“No. At least, that wasn’t my initial plan, but sometimes, you just need to go with the flow.” Remy smiled wide and reached out to bump his fist with Brooks.
“Delaney is not out of my league,” I insisted.
“She’s a med student. She’s going to be doctor.” Frankie sighed. “She’s out of my league too.”
Brooks grabbed Frankie and pulled her into his arms. “Didn’t know you were into girls, baby.”
Frankie rolled her eyes. “You’re such a guy.”
“That’s what you like about me.”
She pressed a kiss against his lips then socked him on the arm. “I’m just with you for your motorhome and race team.”
“That’s not what you said last night.”
“Okay!” Remy shouted. “Enough of that talk. We’re discussing Jay’s train-wreck right now. Keep it in your pants, Frankie.”
I walked to the door of the trailer and flipped off the lights. “Nope, sorry. We’re not talking about that either. I’m headed to bed.” I didn't even know where my head was at when it came to Delaney and the baby. I sure as hell wasn’t going to discuss it with Frankie, Remy, and Brooks.
“Come on, man. You gotta talk about it,” Remy insisted. “This whole you actually working and being a good employee is boring.”
Frankie scoffed. “I gotta say, it’s nice to finally see you do some work. Who knew the walls would hold themselves up without you leaning on them?”
I flipped her off and grabbed my phone from the workbench. “I’m headed to bed where I don’t have to deal with you guys being assholes.”
“How the tables have turned,” Frankie called.
I walked out of the trailer and hung my head. Everything was changing, and I didn’t have a fucking clue on how to deal with any of it. I was acting differently, but how else was I supposed to act? I had just found out I was going to have a kid.
I had thought of going to the party at Spokes’ trailer but had turned around when I was halfway there.
Getting drunk and finding a chick to hook up with didn’t sound fun anymore.
I stopped halfway to the trailer and looked down at my phone. It may be too late to call her, but I could always text her.
Hey, it’s me. How are you doing? I sounded like a complete idiot, but I didn’t know what else to say.
Hey, it’s the guy who got you pregnant but doesn’t even remember having sex with you.
Yeah, that would be more accurate.
She surprisingly answered right away.
Doing fine. Just working.
She was working? It was almost midnight. You’re working? Right now?
I picked up a shift at work.
Where the hell was work? I thought she said she was in school to be a doctor. What the hell possible work could she be doing right now? I was just checking on you.
I’m good.
She really didn’t give much away in her texts. That’s good.
I waited a bit to see if she would reply, but she didn’t. I had never had a more awkward text conversation in my life. I should be back in town Monday. I was grasping at straws here. Something made me want to talk to her. I needed to know more about her.
Okay.
“Jesus Christ,” I mumbled. I had never met someone who could text so little with so much meaning. Ten words, and she had made it clear that she didn’t really want to be talking to me. At least, that was what it seemed like. I’ll text you tomorrow.
Okay.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and put myself out of misery.
Delaney was a tough chick to figure out. While every girl I had been with before her loved to talk and be around me, Delaney seemed to be indifferent and couldn’t get far enough away.
I didn’t know what I wanted from Delaney, but I knew it was a whole hell of a lot more than what she was giving me.
*
Chapter Seven
Delaney
“I’m dying, darling. You have no idea how hot it is here. Who the hell goes to Florida in June?”
I chuckled and dropped my purse on the kitchen table. “The answer would be you, Mom.”
She sighed heavily. “Well, I’m an idiot. But not as big of one as Christy for planning this godforsaken trip.”
Christy shouted in the background.
“I may be getting paid, but there isn’t enough money in the world for me to put this much baby powder between my legs,” Mom grumbled.
“Other than melting, how is it going?” I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and twisted off the cap.
“The only saving grace about this trip is Christy has amazing taste in food. She took me to this place in Cape Canaveral called Rusty’s. Best seafood I have ever had in my life.”
It was almost as if I could hear her salivating through the phone. “Well, there is your silver lining, Mama.”
“It’s only a silver lining if she takes me there every day.”
“We can't eat at the same damn place every day, Susan,” Christy hollered. “We’ve been here for three days, and you’ve made me eat there four times already.”
“I think she’s finally understanding my love for good food.”
“Other than the food, there has to be something else you like.” I took a swig of the water and walked over to the pantry. I was starving and ready to eat an elephant. My morning sickness that lasted through the whole day was finally petering off, and now, I was just hungry all of the time.
“We get to see all the spaceships and everything. Plus Christy’s friends and sister are nice.”
“See, there ya go. It may be hot, but you’re having fun.”
“Hotter than Satan’s behind,” she grumbled. She cleared her throat. “Now, tell me how you are.”
“Just going to school and working, Mom. Same as if you were here.”
“I know, but when I’m there, I make sure you eat and get enough sleep. I’m afraid you’re going to run yourself ragged if I’m not there.”
I grabbed the jar of peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, and a sleeve of crackers. The baby was making sure I was starving. I craved anything sweet.
That wasn’t entirely true.
I just craved food.
“Eating and sleeping,” I promised. “I was in bed before twelve last night, and I didn’t have to be up until nine today. Nothing for you to worry about here, Mama.”
“Well, that’s a first. Normally, you’re up ‘til dawn and barely eating enough to function.”
“I’ve been functioning just fine.”
“Well, make sure you keep it up. We won’t be back ‘til a week or so after the Fourth of July.”
“Did you really just call to make sure I was eating and sleeping?” I set the food on the counter and grabbed a paper plate.
“I’m your mother. That’s what I’m supposed to do. Worry and make sure you’re eating.”
I looked at the two spreads and crackers. “I can tell you for a fact I’m eating.”
“Good. I’ll call you tomorrow to make sure you keep it up.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Mama.”
I hung up the phone, made about ten mini cracker sandwiches with the peanut butter and fluff, then sat my ass down on the couch. Since I had picked up a shift at the restaurant yesterday, that meant I didn’t need to work tonight.