Page 79 of Adoring Delaney

“I thought about that, too. Maybe it will be easier if she’s there. You know, there’s still a new baby coming into the family.”

“Laney,” I unintendedly growled. “She and Ethan having a baby cannot replace the one we lost.”

“I know,” she whispered. “That’s not what I meant. I just mean…I can’t explain it right. What we lost will never be replaced, but there’s still a lot to be grateful for. And I also want her there because I’ve kinda been distant and avoiding her. Ever since they announced she was pregnant I started to pull away. I couldn’t bear to see her pregnant with the next Lenox baby after I’d lost ours. I need to do this. I need to tell them both I’m sorry and explain. So having them all together and us having to do it once will be easier.”

Fuck.

I didn’t want to tell them all at once but this wasn’t about what I wanted, it was about what Delaney needed. What would be best for her. Ethan was going to feel this. He was a dad and his wife was getting ready to give birth to his son. He’d also feel misplaced, brotherly guilt for having another baby, when I didn’t have mine. I knew him. I knew where his mind would go. But it wasn’t about Ethan either. I’d deal with him and the fallout after I got Delaney to the other side and she was healthy and happy.

“Okay, baby. If that’s how you wanna play it.”

“There’s one more thing.” Her tone had changed and was a little hesitant. “I ran into Natalie—”

“Delaney.” That snarl was intentional.

“Sheesh. Hold your hair on, Carter, and listen. I saw her and approached. She was at the mall looking for a job.”

“You don’t—”

“She had a handful of job applications. Anyway, she was going to one more store to see if they’re hiring, then we’re heading to The Bistro. You know, the restaurant in the mall for lunch.”

I didn’t know people still used paper job applications but her explanation made me feel a little better, though there was still doubt. And the problem was, I had nothing to back up my suspicions.

“See if you can find out her last name.”

“I’m not interrogating the poor woman, Carter.”

“Not asking you to waterboard her. All I’m asking for is her last name. The car she’s driving is registered in Florida, not Illinois.”

“You checked her out? How do you know what car she drives?”

The smart thing would’ve been to keep my trap shut and not tell Laney anything, but I wasn’t going to keep secrets and I’d sat on this one long enough. Better for her to know now, then find out later and be pissed I ran a search on the woman then withheld that information.

“Did it before we left for Virginia. I saw her walking out of the restaurant, empty handed, and get into a car with Florida plates. I was curious as to why she didn’t have takeout containers seeing as she was there to get dinner. And she’d said she was from Chicago.”

“So? Maybe the wait was too long and she was hungry. And rental cars can have plates from any state, not just where you rented them.”

“Know that. Thought on it. And decided I wanted to run her anyway. Though the car’s not a rental. It’s registered to a man.”

“So?”

“The man could be a boyfriend or just a friend, I don’t have the first clue because I don’t know Natalie’s last name.”

“I’m not spying on her.”

“Not asking you to spy. I’m asking you to ask her last name. Women do that shit when they’re getting to know each other.”

“We do? And how would you know that? Have you grown a vagina or have you sat in on a book club meeting where a gaggle of women are gabbin’ away getting to know one another?”

“Think you know I don’t have a vagina, Laney.” Worst timing ever. Jasper appeared in my doorway and his brows shot to his hairline. Damn. “While I think you’re cute when you’re throwing me attitude and sarcasm, this is not the time. Just find out her last name.”

“Not a chance.”

She hung up on me and I sighed, setting my phone on my desk.

“Do I wanna know?” Jasper asked.

“Your daughter’s a pain in my ass.”

---