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“You’re right,” Declan said softly. “Growing up, you were always working or exhausted from being at the store, so I didn’t push. I knew how much you loved football, and I went out for the team thinking it would give us something in common. I hated every second of it, but for the first time, you looked at me. When you had surgery and got diagnosed, I didn’t leave because you needed me and I thought we’d finally get the chance to know each other. But the thing is…you still don’t understand who I am. If you did, you’d have told me the truth a long time ago. Because if you had, I may have forgiven you for what you did to her, but how—” Declan’s voice broke, and he straightened up, swallowing past the lump lodged there. “How do I forgive you for what you did to me? I punished her because of how I thought she treated you and you let me… I can’t even look at you.”
Declan moved to storm past Liam, but the older man grabbed his arm. “Please, son, your mother has forgiven me for everything. Can’t you see that I was angry and hurting and I behaved poorly? I’m human.”
“Being angry doesn’t give you the right to say and do whatever you want, especially if it hurts others,” Declan said, realizing that was almost exactly what Holly said to him. “This is no longer about you, Dad. I have to forgive myself first for the things I’ve said and done, and until I do that I can’t be here with you.” Declan scrubbed a hand over his face. “Is Mom picking you up?”
“Yes, she should be here soon. I was going to ask you to join us for dinner.”
“I’ve already had dinner. What I need is space. I’ll find somewhere else to sleep tonight and I’m closing the store tomorrow. I’ve got a job that pays well and I have to finish it before Friday.”
“I understand.” Liam dropped his hand from Declan’s arm and stepped back. “I want you to know that I am proud of you. You’re a good man. It might not mean much right now, but it’s true.”
Declan didn’t respond, too overcome to speak. He nodded twice and went to his room, but he didn’t sit down and think. He started packing. Gathering up clothes and rolling them into a ball, he thought about where he’d go from here. When he came out of his room, Liam was nowhere to be found. Declan got Leo’s food and bed, shoving it into his duffel, and then pulled the cat carrier from the hall closet.
Leo came around the corner from the kitchen, but when he saw the carrier, he froze.
“Hey, buddy. I know you hate this thing, but I’ll give you some cheese.”
Leo’s ears perked up at the mention of cheese and he followed Declan and the carrier back into the kitchen. Declan opened the fridge and pulled out some string cheese, and when he opened the wrapper, Leo stood up on his hind legs and put his front paws on Declan’s leg, meowing enthusiastically.
Declan unzipped the carrier and set it on the floor before tossing a piece of cheese inside. Leo hesitated, even tried reaching in to bring the cheese hunk toward him, but Declan pushed him all the way in with a hand on his butt. He zipped up the door again and waved the cheese at Leo. “I’ll give you more when we get to where we’re going.”
It took him another ten minutes to load up the car with the rest of Leo’s things and Declan’s toiletries, but when they finally pulled out of the drive, he looked around the town, unsure what to do. He didn’t want to go to Clark and ask to crash at his place because Clark had a family. His only option was to use the old cot his dad kept at the store for the nights he’d stayed late counting inventory.
His phone rang next to him, and he checked the caller ID. His mom.
Declan let it go to voicemail. Not because he didn’t want to talk to her but because he needed to think about what to say. How do you make up for alienating one parent for the sake of another, only to realize you backed the wrong horse?
Declan parked his truck and started carrying in the litter box and bed first, stopping when he saw a notice on his front door.
ALL VEHICLES MUST BE OFF THE STREET NO LATER THAN FIVE PM FRIDAY DECEMBER 13TH FOR THE PARADE OF LIGHTS. VEHICLES LEFT IN THE AREA WILL BE TOWED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION,
MISTLETOE CITY COUNCIL
He left the paper up for customers, but tomorrow he’d move his truck to the back.
When everything was inside and situated, Declan locked his truck and carried Leo through the front door and back to the studio. He shut the door behind them and unzipped the carrier. Leo bounded out of the carrier, curiously looking around the concrete room.
“I know it’s not home, but it will do until I figure out our next move.” Declan unfolded the cot and rolled his sleeping bag out on the surface. When he laid down on top with his head on the pillows, his back protested the hard spring surface beneath.
Leo jumped onto his chest and kneaded his stomach, turning his rear end toward Declan’s face.
“Dude, I’ve told you how rude it is to put your butt in my face,” Declan said, picking the cat’s back end up and swinging him around until he was looking at Leo’s half-closed eyes. “See? Not so bad, right?”
Leo settled in and Declan closed his eyes, his thoughts racing over the events of the day and how he was going to make amends with not just his mom but Holly too.
His mind flashed back to his mom sitting on the side of his bed, singing “Tomorrow” as she stroked his hair back after a rough day at school, telling him that everything would look brighter in the morning.
He really hoped she was right.
CHAPTER 19
Friday morning, there was a persistent knocking at Holly’s front door and when she opened it with a drowsy glower, Delilah stood on her front step, doing a little dance in her hot pink coat and cat-eared beanie.
“I finished my article!”
“Good for you. Did you have to bang on my door at the butt crack of dawn to tell me?”
