Page 14 of Adoring Delaney

That should’ve been me.

Me and Carter.

The normal guilt that accompanied my jealousy made itself known and I stumbled.

“You okay?” Steve asked, pulling me to his side.

“Yeah,” I lied.

“You’re lying,” Steve whispered. “I don’t know what has you so sad, but I’m here to listen if you need me.”

Damn, why couldn’t I love a man like Steve?

I just needed to get through this day, then I was leaving. And maybe I could finally start to heal.

4

Fuck.

I followed off to the side, watching Delaney and that fuckstick date of hers.

I’d been watching her since she’d shown up, with my heart shredded and my gut in knots.

Fucking hell.

Pure hell.

But I’d done this. I pushed her away, thinking I was doing the right thing. And now I had to eat the shit she was shoveling. But not for long.

It had taken great effort to keep myself in check. I’d slipped once when I first saw her walk in hand-in-hand with that chump. Then she disappeared into the house and Mom got ahold of me. That slip earned me the sharp side of her tongue.

I may’ve been approaching thirty, but when Lily Lenox was pissed, I might as well have been ten and being scolded for something stupid I’d done. But the way she’d done it this time, telling me I had no one to blame but myself, that was a knife to the heart. And she’d further twisted it by reminding me I was just like my father. Always thinking I knew best for everyone around me, when really, I was an idiot.

My mom was far from stupid. She knew I loved Delaney. She also would know why I’d pushed her away.

I’d heard all the stories about my mom and dad. How they met. How my mom fell in love with my dad when she was sixteen. How he’d left for the Army. Then how he’d faked his death. That decision was made to protect my mother, the woman he loved beyond compare. I hadn’t gone that far; I’d simply taken what I could from Delaney and never allowed it to go further. Never allowed myself to claim her and put my ring on her finger and my baby in her belly.

I was the idiot my mom told me I was.

But I was going to rectify that soon.

Two more weeks and I’d officially be done with my service and I’d be home.

And when that happened, the asshole who was now tucking my woman under his arm, holding her close, would be kicking rocks.

The longer I stared at the two of them, the more jealousy had taken hold and bitterness had consumed me.

I was a dumbfuck. Total jackass. All of this my fault.

My girl was in the arms of another man.

Finally my feet came unglued and I followed my family farther into the orchard, coming to a stop in a beautiful clearing. A man I’d never seen was standing waiting for our arrival.

And before anyone realized what was going on the stranger spoke.

“Jackson and Tuesday would like Miss Quinn Walker, Mrs. Mercy Walker, and Mrs. Patricia Knowls to come stand beside them, and the rest of you please gather round.”

Mercy and Quinn helped Tuesday’s grandmother take the few steps needed to get to her granddaughter and everyone silently waited.

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