The Start of Time

Chapter 46

"You see, this is why I never bring any girls home."

This is probably like the third time Declan has woken up before me, and unfortunately, I feel like I've missed a very important part of this conversation. Although, I don't think I have the right to ask when I'm standing in the shadows behind the hallway wall.

"No, you never bring anyone home because none of them have ever been serious enough to introduce them to your mother, not even that girl you took to prom in high school. What was her name again?"

"I really hate it when you do that. That was a long time ago." Declan groans loudly. "Please stop bringing up my ex-girlfriends."

"She was hardly your girlfriend. It was for all of like two months, and I'm not sure you even kissed her."

He clears his throat. "Oh, we did a lot more than that."

"I'm just saying. You must really like her to take her to New York City for her birthday and then bring her to meet your mother all in one week."

I love how she chooses to ignore some of his raunchy comments just like I do.

"I do really like her. It's just, it's different." He sighs and leans against the kitchen countertop. "Mary-Kelton is funny and gorgeous and smart and..." He trails off momentarily. "and kind of intimidating. Not scary intimidating, more like inspiring intimidating. She knows what she wants, and she just goes for it. She may be more stubborn than I am, and you know how hard that is."

Intimidating? He thinks I'm intimidating?

Declan Ambrose Wilder is charming and handsome. He's got an amazing job that pays extremely well, and he probably has a line of girls ready to take my place at any given moment without question. And yet, despite all of his narcissistic comments, his heart manages to stay fairly humble where it counts.

He's the perfect balance of sweet, protective, and smartass. I couldn't even begin to compare. Half the time I'm sitting on our couch, looking like a homeless person smashing chips. I'm a solid average when it comes to looks, and I have like eight friends total. Most of which I met through him.

I've been making up stories about my perfect man since I was five, and he's come as close to perfect as I'm going to get. How does he think I'm intimidating?

It's easy.

He loves me.

Like a lot.

Enough to fly me to New York City, bring me to meet his mom, and scare him because it's actually real.

"All she has to do is look at me, and I'm suddenly smiling. She's independent, and she always figures out how to make something work. Like when we fight, we always find ways to fix it. She won't let me shut down." His voice is almost a whisper as I listen to him describe me to his mother. "And she doesn't care about the money at all. In fact, she likes to think she can pay for my stuff, too. Not that I would let her. She just wants me for me."

"Well, baby. That's what happens when you find the right one."

"I don't guess I ever really thought about it like that." He cocks his head to the right, focusing on nothing tangible. "So, what do you think of her?"

Uh oh.

I know we laughed all night, but that was to my face. She doesn't have to be nice anymore.

"Knowing how to put up with you is a big plus." She pops him with the dish towel in her hand before pulling out a pan full of cinnamon rolls, allowing the heavenly aroma to fill the room. "She's nothing like any girl I pictured you bringing home, but I don't think I could have hand picked anyone better for you. You've always been my flyer, but it looks like you finally found someone to keep your feet planted on the ground without holding you back."

"So, you like her?"

She nods, smiling as I build the courage to pad around the corner.

"Good morning," I say softly, rubbing my eyes as if I had just climbed out of bed without hearing their previous conversation. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Declan whispers, latching his lips onto mine the moment Gigi turns back to her icing.

"Geez, it's Christmas. Can't you at least go one day without making out in the kitchen." Chris nearly yells, grabbing a cinnamon roll from the pan and heading off towards the living room, leaving my extremely red cheeks to tell the whole story once Gigi turns around.

"She started it." Declan blurts sheepishly, following Chris's actions exactly, heading straight out of the room.

When I roll my eyes, she just laughs, shaking her head. "You sure did pick a good one, sweetheart."

"Tell me about it." I giggle, taking the plate she hands me.

"If you wouldn't mind taking these in there, I'll go wake up the little one and Amelia, so we can open presents."

Most of the morning consists of cute little laughs and surprised looks from everyone. From Spider-Man action figures to automatic picture frames to way too many shoes and brand name apparel, Christmas slowly dwindles to cuddles while How the Grinch Stole Christmas plays in the background next to the sparkling tree and opened presents.

In the midst of making sure all of our gifts got to the right people, somehow Declan and I forgot each other. Both of our gifts are still safely packed in our suitcases.

"Hey, Declan?"

"Hmm," he mumbles.

"Do you want your Christmas present from me? It's not much, but—"

"Oh, don't even start. You could literally get me a keychain, and I would be happy because it was from you."

That doesn't sound very comforting.

He pulls me back to our room, digging through his bag to find the large box as I pull out my two small ones.

"Okay, you first." He says proudly, shoving the box into my hands.

The heavy box contains a canon EOS R6 camera bundled with a bag, two lenses, an extra battery, and two memory cards.

"So that's why Maverick and Gen got me those camera accessories."

"I needed a little help picking out the best camera for you."

"Declan, you really shouldn't have. I don't know what to say. Between my birthday and Christmas, I feel like I owe you a million dollar gift.

"Mary-Kelton, you will never have to owe me anything."

He's the sweetest, but that doesn't change the fact that my heart immediately drops as he picks up the first small box. It's just a simple gold watch he really wanted that I talked him out of just so I could buy him something decent for Christmas. I did manage to get it engraved without him noticing while we were out at the market.

"You're mine until the end of time. Love, MK." He reads it out loud, and it sounds even more cringy than the first time.

"Is this your way of paying me back for your little love handcuff?"

"Maybe," I laugh. "But I actually got it engraved before you gave those to me. So, technically, I cuffed you first."

"You can't win on a technicality, love."

He kisses me gently before moving onto the second box a little too enthusiastically. His fingers wrap around the silver circle, pulling out a key connected to a small house keychain before making eye contact with me and laughing.

"Babe, I swear, I never would have made the joke if I knew."

"It's okay." I shrug.

"Is this to your apartment?" He asks without even waiting for me to answer. "You probably should have started with this instead of the watch."

"You must really trust me to give me full access to your apartment whenever I want."

"Declan, you're more home than my apartment will ever be, but now, it can finally be like your home, too."

"Mary-Kelton," he says softly, giving me that crooked smile. "Wherever you are will always be my home."

Eww. We're disgusting.

And I love it.