You knew them getting together would be trouble.
And I love every second of it.
“We can exchange stories over dinner.” Iris locks elbows with Lana and drags her into the house. Zahra walks beside them, letting Cami talk her ear off about everything that happened yesterday at Dreamland while I follow behind them.
Something that smells slightly burnt catches my nose, and I trace the scent to the kitchen, where Declan fusses over the cloud of smoke coming out of the oven. He curses as he shuts the door and dumps the burnt lump of what looks to be bread in the trash.
He reaches over the sink and opens the window looking out on to the backyard.
“Need help?”
He jumps in place before turning around to face me. “You didn’t see that.”
“Not a single thing, although I’m sure everyone in the house can smell it.”
He sighs. “I miscalculated the timing on the bread.”
“Happens to the best of us.”
He checks whatever is simmering on the stove. “So now you feel like talking to me?”
“You didn’t give me much of a choice after deciding to crash my vacation.”
He shoots me a look. “You shouldn’t even be on a vacation.”
“My entire life is a vacation.” I grin, although it doesn’t reach my eyes.
He shuts his eyes and takes a few deep breaths.
Huh. Is he taking the time to think before he speaks?
That’s new.
Consider me intrigued.
Rowan walks into the kitchen sipping on a glass of whiskey. All it takes is one glance in our direction to have him backtracking in the opposite direction, leaving Declan and me alone again.
“How was Dreamland?” He returns to sautéing some vegetables.
I blink. “Since when do you care?”
“Since the day you were born.”
“You have a weird way of showing it.”
His forehead crinkles from how hard he frowns. “Listen. I’m sorry for what I said back in the office. It was screwed up of me to lose my temper like that and take out my worries about the will on you. I am trying to be better, and I even started seeing a therapist to explore my…issues.”
“You?” My lips part.
His gaze drops. “Yup. After everything that happened with Iris, I couldn’t count on myself not to screw up again.” His Adam’s apple bobs. “I’m working on a few things.”
“Like your apologies? Because those severely need some work.”
His lips quirk up. “That and actually thinking before speaking.”
“What a novel concept.”
His gaze narrows. “That’s rich coming from the man who’s suffered from verbal diarrhea all his life.”