Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
Delaney
Bennett and I walk into his parents’ house.
It’s newer and decorated nicely in the same style Darla had in their previous house.
There’re lots of pictures of the entire family who live on the ranch, but mostly her own children through the ages.
The only new ones seem to be of Wren, then Lottie and Brooks at their reception.
“Hello!” Bennett says, his hand tight in mine as he leads me into the house.
“In here,” his dad calls. We turn the corner as Brad says, “Go fish, Leia.” He taps her nose with the tip of his finger. “Maybe next time.”
She picks up a card from the pile in the middle of the table and giggles.
As if Bennett feels the same as me, we stand a little out of sight, watching his dad interact with her.
Brad turns to Wren. “All right, card shark, do you have any threes?”
Wren’s head goes back, and she gives him one of her cards.
Brad triumphantly pairs the cards and holds one card in the air. “I got your numbers.”
They both laugh.
Darla comes out of the kitchen and sits down next to them, until she sees us spying.
“We’ve been saved, Brad,” she says.
The girls turn around, look at one another, then run to us—Leia to me and Wren to Bennett. I go to slip my hand out of Bennett’s, but he grips it tighter, leaving us both to hug them with one arm.
They pull back and look at one another again before they zero in on our linked hands.
“We have something to tell you,” Bennett says.
The girls jump up and down in excitement, the two of them hugging one another so tightly.
“Aunt Lottie was right!” Wren screams. “We’re sisters.”
“You were already sisters,” I say, chuckling.
“Yeah, but now we get to share a room,” Wren says.
I glance at Bennett. Maybe we didn’t think this through as far as we should have. Of course the girls are going to want to live together right away.
“Actually…”
“Shoo, you two, let them eat.” Darla comes over and pats them on their backs. She steadies her gaze on us. “What can I make you?”
“Eggs or pancakes?” Bennett asks me.
“I don’t want you going to any trouble. I can just pick something up when Leia and I leave.”
Bennett slides his arm around my waist, his hand molding to my hip, then leans in and whispers, “My bed is going to be lonely tonight.”
Darla rolls her eyes, probably seeing my beet-red face, before she heads to the kitchen. “I’ll make both.”
“I’ll help.” I leave Bennett, but he slyly pats my ass.
“Thank you. I appreciate that,” Darla says over her shoulder.
I go into the kitchen with Darla, and from what I hear, Bennett joins the Go Fish game.
“Lottie had to leave this morning to open the store, but she said the nightmare wasn’t too bad.” Darla puts the carton of eggs on the counter.
“Thank you so much for all this.” I pick up an egg and crack it into the bowl.
“You don’t have to thank us. We’re just happy to get to know her. It’s amazing how opposite the two of them are.” She glances over her shoulder.
“Leia’s quiet and more reserved.”
Darla smiles at me. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I have one of those too.” She nods toward Bennett. “She’s very smart and polite, and not that my opinion matters, but you did a great job with her.”
Pride swells in my chest. “I’m still so—”
“No more of that.” She holds out a fork for me. “No more sorrys. We’re going to move forward now and leave all that in the past.” She puts her arm around my shoulders. “You make my son really happy, and you’re a good mother to one of my granddaughters. That’s enough for me.”
The words one granddaughter repeat in my head.
I’d love to be a mother figure to Wren, but maybe she doesn’t want that. I’ll have to see where our relationship goes.
“Now beat the eggs.” She points at the bowl.
Darla makes the pancakes, and I wonder how many times she’s measured that flour out because she doesn’t even use a measuring cup anymore.
“Don’t worry, I’m not one of those mothers-in-law who won’t share recipes or omits one ingredient. You want it, it’s yours.”
“But—”
She side-eyes me. “If you’re about to say that you’re not his wife, that’s ridiculous. You’re his future. A mother knows.”
After we eat breakfast and say goodbye to Darla and Brad, Bennett drives all of us over to The Perfect Petal where I left my car.
“I don’t understand,” Wren says to her dad. “If you guys are together, why can’t they move in with us?”
Bennett glances at me. “We’re dating, we’re not married.”
“Aunt Lottie said that doesn’t matter. Briar lived with Emmett before they were married.”
“Aunt Lottie got married in Vegas, so…” Bennett says.
I place my hand on his, turning to face the girls in the back seat. “The time will come when we’re all under one roof. I see it for us, but right now isn’t the right time. Let your dad and I go on a few dates first. We need to take our time.”
They look at one another. “Then go on a date now. We’ll stay at Grandma and Grandpa’s.” Wren smiles wide.
“I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you both come over for dinner tonight? I’ll cook.”
“YAY!” the girls cheer in unison.
I turn to Bennett. “And how about you?”
“You don’t even have to ask.” He winks.
I wonder when it will be okay to give him a quick kiss in front of the girls. Jeez, I need to get myself under control.
I leave the truck, letting Leia out. As we stand at my car, it feels weird and not right that we’re about to leave them. But we have kids to think about. We can’t go rogue and move in together right away, right?
Still, saying goodbye feels so wrong.
Bennett crouches, and Leia hugs him. He tells her how proud he is that she stuck it out and spent the night with Lottie and that he understands how scary it is to wake up from a nightmare somewhere you’ve never been before. She nods and goes in for another hug.
Tears cling to my eyelashes. I distract myself by saying goodbye to Wren, giving her a hug of my own and telling her I can’t wait to see her tonight.
Bennett kisses my cheek and pats my ass behind the girls’ backs, and I climb into the car, leaving my heart with him.
How long we can do this, I have no idea, but as I look in the rearview mirror at Leia, I know I have to be patient for her. She needs time to adjust too. But I meant what I told them. I’m certain the day will come when we’re all under the same roof.