Page 34 of Adoring Delaney

“What kind of promises were those?” Jasper grunted.

“That I’d come home alive to her and our babies. I didn’t want to make your daughter a widow so I never promised her the life we both wanted. I never asked her to marry me, though I wanted her to be my wife. I never promised her a future because I didn’t know if I’d be around to give it to her. You of all people know what I was doing when I was deployed, so you know there was always a strong possibility I’d come home in a coffin.”

Jasper’s face remained a mask of pissed-off father giving me no indication what he was thinking.

“If I asked you to stand down and let Delaney move on, would you?”

“Fuck no.”

“Goddamn uncanny, always thought as you were growing up you were like your dad. Looked like him, behaved like him, hell, you talked just like him. If you were anyone else, I wouldn’t ask you to step away, I’d simply make it so you didn’t have a choice but to do as I wanted. You being the man I know you are, I’m giving you a month. After that, I won’t ask.”

I fought to keep my temper in check. Not only was Jasper Delaney’s dad, he was a man I admired.

“Think it might take more than a month.”

“Then you better work fast.”

“Have you met your daughter?” I asked sarcastically.

“As strong-willed as they come.” He smiled as if her stubborn attitude was a source of pride. “My girl has been hurting long enough. I’m giving you something I would not give someone else—a second chance.”

“I’m not giving her up.”

“Then I suggest you work fast.” Jasper stood and made his way to the door, opened it, and paused. “It took you less than twenty-four hours after going back to the beach to get her to go out on a date with you. What does that tell you? You said it yourself, Delaney is stubborn as they come and she holds a mean grudge. I’m sure you remember, one time she was pissed at Quinn and didn’t speak to her sister for six months. It was over a fuckin’ hair brush. So, I think you understand you asking her for a date and her accepting, however loosely it was accepted is huge.”

“It was over a curling iron,” I corrected.

“Right.” Jasper chuckled. “Now all you have to worry about is if Delaney will actually be home when you go to pick her up.”

With that parting shot Jasper closed the door behind him.

Fuck.

I checked my watch and I had just enough time to go back to my hotel room and change before going to pick up Delaney.

I closed the lid to my laptop, grabbed my phone and keys, and shoved back from my desk.

Thirty days? Was Jasper crazy? It was going to take an act of God to get her to forgive me and agree to move forward. I wasn’t stupid enough to think just because I was going to pick her up for our first date, she’d actually softened any. It would take a lot more convincing on my part and probably no small amount of pleading, too.

I pulled in front of the Travel Suites thinking this place was a step up from the shitbag motel I’d stayed in a few days ago, but it was still crap. I’d declined my parents’ offer to move back in with them, and my brother’s invitation to stay at his place as well.

I had a home.

One I shared with Delaney.

And until she allowed me back into our bed, I’d be sleeping on a lumpy mattress in a cold and lonely motel room.

12

Ishould’ve bolted. Instead I was staring at myself in my bathroom mirror wondering why I hadn’t fled.

I was doing this because I was dressed and ready for my date.

With Carter.

This was so stupid but every time I’d thought about ditching Carter I heard my mom. When two people are destined to be together and share the love that you two have, there is no getting over the other person. Then I’d hear Mercy. Do you wanna hold on to your fear or do you want to be happy?

I wanted to be happy. And I wanted that happy to include Carter, but that didn’t mean letting go of some of the fear so I could make that happen would be easy. And then there was the guilt. Would he ever forgive me for being stupid and poking around in a drug case that both Mercy and Jason had told me to stay out of?

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