An Acquired Taste (The Valentine Society)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

W hile I stand frozen, Maisy wraps Declan in a hug. He gives her an awkward one-armed embrace, looking over my sister’s shoulder at me. When our eyes meet, cold panic floods my chest.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I don’t mean to say it out loud, but the words slip out anyway.

“I knew you’ve been out of town with work, and I didn’t want you to feel like you had to choose between spending time with me and Dec, so I reached out to him. And he suggested making it a surprise, so…” my sister starts. Then she turns, sees my face, and pauses. “Is everything okay?”

I stare at Declan, waiting for him to answer. My sister’s reasoning explains why he was invited, but not why he showed up.

At least he has the good grace to look embarrassed. He shuffles, flushing. “I wanted to see you, but I didn’t think you’d agree to meet me if you knew.”

“Wait.” Maisy looks back and forth between us, horror dawning on her face. “What’s going on? Did I fuck up, Amelia?”

“No. You’re alright.” I close my eyes, take a deep breath. Declan being here is going to make this harder, but that’s fine. It’s fine . I just need to start telling the truth and then the words will flow, I’m sure of it. “I’m the one who fucked up. I haven’t been honest with you, Maisy, I’m sorry. Declan and I broke up a few months ago.”

“Six months,” Declan says. “Next week will be six months.”

Shit. He’s right. I lost track of time, but it is awfully close to that, isn’t it? Which means my contract with Sebastian…

I yank my thoughts back to the present as Maisy’s eyes go wide.

“Oh… oh, no, Amelia, I’m sorry, I had no idea.” She looks between me and Declan, who is still fucking standing here for some reason. “Was it because you had to travel for your new job?”

“You got a new job?” Declan asks, giving me a puzzled look.

“Yes, I did, but not the job you think, and that’s not why we…” I pause, leveling a look at Declan. “Hold on, first of all, you need to get the fuck out of here.”

“Wait.” Declan takes a step toward me, giving me that puppy-dog look that has worked far too many times in the past. “I need to say something first.”

“You really don’t,” I say through gritted teeth, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

“I made a mistake,” he continues. “I didn’t mean any of those things I said, and you left so quickly, it—”

“And what about the other girl?” I snap, unable to take that self-pitying tone of his, like he’s the victim here. “Did you mean that ?”

Maisy gasps, then slaps a hand across her mouth.

“That… that was…” He stutters, looking uncomfortable. “It’s over, I swear.”

I roll my eyes. “Let me guess, she dumped you and that’s why you’re here.”

He stares at me. I get the sense this is not how he thought the conversation would go. Because of course it isn’t. He expected me to be a doormat, like I have been many times over the years.

Maisy slides over to my side and takes my hand in a show of support. “You heard her, Dec. Leave.”

“But it isn’t fair, ” he says, his voice taking on a definite whine. It makes my ovaries shrivel just remembering that I used to have sex with him. “Just hear me out, Amelia. I still love you. I realized how much I needed you when you were gone. It’s always been us, and I don’t want that to end over one mistake.”

“ One mistake?” I ask, taking a step forward. “Declan, you took advantage of me for years. You let me support you through school when you had no intent of returning the favor. You bailed on me last minute and were willing to let me and my sister pay the price for it. And even before that, things were…” I wave a hand. “Fine. They were always just fine because I thought that was the best I could get. But now…” My thoughts drag me unwillingly toward memories of Sebastian. His dark eyes, his stubble under my fingertips, his lips against mine, his hand between my legs— I pull my mind away, but still, it helps me find the words I want to say. “I deserve better, Declan. I always have. We are done .”

“Amelia?”

For a moment, I think my vivid memories summoned the voice from the depths of my mind. But no. No, the truth is much worse. As I turn slowly—along with my sister, and Declan—I see Sebastian standing just outside of the still-open apartment door.