Chapter 23Unless.
twenty-three
. . .
unless.
“Yo,” Atti’s voice rumbles over the noise of the roaring engine above me. “You got company up front.”
I slide out from the car and get to my feet, unable to hide the fact that people visiting me at work makes me smile. And even though Delane had mentioned that her family may come by to get her for lunch today since Patty and Art finally share a day off, I’m still excited to see them.
Pushing through the door to exit the shop, I find Delane leaning over the desk on her elbows, chatting quietly with her mom and Art.
With the same dark curls she passed down to her daughter, Patty pulls a wool cap down over her head, laughing at something Delane said.
Art nudges Patty, and the three of them exchange words, resulting in their group’s laughter .
I smile from the doorway, just watching how easily they love each other. And now, they’re mine. From the corner of her eye, Patty spots me. Raising an arm toward me, she says, “there he is,” as Delane and Art both turn to spot me.
“Hi there,” I say, making my way toward them, instinctively dropping my arm around Delane’s shoulders, my fingertips protectively sinking into her arm as I subtly stroke.
“The man of the hour,” Art chides.
Patty looks between the two of us and then circles the desk, linking arms with her daughter. “We’re going out back to say thank you to Beau; we’ll be right back; then we’ll have lunch, okay?”
I salute her. “Sounds good.”
When the door swings closed, I know now is a great time for what I’d been thinking about the last week since Delane learned of the plan.
Last night, she’d gotten word that she’ll start automotive schooling in Riverside in a month, meaning she’s about to get a lot busier in the best way–chasing her dreams.
But busier means less of her for me. Unless.
“Art, I was hoping to get a word with you, Sir.”
“You know, you don’t have to call me sir, but I find it incredibly respectful and old school of you that you do.” He shrugs. “Now, what would you like to discuss?” He grins cluelessly.
“As you know, Delane is starting automotive school in a month. She’s going to stay here at Kings, working when she can, and Beau’s gonna pay her a normal salary regardless but…
she’s going to be a lot busier, and I was wondering if you had any problems with us living together before marriage?
” I rub my hands together nervously as Art remains silent, the smile having fallen off his lips a moment ago.
“It’s he aded that way for us, and I know that may sound quick, but Laney and I…
Well, I’ve known and loved her for years, Sir.
And I’m sure about us. But if we lived together now, I could make sure she gets where she needs to be, make sure she’s feeding herself while working and studying, I can help her with things in class if she needs, and I can–”
“You can take care of her,” he says earnestly. “And she will need more care as she embarks on this journey.”
I nod. “Yeah, I think she will. Or at least, I want to support her as much as possible so she can enjoy as much of this as she can. I don’t want her stressing about making dinner or getting Mara places.
I can do all of that. And whatever slack she picked up at home, I will happily volunteer to help you with that.
We can eat at my place a few nights a week or… whatever it takes.”
He doesn’t say anything for a long moment.
I didn’t really talk to Delane about this, but it’s logical from every standpoint.
Not to mention, I want Delane to live with me.
Outside of all the reasons why it makes sense, I want her with me.
In my bed both morning and night. On my couch.
Her feet in my lap. I want to wash her hair for her when she’s too tired.
I want to wake her up with her favorite breakfast and come home to find her and Salsa cuddling.
I just want her in my life as much as I can now that I have her.
Art extends half a handshake to me, and I take it. “Thank you so much,” I say, shoving away the happy emotion clogging my throat. Art pats our handshake with his other hand.
“You’re a good man, Miller. Everything you’ve done for that boy who you brother for, and for Laney…” he shakes his head as if his pride in me is overwhelming, and that feels both surprising and good. “Patty and I want you to know our family is your family, okay? ”
Fuck. If that doesn’t make you wanna cry, I don’t know what does. But I swallow and breathe through it. “Thank you so much.”
And as Atticus and Beau barge through the back door, the spell is broken.
“Patty said we can all come to lunch,” Beau says, hooking a thumb between him and Atticus. “It’s cool if we come too?”
I nod toward the door. “Lock up.”
He puts his hands on his hips. “Dude, this is my place; I know I have to lock up.” He looks around, searching for Delane. Leaning toward Atti, he whispers, “where are the keys?”
I hadn’t planned on asking Delane to move in with me in front of everyone at lunch, but after Art whispered my plans to Patty and she pulled me aside for a quick “we love you, and you have our permission,” it seemed like it would be hard to keep it bottled.
The way Art and Patty kept beaming at us had me nervous they’d spill the beans, so after the waitress had taken our plates and Atticus was too deep into a story about getting a kitten out of an engine, I lean down toward Laney, aligning my mouth with her ear.
“Laney.”
She turns, trying to give me focus but also give her focus to Atti and his kitten rescue story.
“Move in with me,” I whisper, one arm draped along the back of her chair, the other reaching across my lap to access hers. Dragging the blunt tips of my fingers along her thigh, I whisper again, “live with me, Laney. Say yes.”
Slowly, she turns to face me, and my senses flare when she doesn’t immediately say yes. What if this is too soon? We didn’t talk about this; I just made this choice on my own, thinking it would be best for both of us.
But what if she isn’t ready?
What if she just… isn’t on that page with me?
Pushing back from the table as cold sweat slides down my back, I give a concerned-looking Beau a nod of acknowledgment as I nod toward the bathroom off the back hall.
I’m not even at the door when I hear her calling my name.
“Miller, Miller, baby, wait.” She takes me by the back of my elbow, and I spin to face her.
“I should have asked you if you wanted to instead of just asking. I’m sorry, I–”
This time, she holds her hand up for me to stop. “Of course, I want to move in with you. I was just surprised, that’s all. I honestly wasn’t expecting it after everything you put together with school already. It’s a lot. You’re just… so good to me.”
“I really thought you didn’t want to,” I let the words rush out on a relieved sigh as the adrenaline of the moment peters, leaving my hands a little wobbly. She takes them in hers and kisses my knuckles the way I do her.
“I love you, okay? And the Miller I love knows I love him.” She looks back down the hall at the table full of people we love in the distance.
“The Miller that walked away from that table thinking I didn’t want to share a home with him, he’s the old Miller.
” She rocks to her toes and lets her lips rub against mine as she says, “he needs to be punished for thinking I didn’t want him. ”
She leaves me partially hard with a wet, short kiss as we link our hands together, heading back toward the table.
“Tonight, we celebrate, and tonight, you get punished.” We stop a few feet from the table, and she raises our hands in the air as if I’ve won a battle and she’s announcing me the victor.
“We’re moving in together,” she squeals, and we’re met with a round of cheers from our people.
And my heart swells in a way I never thought it could before.