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“Fuck. If I get that bad, knock some sense into me,” Kelli laughed.
“Trust me, I will.”
Snickering, Kelli walked over to Delaney. “Can I…hug you?” she asked slowly.
After only a small hesitation, Delaney nodded. Kelli pulled her niece into a tight hug, making my girl squeak at how hard she was being squeezed. “Sorry, sorry,” Kelli said as she lifted her head from Delaney’s shoulder. “Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head, offering a tiny smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Thank you for giving me a chance to get to know you,” Kelli said, keeping her words slow so Delaney could understand her. “When my mom died, I lost the last of my family. Finding you… Well, I don’t feel as alone in the world anymore.”
My treasure’s face softened. “I understand,” she signed, and I translated for her. “I felt like I lost part of myself when my parents died.”
“Exactly,” Kelli agreed, hugging her again.
It was Delaney who pulled back first. “You should get back inside. I’m keeping you from your daughter’s wedding reception.”
Kelli signed heavily. “This is a pretty huge deal for her. And I’ve already caused a scene that the entire town will be talking about for weeks.” She cupped one side of Delaney’s face. “But I want you to know, no matter what, I’m here if you need me.” She shot me a glare over her shoulder, but I ignored it and continued to translate for her as she spoke. “No matter what happens between you and Max.”
“Thank you,” Delaney spoke the words aloud, her voice barely above a whisper.
With one more hug, Kelli went back into the bar, leaving me alone with just my mom and my treasure.
As the door closed behind my aunt, Delaney lifted her hands and began taking off her earrings. Watching her gave me a jolt. I wanted to tell her to put them back on, but I suddenly couldn’t remember how to work my tongue. Crossing the space that separated us, she took my hand and dropped them into my palm before reaching behind her to unclasp her necklace.
I stood there, frozen, as I watched the glittery stones sparkle in the late-afternoon sunlight.
“Yesterday when Max took me to the mall, I saw a sign for a women’s shelter at the edge of town,” she signed to Mom. “I hadn’t been to that area before, so I didn’t know there was a shelter here.”
Mom and I glanced at each other, her gaze full of surprise, mine of trepidation. Fuck, I knew in my gut what was coming.
“You don’t have to worry. I won’t bother your son anymore,” Delaney continued when we both turned our eyes back on her. “I can see now this was all a really big mistake.”
“No!” I exploded, reaching for her. She couldn’t leave me.
But she was expecting it and jumped back from my touch. “I knew you and your family would disapprove of me.” She spoke directly to Mom, refusing to even look at me. “I mean, who wants their son to be with some homeless girl, right?” She gave a brittle smile, trying to make light of the situation. But the smile only lasted a second before her chin began to tremble.
Blinking back tears, she walked around Mom, moving toward the road.
“Give her the choice,” I growled, glaring at Mom as I stuffed Delaney’s jewelry in my pants pocket. “Let her know she has options, you said.”
“I just wanted her to know—”
“You wanted to test her!” I roared.
She put her hands on her hips. “Yes,” she admitted unabashedly. “The good news is, she passed. The bad news, it backfired. Now, stop snarling at me and go get her!”
But I was already running after my treasure.
She hadn’t even reached the end of the parking lot before I scooped her up and tossed her over my shoulder. With a squeak, she struggled against me. Ignoring her attempts to get free, I stomped past my mom to the Tahoe and dropped her into the passenger seat. Keeping her in place with one hand on her chest, I fastened the seat belt around her.
“You aren’t going anywhere,” I informed her, my jaw clenched so hard, I thought it might lock. “Except home where you belong.”
When she started to argue, I captured her mouth in a hard kiss. My fear of losing her, of her walking away from me and never getting to hold her again, made me rough, and I had to force myself to release her. Lifting my head, I stepped back and slammed the door closed.
“Call me later!” Mom yelled as she watched us.
I didn’t answer as I got into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Wasting no time, I drove us home, trying to figure out what I was going to say to her to make her understand she belonged with me.
