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“Do you think she’ll be upset if I go up to her room?” She murmurs, peering up at Declan.
His eyes bounce between mine, Paige’s, and Caetlin’s. Whatever he sees on my and Paige’s faces must make the decision for him.
“Let’s get you settled and then we’ll talk about Emily.”
He places his hand on the small of Caetlin’s back and leads her down the hallway.
We sit on the back patio that overlooks the denser part of the surrounding forest. Paige and Declan are cuddled on the outdoor loveseat. Caetlin is curled in a hammock chair with a cup of tea in her hands. I lean against the banister.
As much as I didn’t want to, I told Caetlin about Emily’s reasoning for avoiding her. Seeing the two of them in pain is gutting me. Theyneedeach other.
Caetlin is peering down at her tea; tears have stained her cheeks.
Way to fuck up her first day in America, Liam. Fecking eejit.
She swipes away a tear that slides down her cheek and then releases a sigh. “I’m going to go speak with her,” she says, setting the cup on the outdoor table next to her.
We watch as she pushes herself off the seat and enters the house.
I rub the back of my neck and roll my shoulders. I hadn’t realized how much tension I was holding in them until she walked out of sight.
“Do you think one of us should go with her?” Paige asks, placing her hand on Declan’s chest.
“No. They need to see each other in private. This isn’t something any of us can truly help with.” Declan replies.
Pursing my lips, I nod.
Paige’s phonepings,and she pulls it from her pocket.
“Sarah and Rhys won’t be on their way until later tonight.” I meet Declan’s eyes for a second before he replies.
“That works. Let’s head to the room. I want to talk with you about something.” He stands and holds out his hand.
Paige intertwines her fingers with his, and together they leave me on the patio.
I lean my forearms on the banister and stare out at the vast property. I shake my head as my thoughts run ramped.
The uneasiness I’ve been feeling is growing. There is a pressure in my chest that is building as I rub it in hopes it’ll improve.
I need to find a way to relieve this tension.
Pushing off the banister, I head toward the shooting range.
I’m not sure how many guns I’ve shot or how many targets I’ve destroyed but the pressure in my chest has lightened enough for me to be able to breathe.
“Feeling better?” Declan asks, striding toward me.
“Ask me after I see how Emily is doing.”
Standing before me, Declan turns his attention to the target I just finished shooting.
“I wasn’t aware of her feelings toward our ma.” He whispers, his voice breaking toward the end of his sentence.
I shove my hands into my pockets. “I know. I made the decision to keep it from everyone so she could get better at her own pace.” Declan meets my eyes; his expression is unreadable.
“I want to be angry with you,” he murmurs. “But I would have done the same if it was Paige.”
I remain silent.
