I laugh at them. “They’re so opposite. Which is a good thing.”
“That’s what Principal North said.”
My head tilts. “When did you talk to him?”
“It was before we got together. He compared Leia to me and Wren to Emmett, saying Wren was bringing Leia out of her shell. But now that I watch them, I don’t think Leia’s shyness and hesitancy to try something new is bad. I think it’s a great quality to have growing up.”
“She’s coming around, I see it. When she started—” I stop, embarrassed that he wasn’t there.
“Go ahead, Laney, I want to hear the stories.”
“It’s just…” I inch closer, my throat getting tight. “I hate that you missed that part. Like how I’m telling you a story about your own child. It’s not fair.”
His hand cradles my cheek. “Please tell me.”
My hand covers his, and I squeeze. “You’re too good of a guy.”
“I’ll take it.” He winks. “But you’re wrong. Now go ahead and tell me.”
I stare into his beautiful brown eyes a second longer before starting my story. His soft smile says he really has made peace with the past and does want to move forward.
“It took her two months to talk to anyone in kindergarten. She wasn’t even one of those kids crying and clinging to me. She’d give me a hug and go in. The first day, I peeked in, and she just sat at her desk and watched all the other kids running around and playing with things. Like a little observer. The teacher would give me weekly updates, but it was like the click of a switch two months later. Leia was never the one to talk nonstop, but she would smile and wave and laugh with the other kids at drop-off and pick-up. It just took her some time. But once she’s comfortable, she’s all in.”
Bennett urges me to lean back into him, and I do, both of us watching the girls.
“She’ll get there, B, just be patient. I promise one day she’s going to jump in, and I know you’ll be there to catch her.”
His hands run down my arms. “I will be. Let her take all the time she needs. But, Laney…”
I look over my shoulder.
“With all the past, are you okay, I mean with Wren… I know what you said at softball, but I just want to make sure. I mean, she’s Kristie’s…”
The torment in his eyes tugs at my heart, so I straighten and turn around to face him. This time I cradle his face with my palm. “I already love her like she’s my own. And I will love her for Kristie because that was the most important thing to her. She wanted Wren raised?—”
His face twists, and I quickly realize I never told him about Kristie’s visit. He doesn’t know.
“Did you talk to Kristie?”
I look at the girls. We really need to clear this up, but right now, I don’t want to spoil our day by delving into the past. “Would you be mad if we delayed this conversation for later tonight?”
His expression says he wants me to answer now, but his voice says, “Okay. Tonight.”
“Thanks, and I promise to tell you everything when we get home.”
He hums.
“What?”
“Home. I want us to have a home that’s ours. I’m thinking it’s time I build on my plot of land.”
The girls run over, both of them grabbing our hands and tugging us off the blanket.
For the rest of our time in the meadow, we don’t talk about Kristie or our future. We just enjoy the moment, the memories we’re making—together. We play games with the girls, eat the cupcakes and get frosting on our noses. When the girls are distracted with the sparklers Bennett brought, he holds me, kissing me as if it’s a promise that there will be many nights like this one.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Delaney
