Chapter 30
Declan
Istareddownat my watch. It was 9 p.m. Another dinner. This time Will’s birthday. When the cake arrived, I sighed with relief knowing I could leave after that.
“Where’s the new maid?” Ethan asked.
“Her night off, I suppose.” I pulled my poker face. My brother and I generally opened up about our women, but this was different.
“Have you fucked her yet?” He grinned.
“None of your fucking business.”
He stared me in the eyes. “You have.”
I chose silence instead. My brother could read between the lines. By now he knew the answer.
The candles were placed on the cake, and “Happy Birthday” was belted out by the guests.
It was an intimate gathering for a change. Just a dozen people.
As it was Will’s birthday, my father was there with Luke.
“Isn’t this cosy?” Ethan chuckled. “I think it shows maturity. Mother accepting Father for what he’s become and Father accepting her, even after cheating on him all these years.”
“Yeah, one big happy family.”
“You haven’t gotten used to it?” he asked, grinning at my sarcastic tone.
“Nope. There’s tension. You can feel it, can’t you?”
“It’s all about the resort development. Mother’s in Dad’s ear non-stop about it.”
“At least that’s something that isn’t being trashed. Just their marriage.” The butler passed me a slice of cake, and I thanked him with a nod.
“Since when have you been so conservative about marriages? The last time I heard, you were against the whole forever and ever concept,” Ethan said, swallowing a spoonful of cake.
I shrugged. “I’m just referring to the cheating that’s been going on under this roof. They should have separated first. But yeah, I’m not that keen on commitment.”
So why the fuck am I sweating over Theadora going to the pub tonight with that good-looking student?
“Here’s to another forty years,” my mother toasted.
We rose and drank to Will’s health.
Ten minutes later, I left, and as I stepped onto the front grounds, I found Ethan sharing a cigarette with my sister.
“I thought you’d both given up,” I said.
“I have. But Savvie hasn’t, and I need a hit of nicotine after that charade.”
“I don’t even know why Mummy insisted on a dinner.” Savanah turned to me. “I hear the boot camp’s launch is in four weeks. Are we invited?”
“I wouldn’t have thought that your kind of thing,” I said.
“Mm… I’m rather fond of alpha males.” She puffed out smoke.
“Are you still going out with that coke dealer?” Ethan asked.