ChapterFifteen
Ronan’s week was packed with work and meeting with Brendan to compare notes. Between those meetings and having Declan at his house, he’d seen more of his family in the last month than in the last couple of years. As much as he’d enjoyed hanging with his brothers, it didn’t leave him time to see Chloe. They talked on the phone a few times, but their schedules didn’t match up.
When he’d told her that he was having a barbecue for his crew, she was happy that he’d taken her suggestion. Although he’d wanted to invite her, part of him wasn’t ready to have their relationship—whatever it was—on display to be scrutinized. More important, though, he couldn’t risk Cahill seeing them together. Although Cahill was aware they knew each other if he knew they were fucking, he would curb his meetings in front of Chloe.
Early on Sunday, he went grocery shopping and stocked up on everything he could possibly need. Except in his search, he realized that he never threw parties, so he didn’t have things like coolers for the beer or extra bowls for chips. As much as he hated the thought, he knew he needed to call for reinforcements. He loaded all the food into the cab of his truck and considered his options. Mom would probably be his best bet.
He checked the time. Church would be over, so instead of calling, he drove straight there. It wasn’t until after he parked that he considered that he might run into Chloe if she went to church with her family. The McCarthys went to church every week, always had, but he didn’t know if Chloe joined them. She was the type of girl who would just to make her parents happy.
He got out of his truck and went to his mom’s front door. Before he had the chance to knock, it opened.
“Ronan. What are you doing here?”
“Were you expecting someone?”
“No, but you rarely stop by on a Sunday.”
“I need some help.”
She stepped away from the door and he followed her in.
“I’m having a barbecue for my crew today and I realized I don’t have some stuff like bowls and coolers. Can I borrow some?”
“Having a cookout and you didn’t invite your family?” she asked over her shoulder as she made her way to the kitchen.
“It’s a work thing.”
“But Declan will be there.” She reached up into a cabinet and pulled down the same big plastic bowls they’d had for most of his childhood.
“Declan is staying with me.”
She turned to him with a smile. “I know. And I like seeing my boys together again. Maybe we should do that here. Have everyone over for a cookout.”
Ronan was proud of himself for withholding the groan that rose in his chest. He loved his family, but all together, they could be overwhelming. “Baby steps, Ma.”
She shoved the bowls at him. “Coolers are in the garage. What else do you need?”
“You still have the extra lawn chairs in the garage, too?
“Of course. Make sure you bring ’em back in one piece.”
“Will do. Thanks.” He bent and kissed her cheek as he scooped up the bowls. In the garage, he grabbed two old coolers and five folding lawn chairs that had seen better days. Everything needed to be cleaned. Looked like Declan would be working for his food today.
He hauled the chairs and put them in the bed of his truck. Then he loaded in the coolers. He glanced over at the McCarthy house. He didn’t see Chloe’s car on the block, so she must not be there today. He shouldn’t care. He knew her family didn’t like him and he’d lived with it for a long time without it mattering one bit.
But Chloe was starting to mean something to him, even if they remained nothing more than friends. He just didn’t think he’d ever get any kind of acceptance from her family.
After he had everything in his truck, he went back inside and said goodbye to his mom, who was on the phone. He waved to her, but she held up a finger to get him to wait.
She pulled the phone from her ear. “Nessa said she can bring you dessert for your party.”
“I’m fine. It’s not a party, just a work thing. And she’s not trying to be generous. She wants to check out who I’m inviting.”
“She wants to know what time to come.”
“Never,” he said and waved as he left.
He knew Nessa was going to show up anyway, which made not inviting Chloe an even better decision. It was bad enough having his siblings know he was sleeping with Chloe. They certainly didn’t need to be interacting with her.
On his way home, he called Declan and told him to drag the hose out to the alley so he could spray down the chairs and coolers. One advantage to having Declan there was that it would free Ronan to go buy the ice for the beer. He pulled up in the alley behind his garage and Declan was waiting for him.
When he hopped from the truck, he said, “Stop telling Nessa my business. This is a work thing for me. I don’t need all of the Doyles crashing in.”
Declan threw his hands up. “She asked what I was doing today and I told her. I didn’t exactly invite her.”
Ronan pulled out the coolers and handed them to his brother.