“I’m going to walk Rattler,” I called. Tucker and Gunner were batting, using the pitching machine he’d bought, and Gunner was giving Tuck tips on his swing. Every time Gunner went to the plate, Tuck’s eyes would light up and watch his every movement.
My eyes were glued to Gunner too, but for an entirely different reason. I couldn’t wait to catch him at a game next season in his tight baseball pants, so I could watch his batting routine and little booty shake. I fanned myself even though the crisp fall air had brought on a chill.
“Hold up.” Gunner jogged over to me. “Where are you going?”
“Just around here.” I pointed to the trail that was visible.
His jaw tightened. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“I’ll be okay, I’ll stay close.”
Gunner licked his lips but nodded. He leaned in and pecked me on the lips. I watched his ass as he jogged off before raising my eyes just in time to catch the wink he was sending me over his shoulder.
I walked along the outskirts of the trail, keeping the field in view. I knew Gunner would be watching for me, and I didn’t want Tuck to catch on to any worry on his part.
Rattler pulled the leash toward the bushes so he could sniff and explore. We’d need to take him to puppy kindergarten to be leash trained and trained to sit and lie down, but right now he was doing pretty well and his tugging wasn’t too bad.
“Delilah.”
I froze, spinning around. My heart pounded and I blinked. This couldn’t be happening again. I looked toward the baseball field. I could barely see Tucker and Gunner through the foliage, but I could hear the crack of the bat.
I returned my focus to Shayla, and the anger that I’d been suppressing boiled over. “What is it with you and trails? You shouldn’t be here. Look, if you want to talk—fine, but we’re meeting far, far away from Tuck.”
“I’d…I’d like that, but please just two minutes. I’m so sorry about last time. I was high and wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t mean to hurt you and I called the ambulance.”
So she was the mysterious caller. I’d almost forgotten Gunner had told me someone had called 9-1-1 before he had. “It’s fine,” I said, brushing it off. “You can say what you need and then you’re leaving.”
“I swear.”
“Fine.” I crossed my arms over my chest. Rattler sat next to me, pressing his warm body into my shins as if he were guarding me. His ears were perked and he was on alert as he stared at the woman standing in front of us.
She had changed her clothes. They looked new, but I didn’t want to trust what I was seeing. It’d be too much to be disappointed. I didn’t know how she had the money for new clothes, and my heart broke thinking about the ways she could’ve been earning money.
Shayla breathed deeply with her whole body as she looked down at her shoes, one foot kicking the dirt in front of her. “Okay,” she whispered to herself before she looked up and focused on me. I froze when she reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and what looked like a quarter. She held them out to me. I looked down at the items in her outstretched hand and then at her eyes a few times before I took them.
“What’s this?”
“My twenty-four-hour sobriety chip and a note from my sponsor. I’ve been sober for eight days, so a little over a week. They don’t give out chips for one week.”
A familiar prayer was etched on the coin. I flipped it over. The number twenty-four was in the center of a triangle. Unity, Service, and Recovery were on the sides of the triangle. To Thine Own Self Be True was inscribed on the edge. “You’re sober?”
She nodded and tears filled my eyes. I opened the note, reading the scratchy penmanship from her sponsor. She’d been sober for eight days and was attending meetings every day.
Tears slipped from my eyes, and I brushed them away and looked at her again. I was happy she was getting help, but I was scared to trust it. And I was even more scared of what the future could hold for Tucker.
As if she’d read my thoughts like she once could, she said, “I know I’m not right for him.” She clenched her jaw and a heartbroken gasp escaped her lips as she angrily swiped a tear across her cheek. “I just want some part of his life. I want to know him.”
“I need more proof than eight days.”
She nodded quickly. “I know. This is only the beginning. I know. Can we meet? I’ll call you and we can meet?”
After a pause and some reluctance, I nodded. “Not anywhere near Tucker.”
“Okay,” she whispered and met my gaze again. “You grew up so pretty, Delilah. I can’t believe you’re cooking in more than an Easy-Bake Oven now.”
My lips twitched, but I didn’t smile. I couldn’t, this wasn’t like old times. I couldn’t erase all the stuff that had happened, no matter how much my heart ached for her.
“I won’t chase you, Shay. The ball is in your court. If you don’t contact me, I won’t chase you to be in his life.”
“I know. Go back to your guys. That man is really cute.”
I shook my head. “We’re not there, Shayla. At least not yet, maybe not ever.”
I was heading back to the field when she spoke again. I could barely hear the words. “If I’m sober, I’m a good person. If I’m not, I hate what I turn into. It’s really hard, but I’m trying to stay sober.”
I glanced over my shoulder. “I hope you do for Tuck’s sake.”
Tears were streaming down her face, but I had to walk toward Tucker. I had to choose him.
Chapter 29
Gunner
I grabbed a clean tasting spoon and stuck it into the chicken and dumpling pot. I groaned, tossed the used spoon into the sink, and picked up another clean one to repeat the process, making sure this spoonful had a dumpling and chicken in it. I closed my eyes as I savored my bite.
“What are you doing?” Delilah asked. I put the spoon on the counter and pushed it away from me, hiding it with my body and swallowing as I turned around.
“Nothing.”
One side of her mouth rose and she shook her head, pointing at me. “If you’re going to be back here, I’m putting you to work.”
“I’m all yours, baby,” I said. It was pouring rain outside, which had killed the workout plans I’d had for the day. I’d done what I could in the gym at the inn, but it wasn’t set up for that type of strength training. Mom was spending the day with a few girlfriends after telling me I’d been getting on her nerves and needed to leave her alone, so here I was bugging the other woman in my life. “Where do you need me?”
She grimaced. “You’ve already told me you can’t cook, but can you chop vegetables?”
I shrugged. How hard could it be?
“I’m going to regret this,” she muttered under her breath.
“Heard that.” I followed her to the sink to wash my hands.
She chuckled as I leaned into her back and wrapped my arms around her, pushing both of our hands under the faucet. We soaped and lathered our hands, and I kissed the column of her throat the entire time. She let a small, quiet moan slip free.