Page 56 of Liberating Love

Delaney: God, don’t encourage me.

Delaney: Or Holden. Definitely not Holden.

I chuckle and start to type back a response, but Jovany interrupts me, saying, “What are you laughing at?”

“Delaney,” I say with a shrug, and I feel my skin heat. Even though he seems cool with it, I always feel awkward talking about Delaney with him.

“My dad isnotthat funny,” he says as he stretches his arms above his head.

I shrug as another couple of pictures pop up in my texts.

“Jesus, he has a lot to say.”

I snort. “He keeps sending me pictures.”

“Pictures?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“Do I even want to know what kind of pictures my dad sends his… ew, god.” Jovany’s nose wrinkles and he shudders. “What the hell, Aiden?”

“What?” My eyes widen and I thrust my phone toward him, but he ducks away, so I say, “It’s cats and dogs, Jovany. Holds is trying to get him to adopt one.”

He blinks at me, glances at the picture of a sad-looking puppy, and says, “Oh.” I wrinkle my nose at him, and he blushes a little and mutters, “Sorry.”

Shaking my head, I set my phone aside and instead of going back to work like I should, I ask, “Wanna go grab some food?”

“Yeah, that’d be good.” He closes his laptop. “Actually, Jameson and Drix are on patrol, wanna see if they can meet for lunch?”

I nod. “Sure.”

Thirty minutes later, I’m sitting at a table at Jack’s with Jovany, Jameson, and Drix. When I’d walked in, Jack gave me a hug, and I think the guy has winked at me like three times since I sat here, and it keeps making my face flush, although I don’t hate the fact that he’s being so friendly because of my relationship with Delaney. He’s always been a nice guy, but it’s pretty obvious that he’s being friendlier because of our mutual connection.

When Jack comes over, sets down my favorite appetizer with yet another wink at me and says, “You and Delaney seemed to love this,” my eyes widen at him.

Jovany chuckles and says, “I see you’ve met my new step-daddy already, Jack.”

I groan and cover my face with my hands, muttering, “For fuck’s sake.” Jack laughs before walking to another table, and when I uncover my hands, Jameson’s staring at me with a weird look on his face. I bite my lip as my face heats impossibly further and say, “Don’t look at me, that was all your brother.”

Jameson tilts his head, then looks at Jovany and says, “I guess Step-Daddy has to pay for lunch, right?”

Jovany barks out a laugh, Drix chuckles, and I groan out, “Not you too.”

Drix grins at me. “You didn’t know you’d be getting five little boys when you started this whole thing with Delaney, did you?”

“Five?” My eyes widen as I realize in addition to Jameson and Jovany, he means himself, Gav, and Holds since they all call DelaneyDad, and I shake my head. “If you start calling me—”

“Step-Daddy looks flustered, don’t ya think?” Drix elbows Jameson, who chuckles as he stares at me.

“Oh yeah. You alright there, Step-Daddy?”

Covering my face with my hands, I sink down in my seat, groaning as the men around me laugh at their own stupid jokes. “I hate you all,” I say, but it only makes them laugh louder.

After they finally calm down, Jameson says, “In all seriousness, how’s my dad doing?”

“Didn’t you talk to him last night or something?” I ask, remembering Delaney stepping into the kitchen to have a conversation with him while my mom and I played cards.

He shrugs, and Jovany says, “He’s doing good if all the giggling and texting Aiden’s been doing all day is any indication.”

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