Chapter 136: Declan

Declan stood next to Mr. Burgemeister as they chatted about beef prices and what everyone expected to happen to them this spring – drop, of course; no group of people on earth were as negatively optimistic as a group of ranchers and farmers – when the song The Dance by Garth Brooks came on. Declan paused, memories washing over him.

It was their high school senior prom. Iris was smiling up at him in her shimmery gold dress as he escorted her out onto the dance floor. She'd been so gorgeous that night, with her curled hair up in pins, and a dress that showed off all her curves...he hadn't been able to breathe as he held her in his arms and they swayed to the haunting notes.

He'd known then that he'd always love her. And as dumb as he'd been as a teenage boy – and hormones made him do some pretty damn dumb things at times – he'd been right about that.