes has us running around this town, getting so much extra food as if we plan to feed a whole Army on Christmas Eve.

If Declan still eats the same as he used to, he can care less what’s in front of him, as long as it’s edible. He’s like a human garbage disposal.

“Riley!” Agnes snaps her fingers in front of me to get my attention.

“Yes, master?” I smirk.

“Oh, will you stop with your smart mouth? Go get some milk while I get the last of the list, and I’ll meet you in the front.”

Gladly.

The faster we get this over with, the quicker we get home to prepare.

I gave Agnes hell last night after Declan left for inviting him without asking, but who am I kidding? Deep down, I want to see him again.Needto see him.

Although I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around him being here.

One minute I’m excited. Another, I want to throw my guts up.

It’s terrifying when you have such conflicting emotions running rampant through your mind. You don’t know which way to go.

On the one hand, I’m excited to spend the holiday with one of my oldest friends, someone I still love deeply, especially since it’s only been Agnes and me for years.

Then, on the other hand, it’s just plain torture since I know, for now, we have an expiration date. Prolonging the inevitable will only hurt us both more.

Things will be settled in a year or so. I have high hopes for myself to get through this. Until then, this reunion with Declan can’t last past this week, if even that long.

Disappointment swirls through me, wishing things were different and we could jump back into what we started all those years ago.

It sure as hell seems like he’s down for that too.

Only, that’s not in the cards for me right now.

I believe in signs, so I have to believe we ran into each other for a reason. I just don’t know why, so, like I promised Agnes last night, I’ll try to keep an open mind.For now.

I round the corner, grab a carton of milk and turn to head back toward Agnes, and accidentally bump into a tall, hard body.

“I’m so sorry,” I stumble away and put my free hand up in defense.

“It’s no bother, beautiful,” he says. His sly voice creeps up my body sending warning bells off from the terrifying shivers it produces.

He has a fag sticking out between his ear and dark, slicked-back hair. Tattoos crawl up his neck to his face in a way I don’t think was meant to be tasteful.

I hate to judge a book by its cover, but something about him has me creeped the feck out.

I look around, no one else is in this aisle, and when I turn back toward him, his dark black eyes penetrate mine, making every hair on my body stick up on alert.

I awkwardly shoot him a grin, trying not to be rude, and move fast toward the direction of Agnes.

Of course, he’s in my way.

I attempt to brush past him, hoping he’ll move, but he doesn’t budge a hair, so I brush my body against his, and he laughs in a deep deranged way.

He knows exactly what he’s doing.

What the hell is with his guy?

I quickly make it back to the front of the store in perfect timing since Agnes is next to check out, and I’m luckily distracted by what she’s about to buy.

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