Surviving (Surrender 2)

I shoot a quick message to Declan apologizing again for this morning and promise to make it up to him tonight.

*****

When Declan picks me up from class, I suggest we have an early dinner since he’s playing tonight. I’m not going but promised to go to the show on Saturday. It’s the second week of October, and I have fall break in a few weeks. I’m thinking about going to Atlanta, but I haven’t mentioned it to him yet. For some reason, I think he’ll be upset. But I miss my friends and haven’t seen them since my homecoming.

We pick out a booth in the back, and Declan sits next to me instead of across the table. “Sweetheart, it’s kind of hard to talk to you when you’re sitting next to me.” I tell him.

“Nope, I figure I’m not going to be home most of the night for you to properly apologize, so we can start right now.” He leans down and kisses me until we hear a throat clearin

g beside us.

I squeak with embarrassment and feel my cheeks heating up. Declan isn’t affected at all.

Trying to put a little space between us, I scoot over and tell him about my conversation with Finn. Then I decide the time is right to bring up the subject I’ve been thinking about the last few weeks.

“Declan, we haven’t really talked about our wedding party. Have you thought about it?”

“Yeah, obviously I’m gonna ask my band and your brother, but how many were you thinking?”

That’s easy. “With your two sisters and my three best friends, I have five.”

“So I need to have one more to even out the sides?”

“Yes, and I was thinking you could ask Finn.”

“Baby don’t you think that’s pretty cruel? I thought he was your best friend?” he says it more of a question than a statement.

“He is and that is why I want him to be a part of it. I need him to be a part of it.”

“He’s in love with you. And even though I’ve tamed it down, I’m still jealous of him.”

“He’s not in love with me. He may have thought he was, but he’s not. Please think about it.”

“I’ll give him a call when I talk to the other guys too. But what about Jimi?”

“What about him?”

“Since he’s in love with my sister and shit, shouldn’t he be a part of this too?”

Um, good point. I hadn’t thought of that. “Let me think about it.”

Our dinner arrives, and he fills me in on the latest with recording the album. “Surviving” is getting a ton of local air time, which is making Mike push the deadlines. He found a model he thought would be good for the video, and she’s going to the office tomorrow to meet with the band. He also has his Creative Producer joining the meeting. He asks me to come as well because he wants my input.

When we’re done with dinner, he drops me off at home and goes to the bar. Before I even have a chance to unload my school bag he calls me back.

“Dec, did you forget something?”

“Yeah, I meant to tell you to check the home messages. A lady named Janie is going to call and set up a time to meet with you.”

“Why?”

“She’s our new cleaning lady. I thought about your house rules and cleaning charts and decided the idea sucked. I’ll make an effort to pick up after myself, but I don’t want you to worry about the other shit. She’s available to come twice a month.”

“You’re crazy, you know that right?”

“Crazy about you and I don’t want the little alone time we have to be cleaning fucking toilets. So she’s my solution.”

“I love you.”