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“Flattery will not work.”
Sam sighed. “Fine. Then you take the single and put me with another dude.”
“The only other guy with a double is Declan.”
“So?” Sam said.
“I don’t know how he’d feel bunking with you. He likes his space.”
“I’ll give him all the space he wants.”
“You know, being irresistible to women isn’t usually a problem for men.”
“You’re telling me you’ve never had unwanted attention from someone who wouldn’t take no for an answer?”
“Point taken.”
Declan waited, listening to the drawn out pause before Holly said, “All right, I’ll talk to him and if he’s okay with it, I’ll put Delilah and me in our own separate rooms.”
“This is why you’re my favorite person.”
“For the moment,” Holly amended and laughed.
There was a loud groan and Declan couldn’t resist peeking around the corner to find Holly leaning out her front door, male arms around her waist hugging her. When she stepped back, Declan did too.
“By the way, you didn’t ask anyone else’s opinion on who they wanted to bunk with. What makes Declan special?”
“I didn’t say he was special. Of everyone going to the bachelor/bachelorette party, only you and Declan are relatively new. Pike and Tony, Sally and Tara, Delilah and I—we’ve all been friends since we were young. With the couples rooming together, it made sense to put you in your own rooms. You told me your opinion. Why wouldn’t I ask him if he minds?
“Whoa, easy, killer. It was just a question. I’m going to get out of here and go to bed because I’ve been up all night. Drink your coffee, enjoy your birthday, and let me know about the sleeping arrangements.”
“I will. Thanks for the drop by and the card, Sam.”
“Anytime, Hol. And I didn’t mean to put you in a tight spot.”
“We’re good.”
Declan strode back to the stove, dumping the burnt pancake he’d left too long in the trash beneath the sink. He poured some more batter into the pan and kept his back to her when she came into the room. Declan felt like a heel eavesdropping on her and Sam, but their easy, flirtatious relationship twisted like fencing wire inside him. He knew what it was, even though he’d only ever experienced it with Holly. Jealousy.
And he hated himself for it.
“That was Sam,” she said, sniffing the air. “Is something burning?”
“I had the pan too hot and lost one.”
“Oh.” Holly came up alongside him, leaning against the counter. “So, spoiler alert, we’re having a joint bachelor/bachelorette party. We rented a big house on the lake and I had everyone assigned to a room, but turns out I need to switch some things around. Would you mind rooming with Sam? It’s got two twin beds, so it’s not like you’d have to share.”
Declan didn’t want to tell her no, but the truth was if he was going to room with anyone, he wanted it to be Holly. He couldn’t tell her that though because they weren’t a couple.
“Sure, sounds like fun,” he lied.
Holly kissed his arm at the highest point she could reach while he flipped the pancake. “Whew, you saved me. I thought for a second I would have to share with Sam. Fair warning, he snores.”
How do you know that?
He couldn’t ask that out loud and risk sounding like a jealous boyfriend, so instead he let out a strained laugh and said, “I’ll bring my headphones. Now, stop distracting me. These pancakes aren’t going to make themselves.”
CHAPTER 31
