I was searching for trust.
For something that was mine.
I was searching for Delaney.
*
Chapter Eleven
Delaney
He was gone when I woke up.
The alarm on my phone sounded at half past eight, and there was no trace of Jay.
All I had was a blanket draped over me and the dam spring in the couch poking my side.
I was an idiot last night. I should have told Jay I didn’t care about his past or the fact he didn’t remember me. But me being me meant I had to be straightforward and tell him just exactly I was thinking and feeling.
And now, he was gone.
“Bang up job, Delaney,” I muttered out loud.
My stomach growled, and I sighed.
Of course, I was hungry even though I had quite possibly ruined any kind of relationship I was forming with Jay.
It was the perfect time to eat.
I dragged my butt off of the couch and shuffled into the kitchen.
Sitting in front of the coffeepot I hadn’t used in months was the box of decaf coffee pods Jay and I had picked up yesterday while we were bumming around. There was also a note lying next to them.
Just give them a shot, Del.
-J
Short and sweet, but it gave me a little bit of hope that Jay hadn’t run for the hills.
I popped one of the pods into the coffeemaker and waited while it gurgled to life and spit out the decaf drink that was hopefully going to somehow jump-start my mornings better than the tea was doing.
So Jay wasn’t here this morning.
It didn’t mean anything.
It wasn’t like he lived here or anything.
I inhaled the heavenly scent of the coffee and sighed.
Maybe Jay would be right about this whole decaf thing. It smelt like my mornings used to, and if I tricked my mind into thinking it was real coffee, this would be awesome.
My phone dinged in the living room, and I wandered over to get it while the coffee brewed.
At work. It’s looking like I’ll be here all day. Need to do some testing on the car.
I had completely forgotten he needed to go into work today. Though he wasn’t going to be able to get off early like he had hoped. No problem. Be careful at work.
Can I come over after work? If it’s too late I won’t.
I bit my lip. It didn’t matter if it was late, early, or right now. Jay could come over whenever he wanted. Whenever is good.
I didn’t have to wait even a minute before his reply came through. Then I’ll see you later, Del. Think of me. <3
Think of him? That wasn't hard to do at all. I decided not to reply and left the phone sitting on the coffee table.
While things were a little clearer, they were more confusing in other areas.
Jay and I were in the middle of a delicate and complicated relationship, and I wasn’t sure what way it was going to go.
Either way, we were going to have a baby together, and we needed to figure out what we were doing.
*
Chapter Twelve
Jay
“We’re hitting Hilltop after work. You coming?”
I dropped a wrench in my toolbox and closed the top. “Nah.”
“Nah?” Remy laughed. “Did you really just say nah to going out?”
“Leave him alone,” Harlyn chastised Remy. “Maybe he has other plans.”
I pointed my finger at Harlyn. “I knew you were a good one when we found you on the side of the road.”
Harlyn rolled her eyes. “Pretty sure you were passed out in the back of Remy’s car when my car broke down.”
A huge smile spread across Remy’s lips. “You so were. Seems you pass out during important moments in life.”
“Yeah, because you meeting Harlyn was an important moment in my life.”
Remy slung his arm over Harlyn’s shoulder. “Was in mine.” He pressed a kiss to the side of her head and pulled her close.
She patted him on the chest and laughed. “Just why are you laying it on so thick right now?” she asked.
Remy held his hand over her hand and scoffed. “I’m offended that you think I’m being nice just to get something.”
She rolled her eyes. “Spit it out, Remy.”
“Fine,” he mumbled. “Mom wants to come out for the Fourth of July.”
“I’m not sure why that is a problem?”
“I might have told her we were having a Fourth of July party.”
“Remy,” she scolded. “We don’t have plans like that at all.”
“I know, I know. But she kept asking what we were doing, and I just sort of blurted out we were having a party.”
I shook my head and closed all the drawers on my toolbox. “Lord have mercy. Meg coming to town for a party. I can only imagine the trouble she’s going to get into.”
“Lo is coming with her. Along with Cyn and Rigid,” he reassured us.
“You should have stopped with Lo coming with. You know how she is when she has Cyn with her.” Harlyn folded her arms over her chest. “Even with Rigid there to help Lo, you know they can’t handle those two together.”
Remy’s mom and her friend were some of the coolest people I had ever met, but if there was trouble to be had when they were around, you better believe they were there getting into it. “Good luck with that, bro.”
“You’ll be there,” Remy laughed. “It’s at our place, and I told her your family would be there.”
“What? Why in the hell would you tell her that?” Since the Fourth of July landed in the middle of the week, I figured I would find something to do with Delaney. Her mom wasn’t due back for another two weeks, and I didn’t like Delaney being by herself too much.
“Because misery loves company, and I figured it was a good idea for Leelee to meet your baby mama.”
“Because that was your decision to make,” I mumbled.
“Okay, okay. This isn’t that bad of a deal,” Harlyn interrupted. “You know I love your mom, Remy, and maybe it is a good idea for Leelee and Kurt to meet Delaney.”
I grabbed my keys off the hook above the bench and shoved them in my pocket. “She doesn’t even know I’m having a baby, Harlyn. Don’t you think it would be better to tell her without shoving Delaney and her baby bump under her nose?”
Harlyn pressed her hands to her mouth and sighed. “She has a baby bump?” she cooed.
I rolled my eyes and pointed a finger at Remy. “You’re an asshole for doing this.”
He shrugged. “It is what it is, dude. You really wanna disappoint my mom and not have your family at the party.”
“She’s your mom, not mine.” I didn’t want to disappoint Remy’s mom, but come on. He not only wanted me to invite my sister to my house to meet Delaney but then he also wanted to have some party?
“Your ass will be there and your girl’s and sister’s asses better be there, too,” Remy ordered.
“Don’t talk about my sister’s ass,” I mumbled.
I headed toward the front of the shop, and my hand touched the door handle when Remy shouted.
“So you’ll be there, right?”