Chapter 3

Declan walked into the small neighborhood bar that was about halfway between Renee's house and Tyler's apartment. It was pretty crowded, so he made his way to the bar first and ordered beer for him and Tyler. While waiting, he texted Tyler to see if he'd arrived. As the bartender set the bottles down, Tyler responded that he was at a table near the back. With bottles in hand, he moved through the crowd, smiling at pretty women as he passed. Too bad he'd agreed not to bring anyone back to Renee's. He actually had a bed there.

He sighed at himself. He'd decided he was going to figure out his life. Getting laid was not top priority right now.

Tyler saw him and waved. Declan set the bottles on the table.

"Hey, I said I'd buy. I got you one," Tyler said as he slid a bottle in front of Declan.

Declan picked it up and took a swig. He shrugged. "It was crowded, so I grabbed a couple. Not like we won't drink 'em."

"So how'd it go with Renee?"

"Fine." Declan looked at his friend with suspicion. "What are you not telling me?"

"Nothing. She was a little testy earlier today when you weren't there by her lunchtime. I figured she might've been bitchy by the time you actually showed."

"Nah. We're good." He took another drink. "Sadie's gotten big, man. It hasn't been that long since I've seen her, but she's like this cool little person, not just a cute kid."

"She is pretty awesome. Too bad Graham doesn't see it."

"What do you mean?"

Tyler leaned his elbows on the table. "Look, you didn't hear this from me."

Declan cocked an eyebrow.

"Part of the reason I suggested you move into Renee's is because I know you'll keep an eye on her."

"Why?"

Tyler sighed. "The divorce did a number on her."

"I thought they split a long time ago."

"They did. But he dragged the divorce out forever. He's an asshole."

"If you're that worried about her, why didn't you stay?"

"I love my sister. I really do. But I can't live with her. We make each other crazy. And she does need work done that I can't do."

"You're telling me. That house looks like no one's done shit in decades."

"I know, but like I said, it was what she could afford. She's happy with it, I think. She needed something that was hers, you know?"

Declan nodded, even though he didn't really get it. Owning a house meant committing to being in one place for the long haul. He'd never considered it. "What do you need me to watch her for then? Did Graham do something?"

Tyler shook his head, a flash of anger crossing his face. "He's treated her like shit for a long time. Now that the divorce is done, I figured it'd be better. Sometimes she still lets him get under her skin, though. Especially when it comes to Sadie."

"He's an asshole to his daughter?" How could anyone be mean to a five-year-old?

"Not directly. But he'll blow off his visitation if something better comes up. He's late with child support all the time. That's part of the reason for the house. She needed to do it all on her own without counting on anything from him."

"That's all shitty, but what do you want me to do?"

Tyler shrugged. "She gets in her head and forgets about living. Just let me know if she's not okay. I don't know how to explain it."

"I get it. Nessa's picked some real winners, too."

Tyler barked out a laugh. "Nessa can handle her own. I've seen that girl downright brawl. I can't imagine some guy making her feel the way I've seen Renee act."

"I think you underestimate your sister. She can put the fear of God into a guy if she wanted."

They finished the beers in front of them and ordered another round. They talked about old friends and work, not that Declan had a job. After the next round, Tyler looked at him with serious eyes.

"Hey, you know, we haven't really talked since the funeral."

"We've talked. I lived with you."

"You know what I mean."

Yeah, he did. He hadn't talked to anyone. What was there to talk about?

"How are you?

He shrugged. "Fine. It's not like having a funeral changed anything. He's always been gone."

"No other news about what happened?"

Declan had told Tyler about his brothers' investigation into their father's disappearance. Although Brendan and Ronan wanted to keep it quiet, Declan knew he could trust Tyler not to tell anyone. "They don't tell me anything. If I wasn't living with Ronan, he wouldn't have said anything to me. I would've been just as in the dark as the rest of my siblings."

"It's gotta feel different, though. Having confirmation that he's dead. That he didn't run off."

Declan inhaled deeply. Yeah, it felt different, but he didn't know how to explain it. He spent his life thinking his father didn't want them. "It's making me re-evaluate my life choices, that's for sure."

"How so? Were you planning on working for the Cahills?"

At the mention of the company his father worked for, the very man that confirmed his dad's death, irritated Declan. "No. I can't believe Ronan is staying on. He must have one hell of a poker face to look at Danny Cahill, knowing his father took secrets about our father to the grave."

"How much can he see Cahill? I heard he was running for alderman. I thought that meant he wasn't working for the construction company anymore."

"Hell if I know. Like I said, my brothers aren't too forthcoming."

