Page 97 of Adoring Delaney

“Marry me.”

“Maybe.”

His smile was so broad it nearly split his face.

“Progress,” he mumbled, and leaned in for a hard closed-mouth kiss. “Can’t give you more than that or I’ll be more late than I am. Test?”

“I’ll pick one up. I’m going to my parents’ house this afternoon to talk to Quinn.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah. All part of Operation Check Up on Delaney.”

“It’s because they love you,” he reminded me.

“I know and I’m grateful.”

But the constant calls were starting to drive me crazy. I hoped in a few more weeks they’d all cut it out and we could get back to business as usual.

“Love you, baby.”

“Love you, honey. Have a good day at work.”

Carter stopped dead in his tracks and stared at me.

“That was oddly normal,” he noted.

“I know. It’s kinda nice.”

“Better than nice, baby. It’s perfect.”

I drove to my parents’ in a daze. I had a pregnancy test sitting on the seat next to me, the box was like a flashing beacon begging me to take it. I’d actually contemplated postponing visiting my sister and driving to Carter’s work and sneaking into the bathroom with him. He’d totally do it, too. I knew he wanted to know just as badly as I did.

And since he’d brought it up this morning it was all I could think of. My once apprehensive attitude had transformed into excitement. The more days that passed, the more I knew I was finally living the life I was meant to have. And Carter was, too.

Our journey had included a detour, sometimes through Crazy Town, other times through Heartbreak City. We’d also hit a major roadblock that required a total reboot. But we’d finally made it to Bliss and it was a perfect place to be.

A place I wanted to live in forever.

I was thinking about this as I pulled onto my parents’ street. I was also thinking that I was going to have Carter ask me to marry him one more time before we took the test. This time I’d say yes. That way we both knew my answer had nothing to do with us having a baby—or not. Whichever answer the test showed didn’t change my answer.

I thought we’d played the game long enough, and while Carter looked like he was enjoying it as much as I was, all good things have to come to an end.

I parked at the curb, got out, and was immediately startled, causing me to bang my elbow on the car door as I let out a small cry of pain.

“Shit. You scared me half to death.”

“Hey, Delaney.” Natalie smiled.

“What are you doing here?”

“Jeez, is that any way to talk to a friend?” She scowled.

“It is when that friend scares the shit out of you and is standing in front of her parents’ house—uninvited.”

“Maybe I’m just visiting a friend who lives across the street, saw you pull up, and wanted to say hello.”

“Well, are you?”

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