Page 7 of Liberating Love

My phone beeps in my pocket, so I pull it out and see a text from Holds.

Holds: Thanks for coming over, A! We had a great time. Gav and I are planning a Christmas shopping trip for next weekend. Wanna come with?

Before I can answer, another text comes in.

Holds: I need help finding Jameson a gift, and I figured between the three of us, we can come up with something good.

Guilt swarms in my stomach and chest. Finding a gift for the guy whose father I slept with? That sounds like torture. As much as I would love to spend a day with Holds and Gav, I just don’t know if I can face them after today. After debating my answer for a small eternity, I text Holds back.

Me: I’m not sure I’ll be able to get away next weekend, but I’ll let you know. Thank you for having me over today!

More guilt swarms around because now I’m using my mother as an excuse.

With a sigh, I drop my phone on the end table and settle into the movie. I may as well get used to spending every night alone with my mom since there’s no way I can be around my friends after what I did. I’m a terrible liar, they’ll see right through me. Especially if Delaney’s going to be around. I can’t be near him andnotthink about last night, it was too… amazing. He was too amazing… in bed.Freaking stop thinking about it!

One thing’s for sure, Jameson canneverfind out. Never.

3

Delaney

“Jovany.”

“Dad.” He nods at me as he walks past me into Jameson’s living room.

“I’m glad you could make it, son.”

He smiles as he sits down on the couch, and I’m happy we’ve come that far in the last month. My sons didn’t have the best relationship before I went to prison, but I’d been worried they’d never recover from the rapid deterioration that occurred once I left. After I was released and it was decided I’d stay with Jameson and Holden for a couple of months, Jovany had offered to pick me up to spend time with me so as not to invade Jameson’s home, but Holden had insisted it was fine for him to come here. It had been awkward at first, but things are slowly changing.

“Hey, Jovany,” Jameson says entering the room. As he walks by to the other chair, he hands his brother a Glacier Freeze Gatorade. Jovany quirks a brow at him as he accepts it and Jameson shrugs. “I know that’s what you like to drink, so I picked some up when I went to the grocery store. I figured if you’re going to be around seeing Dad.” He stares off at a spot in the room, clearly uncomfortable.

Jovany clears his throat. “Thanks.”

Okay, so maybe it’s still a little awkward. “How was your day, Jovany?” I ask.

Their sighs of relief are audible as Jovany focuses on me. “Ah, it was a day. Aiden and I are making progress, but it’s like trudging through molasses trying to get through the information we have.”

My heart spikes at the mention of Aiden, but I ignore it. He doesn’t want anything to do with me, so… “I know you said it’s a special assignment, but is there anything you can say so you could talk it out? Maybe Jameson and I can help.”

He runs his hand through his hair, shaking his head a little. “Honestly? I wish I could, it might help, but for right now it’s totally on the DL.”

Jameson’s eyes narrow as he stares at his brother. Of the two, Jovany has always been the put-together kid. Even as a little boy, he was meticulous with what he wore and every hair had to be in place. “Whatever it is must be a doozy,” Jameson says. “You seem a little out of sorts, and if I didn’t pass Aiden in the locker room at the precinct, I wouldn’t see him at all. Holds and Gavin are upset their favorite new friend has been so busy with work that he can’t hang out. He usually spends at least one of his days off with the two of them, and he’ll swing by for dinner a couple of times a week.”

“Huh?” Jovany shakes his head. “If anything, he should have more time. We’ve been locked up in my office so much that we’ve both been bolting for the door right when shift’s over. We’re getting all of our ducks in a row before we hit the streets.”

“That’s weird. Has he said anything about his mom? I know he doesn’t really like to talk about what’s going on with her; maybe that’s why he hasn’t been around since Thanksgiving?”

“What’s wrong with his mom?” I ask quickly.

“I don’t know, Dad. He won’t really say. We know she has some health issues, but even as close as we’ve gotten to him, he’s playing whatever’s wrong with her close to the chest.” He chuckles. “Holds and Gavin are such nurturers that it’s driving them crazy he won’t confide in us so we can be there for him. Sometimes he has to take off work unexpectedly for her, or he has days off specifically to take her to the doctor, but no one knows for what.”

Jovany shakes his head. “No, he hasn’t missed a day since we started working together. He hasn’t said anything, either. He’s a little quiet, but I’m sure it’s from being assigned to work with me. Not that I blame him.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.

Jovany squirms in his seat, just like when he was a little boy and he’d done something wrong and knew he was busted. Before he answers, Jameson says, “Nothing. It’s all working out, right?” At his hard stare, Jovany nods. “Water under the bridge, then.” Jameson plants his hands on the sides of the recliner and makes a production of standing up. “Dinner will be ready in about half an hour, but we have an appetizer that Holds left. It should be about ready to take out of the oven if you guys want to come to the table.”

I really want to know more about Aiden, but now that Jameson has effectively switched the topic, I can’t find a way to ask. It’s concerning that there’s obviously bad blood somewhere between Jovany and Aiden, but it’s even more worrisome that Aiden hasn’t been around since he saw me here. I didn’t realize he used to be such a staple in Jameson and his friends’ lives.

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