Page 63 of Found in Wild Sage

Mary rounds the kitchen island and delivers a plate in front of me. “Not yet, but she’s going to now. Why don’t you go get yourself showered, and you won’t be late taking Charlie in.”

She shoos him away and he goes, but not before ruffling Charlie’s hair, which makes him giggle, and running his hand over my arm. It’s a quick, nothing gesture, but it sends a thrill through me.

“Oh, that boy is so alive with you all here.” Mary’s smile is full of affection.

“Alive?”

It’s a curious thing to say. Dec has never seemed anything but fully, vibrantly alive to me.

She gazes at the stairs where he’s disappeared, then wipes her hands on a towel. “Not to say he was dead before. But he’s been given new purpose. He’s always been so focused on work and routines. He’s not a workaholic, per se, but he’s always very orderly and purposeful in the way he does things. These are good qualities, of course, but they’ve led him to be a bit closed off over the years.”

An oily slick of guilt drops into my stomach right as I swallow my first piece of toast. “And now?”

“Coming back to Juniper View helped, I think. I know he loved his work with the Army, but I think what he really loves is helping patients. And now, I can confirm he also loves you and Charlie. You’ve livened up his routines, given him brightness and pleasure and fun. It’s wonderful to see.”

My heart races as I shove another piece of toast in my face to avoid speaking.

She shifts her smile to me. “And I hope you and Charlie are happy, too.”

I swallow quickly, because this, I can confirm for her.

“We are. It’s an adjustment, but as you know, Declan is wonderful.” I mean that with every fiber of my being. Frankly, I knew it long before he ever suggested we marry, and I know it far more vividly now.

“I’m so glad.” She folds the hand towel she was holding and places it back over the oven handle. “Now, I’m going to be off to meet a new friend. I told Declan you two need to get out and Connor and I would love to come watch Charlie this weekend so you can have a date night.”

“Oh, I⁠—”

“No need to plan it now, honey. I know you’re still healing up. Understood. We’ll check in about it on Friday.” She kisses Charlie’s cheek and tells him goodbye, then blows me a kiss, and she’s out the door.

I wonder at the tornado of energy and love that is Mary Ryan as Charlie says, “Bye-bye!” a few times.

It’s not until I’ve had a few more bites to eat and I hear the shower kick off upstairs I remember.

I told Declan I’d thought about being naked in front of him. Point-blank. I told him I wanted to be wearing sexy lingerie.

And I’ll probably need to apologize for that sometime very soon.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Declan

Evie returns to work Friday. I’m relieved to have her here, and even more relieved she’s feeling well enough to be here. She tried to say she could work yesterday, but I convinced her she could take the day to rest while conscious and that it was okay to miss.

She hates missing work, and though from what she’s said, she loves the job, I think she’s also used to worrying about money. Again, we haven’t really talked about my money, but since we didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement, it’s her money now, too.

Work wipes her out enough that she manages to stay up until Charlie’s bedtime, but she passes out soon after. Yet again, we don’t make it to family dinner, but no one expected us this week. My mother’s only requirement, if Evie is up to it, is letting her watch Charlie so Evie and I can go out.

I promise her I’ll talk to Evie in the morning, and when I do, Evie acquiesces. I wish I could say she gleefully accepts, but I worry she’s doing it for the optics. At this point, after what my mother said and even how Finn has hinted, I suspect everyone knows we married for the custody battle.

As she sips her coffee and Charlie plays on the living room floor, I try a suggestion.

“What if we go out to lunch? Does that sound any better?”

She visibly perks up at this. “Would that work for your folks?”

She’s so completely hopeful, I decide we’ll make this work or we don’t do it. “I’m sure it will.”

And sure enough, two hours later, we’re delivering Charlie to my parents’ house. Since they won’t need to deal with bedtime, he’ll be here instead of my parents coming to our house. Charlie’s excited, if a little shy at first, and when we drive away from the ranch house where my parents and Charlie stand and wave at us, I have the oddest feeling.