"So then how are you rethinking life?"

"Unlike a lot of little kids, who want to be like their dad when they grow up, I made the choice to be nothing like him. He worked hard at the same job for years, bought a house, had a family, and then left. Like it was too much. I spent years having fun and making it all up as I went. But now, I don't know." He paused, searching for the words. "It wasn't his choice to go."

Tyler smiled. "So now you're ready to settle down and be a family man? Many Chicago hearts will be broken."

He chuckled. "I'm not quite there yet. But I'm at least trying to figure out what I do want long-term. A plan for the future. A regular job. A place to live."

"Aw, our little boy is growing up."

"Shut the fuck up, asshole." He held up his empty bottle. "Now you owe me another."

"No problem. I can do that because I do have a job."

"Still an asshole."

Tyler went to the bar to get their drinks. Declan was glad Tyler had decided to move back to Chicago. He'd missed him over the last couple of years. He had a pretty wide circle of friends, but they were drinking buddies, not guys to have a serious conversation with. No one who had known him as long as Tyler. Ty was family.

As much as he'd avoided commitment, family like this was different. They didn't depend on him. He could enjoy having the connection with people who cared about him without them expecting much of him.

Except now, Ty needed him to keep an eye on Renee. And Renee was counting on him to fix her crappy house.

His life was already changing.

After she got Sadie to bed, Renee sat at on the couch with a glass of wine, her laptop sitting in front of her. She scrolled job boards looking for something steady. She'd freelanced for years, but now that Sadie would be in school for half a day, she could pay for after-school care and get a regular part-time job. Hopefully, one that would become full-time next year.

She missed forensic accounting. Digging through the financials of a business or individual, finding out all their secrets. It was better than watching a movie. She didn't mind doing regular bookkeeping or even helping people with taxes, but it was so repetitive. Forensic accounting wasn't glamorous or exciting, but it wasn't boring either.

On the sidebar of her computer, an ad for a dating site flashed. She looked at it for a few seconds. She didn't even remember the last date she'd gone on. Although she and Graham had been separated for more than a year and a half before the divorce was finalized, she hadn't had it in her to think about wading into the dating pool. Maybe it was time.

She sighed. But it took such effort. And she had so much going on right now. Did she really want to add another variable to her life? Not a good plan. She refocused on the job board.

Noticing the time, she realized why she was so sleepy. It was near midnight. When Declan left, she hadn't thought about how late he'd be gone, and she hadn't given him a key. But he was with Ty, who did have a key. She texted her brother and told him to give Declan his key to get in. Then she closed her laptop and turned on the TV. She needed something easy for her brain before bed.

She put on some sitcom but couldn't get into it. Her mind kept wandering to the thought of a new job. Maybe she could take a class or two online to brush up on her skills. It had only been a few years, but things changed. That might give her the edge she'd need for someplace to ignore the fact that she'd stayed home to be with her daughter.

For the most part, she didn't have regrets about that. Her mom worked while she was little, and she remembered feeling lonely every time her mom left for the office. And she had Ty, as annoying as he was. She worried about Sadie because she was an only child. Not that that had been her plan. She'd been ready to try for a sibling a long time ago. Graham had his own ideas, though.

She drained her glass and set it on the table. Pulling a blanket onto her lap, she scrolled to find something that would be more interesting.

Renee jolted up on the couch and looked around. She must've fallen asleep. But the TV was off. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the table. Her wine glass and computer were gone. What the hell? Tossing the blanket aside, she stood and heard movement in the kitchen. As she passed the dining room table, she saw her laptop plugged in. She leaned on the doorway to the kitchen, where Declan stood at the sink rinsing her wine glass.

"You didn't have to clean up after me," she said.

"Sorry. Did I wake you? I debated if I should wake you but figured if you crashed on the couch, you were probably really tired."

"I don't know what woke me, but finding the TV off and my stuff moved was weird."

He turned and looked at her with a wide grin. "If you can't handle your alcohol, maybe you shouldn't drink."

"Very funny. It was just a long day. One glass of wine isn't enough to do me in."

"How much would it take?"

"What?"

"How much wine is needed for you to loosen up, lose control?"

"It's been too long for me to remember. I'm not twenty-two anymore. My life doesn't lend itself to losing control. Thanks for cleaning up. I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow."

"Yes, boss."

She shook her head and laughed. Declan poked at her because that was what he did. But he had a point. It was time for her to make some changes and get her life back. Not that she'd consider losing control as Declan suggested, but she deserved to have some fun. So tomorrow, she'd think a little more about getting on a dating site. Maybe make plans to do something more than book club.