Page 82 of Solid Ground

He wraps one arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer. “We’ll talk to her. Maybe she and Brandon can come and stay when it works in with his schedule. We’ve got plenty of room.”

“I like that idea.”

When we’ve finished lunch, he wraps his arms around me and kisses me hard—uncaring who sees. I love this man. I love that he’s not afraid to show affection openly. It feels like he wouldn’t mess around on me.

I trust him—I do, but I’m not sure I trust this environment.

In the meantime, he’s done nothing wrong, so I have to have faith that his good behaviour will continue.

I’m not sure what the alternative would do to me.

By mid-afternoon,with Daisy out for the count, I’m bored.

I need to find a project, or to spend time online to find inspiration for my next business venture. Jason and Chrissie cut me off early and told me to take care of my baby, so I can’t even log in to my old app and see what’s happening there.

Being bored doesn’t stop my wandering mind getting stuck on Declan and Hadley. The way she looked at him pissed me off.

My phone rings, and I smile as Delaney’s name comes up.

“Hi, Delaney.” She’s been a regular visitor these past few weeks, but I haven’t seen her in a couple of days. She always brings calm and cheer whenever she arrives.

“I was wondering if you were up for a visitor. I’ve just made some baby quiches, and?—”

Delaney, I can talk to Delaney about this. She’ll understand. She’s got children and her husband’s an actor.

“I’d love to see you,” I blurt out.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“I just really need to talk.”

“I’m about ten minutes away,” she says.

The crunch of tyres outside the front door alerts me to her presence a short time later. I fling open the door and smile at the sight of her carrying in a plastic container.

“I’ll make some coffee. Come in.”

Delaney follows me through to the kitchen where I get a couple of mugs and make coffee.

She goes to the cupboards and pulls out a plate before opening her container and placing the little quiches on it. “These are still warm.”

“You’re so good to me. Let’s go into the living room.”

With our food and coffee placed on the coffee table, I sit on the couch, and she catches my gaze, her eyes filled with concern.

“I know I asked you on the phone already, but are you okay? You sounded anxious.”

I wring my hands together. “Can I ask you something personal?”

Delaney’s brows twitch, but she nods. “Sure.”

“How do you … how do you deal with Josh doing sex scenes? Declan has one in this movie, and his co-star has hearts in her eyes, and …”

Delaney lets out a sigh and drops onto the couch beside me, taking my hand in hers. “It’s not easy. He always gives me a heads up if something’s going to be in a movie, and I think if I pushed it, he just wouldn’t do it. But I trust him, and the first time I saw him in a sex scene it was the hottest thingever.” Delaney fans herself with her free hand. “And now I’m good friends with the woman he filmed it with.”

My eyes widen. “Really?”

“It was awkward at first. We’d just gotten back together, and then Josh was off filming. There were rumours about them. I didn’t know Gabby then, but I’d seen her in movies. She’s gorgeous.”

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