We’re over at Delaney’s parents’ house.
“I say we buy your parents an RV and we move in here.” I sit on the couch.
“I know they’re retired, but I thought they would be here more. Not that I’m complaining.” She sits next to me, and I inch a little closer, never as close as I want to get with her.
“I went to the property today.” I’m hesitant to bring it up, not sure what Delaney’s reaction might be. “I’d like you to come visit it with me.” She opens her mouth, but I keep going. “Before you say anything, our sleepovers have become consistent, and I’m really tired of the term sleepovers. I’ve waited years to have this. I want the crazy mornings where the girls jump in our bed, and we get them ready for school together. I want dinners where they complain about what we made. I want to settle down next to you on the couch after we put them to bed. I want to make more babies with you. And I want to be able to do it in a house by ourselves.”
Her gaze floats upstairs to where the girls are. “I’m not even divorced yet.”
“You will be in two months. I don’t care about that though. I want you to marry me, and I intend to ask you, and I don’t give a shit about rings or government declarations. I just want you in my bed, my home, my life.” I inch even closer, leaving no space between us. “The land is mine, and I want to build a house for our family on it.”
“I can’t contribute, B. The little amount of money I’ve made has been from working for you. I know you’re going to say you’ll take care of it, but I don’t want to be in the situation I was with Sean. I can’t do that again.”
I stare at her, understanding what she’s saying, but we’re at a crossroads. “Do you want me to charge you rent?”
From the look on her face, she doesn’t find my joke funny.
“I understand your reasons, but I would never do what he did to you. If you don’t want to work for The Perfect Petal or work with me, fine, but regardless, we…” I wave my finger between us. “We’re a team. This doesn’t work unless we’re together, side by side. If I have to float the expenses right now, then that’s the way it will be, but you know it will change.”
“I just don’t want to feel so out of control of my own life, so in the dark again. I’ve really enjoyed working, and I don’t want to give that up.”
“I would never ask that of you. Ever. And I won’t ever do that to you.” I cradle her head in my palm, my thumb running across her neck.
She nods. “Okay. But as soon as I’m making more money, I’m paying half our mortgage, and we’re separating all our finances.”
“Deal,” I agree. I’ll give her whatever she needs to trust that we can make this life one we’re both proud of.
“Uh oh,” Wren says.
A box falls down the steps, opening midflight, and about a hundred little stuffed Hello Kittys scatter at the bottom of the stairs.
“Girls?” Delaney stands from the couch and walks over.
“What are these?” I follow her, seeing every Hello Kitty is dressed differently. Some appear to be from different countries.
Delaney’s too busy looking up the stairs to answer me. “Come on, you two.”
“Your mom voice is getting me all hot,” I whisper, picking up the box and putting the small stuffed animals inside.
“Not the time.”
“Just saying maybe I need some discipline tonight.”
Her nose scrunches up. “Ew, stop.”
I chuckle.
Both girls come downstairs, heads hanging low.
“We were bringing it down to show you,” Wren says first because she always speaks up for the both of them.
I hope with time, Leia finds her voice a little more, but I might have to have a conversation with Wren about giving Leia a chance to speak for herself.
“Leia?” Delaney asks.
“I was packing them up.”
“Why?” she asks, her voice a little softer now.
