Maid for Each Other(13)

It was just so strange to be holding his hand, though.

“Declan,” I whispered as he led me into the building. Palate was dark, with a huge bar just to the right of the entrance, and it was daunting in its quiet elegance. “Don’t you think we should quickly go over—”

“Abi!”

My head whipped around, and the couple from this morning—Declan’s parents, apparently—were walking toward us with big smiles on their faces.

Christ, had they been sitting by the door, waiting for us? It was too soon; I wasn’t ready!

His mother was wearing a burgundy dress that looked like it was created for her slim figure, and his dad was wearing a gray suit with a burgundy pocket square that matched her dress perfectly. They were ridiculously stylish in a way that only moneyed people could pull off, and I felt like a total commoner in their wake.

“Hi,” I said, glad to hear Declan say “We just got here” into his phone. Hopefully that meant he was about to hang up. “Nice to see you again.”

“You, too,” his mother said, grinning and pulling me in for a hug.

I was not the biggest hugger, but I did my best as I dropped Declan’s hand, giving her back an awkward pat, instantly relieved when she released me.

His dad tilted his head toward Declan’s phone and asked me, “Is that Warren?”

“Yes,” I replied, hoping he didn’t require any further intel because I didn’t know what or who a “Warren” actually was.

“Well, this could be a minute, then,” he said with a boyish twinkle in green eyes that matched Declan’s, “so you should come with us and get a glass of wine while he finishes up.”

“Well, I-I don’t know if Dex wants anything,” I stammered, trying to give Declan get off the phone eyes without his parents noticing. “So I can just wait for him.”

Declan looked at me, but I could tell he was concentrating on the call and barely noticed my situation.

“No, you cannot,” his mom said, linking her arm with mine. “We will take you to the bar, and Dexxie can join us when he finishes.”

I wanted to scream Amber Alert! as his parents led me away. Not only did I not want to go mingle with socialite strangers, but I knew nothing about what I was supposed to do or say to anyone, so this wasn’t going to be good.

“I’m actually glad he’s tied up,” his mom said with a smile, “because it gives me a chance to get to know you without him butting in. I want to hear your side of how you two ended up together, with all the sweet stuff that he’d never share.”

And as she gave me just the nicest grin, I couldn’t help but grin back.

Because this?

This might be fun.

His mother was giving me a golden opportunity to share some anecdotal gems about the jackass who couldn’t be bothered to get off the phone and take care of his fake girlfriend.

“Okay,” I said, my brain exploding with ideas. “But you have to tell me what he’s shared first.”

“Deal,” she replied, gesturing to the bartender for two of whatever had been in her empty wineglass. “That will take all of one minute. We only know that your name is Abi, you’re brilliant, and I think he might’ve said you went to UNO.”

“And we know you make incredible muffins,” his dad interjected with a smile.

“Thank you,” I said, still salty about losing my muffins.

That was supposed to be my meal prep, Charles!

“I’m just glad we got to them before Declan,” his mom said as she grabbed two glasses of wine from the bartender and held one out to me. “He tends to eat all the sweets before anyone else has a chance to touch them.”

“Did you know,” I said quietly, as if I was about to share their son’s deepest, darkest secret, “that he broke up with his last girlfriend because she wouldn’t let him eat chocolate?”

“What?” his mom said, looking scandalized. “Who was this?”

“I can’t remember her name, it wasn’t serious,” I said, taking the wine. “But she was worried that his sweet tooth was going to make him squishy so she forbade him from eating chocolate. I just remember him saying he’d choose Buncha Crunches over love any day.”

“Declan,” she said in a funny tone, like she was both amused and disappointed.

“Typical Dex,” I said, raising the glass to my mouth. “Right?”

“What’s typical Dex?” I heard from behind me just before two very big hands settled on my shoulders. “The way I’m charming and thoughtful?”

I ignored the shiver of awareness that slid down my spine as foreign hands rested on my body. “The way you’re able to silently creep up behind someone like a stalker.”

“Oh, honey,” he said, and dear God he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

It wasn’t creepy—it was a chaste peck—but I nearly jumped out of my skin.

“So I don’t think Dex ever told me,” his mom said. “How did you two meet?”

“Come on, Ma,” Declan said, and every muscle in my body was tense, defensively expecting another surprise peck attack. “We met—”

“Not from you,” his mother said, holding up a hand and silencing her son. “I want Abi’s version.”