Chapter 48
Chapter Forty-Eight
Bennett
We’re over at Delaney’s parents’ house.
“I say we buy your parents an RV and we move in here.” I sit on the couch.
“I know they’re retired, but I thought they would be here more. Not that I’m complaining.” She sits next to me, and I inch a little closer, never as close as I want to get with her.
“I went to the property today.” I’m hesitant to bring it up, not sure what Delaney’s reaction might be.
“I’d like you to come visit it with me.” She opens her mouth, but I keep going.
“Before you say anything, our sleepovers have become consistent, and I’m really tired of the term sleepovers.
I’ve waited years to have this. I want the crazy mornings where the girls jump in our bed, and we get them ready for school together.
I want dinners where they complain about what we made.
I want to settle down next to you on the couch after we put them to bed.
I want to make more babies with you. And I want to be able to do it in a house by ourselves. ”
Her gaze floats upstairs to where the girls are. “I’m not even divorced yet.”
“You will be in two months. I don’t care about that though.
I want you to marry me, and I intend to ask you, and I don’t give a shit about rings or government declarations.
I just want you in my bed, my home, my life.
” I inch even closer, leaving no space between us.
“The land is mine, and I want to build a house for our family on it.”
“I can’t contribute, B. The little amount of money I’ve made has been from working for you. I know you’re going to say you’ll take care of it, but I don’t want to be in the situation I was with Sean. I can’t do that again.”
I stare at her, understanding what she’s saying, but we’re at a crossroads. “Do you want me to charge you rent?”
From the look on her face, she doesn’t find my joke funny.
“I understand your reasons, but I would never do what he did to you. If you don’t want to work for The Perfect Petal or work with me, fine, but regardless, we…
” I wave my finger between us. “We’re a team.
This doesn’t work unless we’re together, side by side.
If I have to float the expenses right now, then that’s the way it will be, but you know it will change. ”
“I just don’t want to feel so out of control of my own life, so in the dark again. I’ve really enjoyed working, and I don’t want to give that up.”
“I would never ask that of you. Ever. And I won’t ever do that to you.” I cradle her head in my palm, my thumb running across her neck.
She nods. “Okay. But as soon as I’m making more money, I’m paying half our mortgage, and we’re separating all our finances.”
“Deal,” I agree. I’ll give her whatever she needs to trust that we can make this life one we’re both proud of.
“Uh oh,” Wren says.
A box falls down the steps, opening midflight, and about a hundred little stuffed Hello Kittys scatter at the bottom of the stairs.
“Girls?” Delaney stands from the couch and walks over.
“What are these?” I follow her, seeing every Hello Kitty is dressed differently. Some appear to be from different countries.
Delaney’s too busy looking up the stairs to answer me. “Come on, you two.”
“Your mom voice is getting me all hot,” I whisper, picking up the box and putting the small stuffed animals inside.
“Not the time.”
“Just saying maybe I need some discipline tonight.”
Her nose scrunches up. “Ew, stop.”
I chuckle.
Both girls come downstairs, heads hanging low.
“We were bringing it down to show you,” Wren says first because she always speaks up for the both of them.
I hope with time, Leia finds her voice a little more, but I might have to have a conversation with Wren about giving Leia a chance to speak for herself.
“Leia?” Delaney asks.
“I was packing them up.”
“Why?” she asks, her voice a little softer now.
I finish putting them all back in the box and push it aside, waiting for one of the girls to answer.
“Because he’s not my daddy,” she says quietly, peeking up at me.
I start to understand that the Hello Kittys represent something more than just her outgrowing the stuffed animal.
“Oh.” Delaney glances at me. “So…”
“I still love him. Miss him, but I…” Leia seeks me out again, and my heart squeezes. “Love you too.”
My nose stings, and my eyes well as I try to push back tears.
“I love you, Daddy,” she says in a whisper.
I bend down and hold out my arms, needing her to say it again while I’m holding her.
She walks over, and I hug her so tightly that I fear she’ll struggle to breathe. “I love you, Leia. So, so much.” I pull back and run my hand over the side of her face like I do with Wren. “Can I ask you to say it one more time?”
She laughs. “I love you, Daddy.”
“The best ever.” I hug her tightly again.
Delaney sniffles, and I close my eyes, so damn happy to have gotten to this point. I believed it would come, but at the same time, I feared it never would.
Delaney comes over to me, and I bring her into the hug, holding my other arm out for Wren, but when I look over Leia’s shoulder, Wren isn’t there.
“Wren?” I call, searching the room.
Leia and Delaney step back and all of our eyes scan the area.
“Maybe upstairs?” Delaney jogs up the stairs but returns shaking her head.
“Where did she go?” Leia asks.
Delaney and I rush around the house, but I can’t find Wren anywhere, so I burst through the screen door to search the grounds.
Why would she run off? That’s not like her. Where would she even go? This isn’t Plain Daisy Ranch where she has specific hiding places she knows.
Delaney follows me, both of us searching. Our eyes catch one another’s as my stomach sinks. While trying to get one daughter to find her love for me, did I not tell the other one that she’s just as loved?