Chapter One
- Arcadia -
"Be safe and make sure you call us when you get there." He says, walking me to the door of the house.
"I will, dad. Don't worry, I will be on the plane for a good 8 hours. It will be a while before you hear from me." We both stand in the entry way as I get ready to leave for Ireland. So excited that I will be going on my first trip outside of the US. I'm going to be away for 7 days traveling with my friends, the perfect graduation gift.
I hear the clicking of paws as my dog, Brody, walks out the living room.. My parents are taking care him while I'm away and will keep an eye on the plants in my apartment. I bend forward to pet Brody on the head, not forgetting too scratch the magic spot behind his ear.
"Just make sure you take good care of my baby boy while I'm away." My adorable little pup spins in a quick circle and then drops to the ground, almost in protest of me leaving him behind.. Spoiled... He goes with me everywhere.
"I'll be back soon, be good!"
"He is easier to look after than you were!" He says laughing "Anyway he is not a puppy anymore he just naps most days."
A loud honk outside that interrupts the moment, the Uber arrived.
"You better get going before you miss the flight, you'll friends will miss you if you're not there. Not to mention, Marlow will blame me if you dont show." He pretends to shudder at the thought before he hugs me then shoos me out the door.. I wave goodbye to my father as he shuts it behind me. After greeting the driver and storing my bags, I climb into the car settleing in for the 45 minute drive. She makes some small talk then turns on the music. Even through my excitement, I can feel the home sickness creeping in as we get on the road.
- Declan -
"Well Brody, looks like it's just you and me for now. Phoebe won't be home for a couple of hours." Looking out the window, watching as my daughters taxi turns the corner. Brody just looks at me then trots over to his bed..
Shaking my head as I start heading towards my little home office.. My plan for the rest of the day is to work on my current project until my wife gets home. The manuscript is about a week behind where it should be if it is going to be out on time. Opening the door, I take a deep breath readying the list of things to do in my head. My hand combs through my hair. The shoulder length black locks constantly in my eyes. I unlock my computer and get to work...
Deep in thought, I hear a knock at the door, jumping as a let out a curse.
"Fucking Christ!" I take a deep breath to calm my heart to calm then glance towards the clock. Four hours have passed in a flash and Phoebe has made it home already.
"Come in!" I yell through the doors
"Hey honey! I hope I didn't interrupt your concentration." She walks over to the front of my desk.
"No, you're fine. Just startled me a bit, give me a minute." I start saving my work, impressed with my progress. It is not quite where it should be but my editor will be pleased with today's results.
"Did Cade get to the airport on time this morning?" Nodding I reply, "Yeah, said she would call once she landed. Probably still has at least 5 hours left until she gets to Ireland."
Phoebe starts to walk behind me and bends down to pet a sleeping Brody. He must have snuck in behind me when I left the room earlier. It's surprising how such a big dog can sneak anywhere.
Checking my phone, I see a text from Cade saying that her flight was delayed by 2 hours so. There is something from Nate too. He wants to have a guys night out.
"Actually her plane was running behind so she won't be calling for a while. Also Nate wants me to go out tonight. Would that be okay with you?"
"I guess so, I just plan to read and pass out." She gets up to leave the room. "I'm going to get out of of these clothes and get in the tub. Don't come home too late." I get up making my way to the stairs pausing at the bottom of the steps to reply to Nate.
"Okay thank you honey!" I send short text back letting him know that I will be there. All the while an image of her naked in the tub lingers in my imagination. The curve of her hip feeling like a phantom on the palm of my hand. I'll probably end up waking her up tonight after I get back, I think with a smile. With us being busy at work, we haven't had much time to relax by ourselves. I follow her up the stairs to get ready to meet Nate, none the wiser of the trouble this night would bring to my family. After 20 mins I'm heading out the door. The click of the lock sliding into place marking the next chapter of my life..
Chapter Two
- Arcadia -
"We've arrive, Arcadia." A soft chime of a woman's voice pierces the fade.
Blinking a few times, trying to shake the fog out of my head.