Page 10 of Wrong Number, Right Single Dad
I swallow past the lump in my throat. “No. She doesn’t.”
“I’m so sorry. That had to be hard for you both.”
“It hasn’t been easy.” I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Still, I can’t regret that it happened.”
“Because it gave you Hannah.”
“That it did.” My lips curve up to the side. It’s nice that she understands. “While I wish she had a mom and a family that was around more, I’m doing my best.”
“You’re doing a great job.”
“Thanks. It doesn’t always feel that way.” Case in point, I had to ask the fling I met on a dating app to watch my daughter for the weekend. “But I’m trying.”
“I think that counts for a lot.” Delaney seems to hesitate a moment. “It was just my mom and me for most of my life.”
I suck in a breath. “Really?”
“Yeah. Similar story. My mom and my d… the sperm donor hadn’t been together long.” She shakes her head, her long locks moving around her shoulders like a river cascading down a waterfall. “My mom wanted me. He didn’t. So he took a job on an offshore oil rig. Somewhere far enough away we never saw or heard from him again.”
“He should have at least paid child support.” I glare. It makes me furious how easy it is for some people to walk away from their responsibilities. “Did your mom go after him for it?”
“She didn’t try. I think it was kind of a matter of pride for her. She wanted to prove that we didn’t need him to be happy.”
I can understand that well myself. The courts would have been on my side if I’d want to hold Hannah’s mom accountable. But in the end, I thought it was more important to spend my time and resources on giving my daughter the best life possible.
It sounds like Delaney’s mom had the same thought.
“It’s none of my business…” I shouldn’t even ask, but now that we’re on the subject, something inside of me needs to know. Not just for myself and Hannah. But because I need to know for Delaney too. “But was your mom right? Were you happy without him.”
“Most of the time,” she says softly. “I won’t deny, there were times it might have been nice to have another parent around. Especially when I could see how hard my mom was working. Or when I was applying to college and could have used more money in the bank.”
She gives a short laugh. “But where it mattered most, we were happy. I knew I was loved. I knew I was wanted. I knew I was enough.”
I release a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Her answer is a balm more soothing than a bottle of aloe gel on a burn.
“That’s all I want for Hannah.”
“And you’re giving her that.” Delaney sighs. “There’s just one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“What the heck am I supposed to do about this goldfish?” Delaney gives a short laugh. “I told her I was giving him a bath.”
“A bath? Goldfish live in water.”
“I know that. I panicked. It doesn’t matter, because I don’t think she’ll buy that excuse much longer.”
“No, probably not.” I shift from one foot to the other. “Good thing for you, this isn’t my first rodeo when it comes to replacing Hannah’s goldfish.”
“Then it’s time to start talking, old man. I need your words and wisdom.”
“It’s time to commence Operation Goldfish Resurrection.” I can’t help but grin at her eager face on the screen. Delaney isn’t just “Baby” anymore. “Okay, here’s what you’re going to do…”
FIVE
DELANEY
“What the hell is that?”
