“Lookin’ good, Callie!” Rhys calls out to me when I first appear on camera, and the other boys whistle and cat-call.

“I’ll break your fingers,” Declan says in that smooth way he has, as if he was saying the weather sure is nice.

“You should have let Charly do your makeup, Dec,” Eli says when it’s Declan’s turn on the screen. “You might have looked prettier.”

“Boys,” their mama says sternly, and all three of them pout as if they’re tiny children again, making me laugh.

“You wore the shoes!” Charly exclaims.

“Of course,” I reply. “I love those shoes.”

When our segment is over, which feels like it was three seconds and three hours all at once, we all applaud and cheer. I’m happy with the results. They made the bar look hip, fun and classy, and that’s exactly the atmosphere I’m looking for.

Having Adam with me, and Declan’s family too, is just icing on the cake.

***

“Everyone’s gone,” Declan says after coming back in from walking his family to their cars. “And they had fun.”

“Me too.” I grin, and catch a look that passes between Declan and Adam.

“Hey, Callie, I think there’s something on the roof that needs your attention,” Adam says.

“The roof? The roof is closed.”

“Well, the movement sensors went off, so you should go see what’s up.”

I frown and cock my hip, my hand braced on it. “You’re too chicken shit to go up to the roof, so you’re sending a musician and his girlfriend to check it out?”

“Hey, I may be a musician, but I can kick serious ass when I have to,” Declan says.

“I can too,” I reply with a wink. “Okay, let’s check it out. I’ve told you for years, Adam, this place is haunted.”

We climb the stairs, and I find nothing out of place in the bar area, and then when I step out onto the terrace, I stop cold.

One of the firepits is lit, and on the table is a spread of food from my favorite restaurant.

The Highland Tavern.

“Declan,” I breathe and rush to the table. “How?”

“I have resources,” he says with a smile. “I also have cupcakes from Nic’s shop in Seattle.”

I turn and simply look at him, my arms hanging limply at my sides. He did this for me. This took planning and work, and he did it for me.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. “Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“It’s hot?” I grab a burger and bite into heaven. “Oh, my God.”

“Of course it’s hot,” he replies with a smirk. “You can’t eat cold burgers.”

“Seriously, this is ridiculous,” I say around a huge bite of burger.

“That it’s hot?”

“No. Yes.” I laugh. “It’s ridiculous that you had this flown in.”

“You wanted it.” He shrugs as if it’s no big deal and takes a bite of his own burger. “Wow. That’s amazing.”

“Told you.”

“I’ll have this flown in every week,” he says, reaching for a tot.

“That’s excessive,” I reply with a laugh.

“No, I think it’s necessary.”

We fall into a comfortable silence as we munch on our food, and when all that’s left is oily wrappers, he pulls me to him and snuggles me close.

“Delicious,” I say with a contented sigh.

“Yes, you are,” he murmurs while nibbling on my neck.

“The food.”

“That too.”

“I want cupcakes.”

He smiles, reaches for a box on the floor and hands it to me. It’s a plain white gift box with a red ribbon wrapped around it.

Inside are a dozen cupcakes, all different flavors, and a note.

“Would Nic send a note?” I ask, but Declan just shrugs. He’s no help.

Calliope:

I’m so proud of you. Tonight should be special. You’ve earned it. Thank you for spending it with me.

Thank you for being mine.

Yours,

Declan

Oh my.

“Declan, I—”

I slip the note back in the envelope and lay it on the table.

“You what?”

Tell him you love him! Now’s the best time.

But I’m such a damn wimp.

“Tonight wouldn’t have been half as special without you. And not just because of all of this, which I love, but because when I’m with you—”

He kisses my hand and squeezes it three times. “When you’re with me?”

“I just feel better. I feel more.” His eyes widen and then darken. “Emotions are brighter, and that’s the only way I can describe it.”

“I think that’s a beautiful way to describe it,” he whispers before he pulls me in and kisses the hell out of me. “You are more, Callie. We’re more.”

I nod and brush my fingertips down his cheek, his neck. “I like it.”

A slow smile spreads over his sexy face. “I like it too.”

Chapter Fourteen

~Declan~

I wake up needing her. I’m not jolted awake out of a dream, or because of a noise in the house.

It’s because I need her, and I’m not only hard as stone, but I’m sweaty with it.