Page 122 of Choosing Forever
“Alright. Read them,” I murmur, letting it go. “I’m going to get the food dished up.”
She’ll piece together why I didn’t want her to read them here the second she opens the first magazine.
“What did you make?” she asks before I get too far.
“Worried I made something you’ll hate?”
“No. I’m more worried I’ll eat too much and wind up too bloated to sleep tonight.”
Pride rushes through me. “Chicken with Greek salad.”
“Did Abbie tell on me today?”
“About chicken and salad?” I ask, playing dumb.
Delaney glances away and picks up the magazine before a low, soft laugh escapes her. “Go away now.”
“I’ll be in the kitchen.”
Five minutes later, I’m slicing the last half of my chicken into chunks when the air shifts. Her tight-covered feet help muffle the sound of her footsteps as she joins me at the counter, examining the food I’ve made. I keep silent, finishing with my plate and pulling hers closer before picking them both up.
“Table or living room?”
Her reply is lagged and wispy. “Living room.”
I carry our food out of the kitchen and set both plates on the coffee table. Delaney sits on the couch while I grab the firstmovie on the stack and get to work. The DVD player sucks in the disk before I switch the TV onto the proper settings and join her.
“Those are all my movies,” she states, sitting with her knees touching and hands folded above them.
“You can take them home with you tonight. I’ve held on to them long enough.”
“What if I don’t want to take them home?”
It’s impossible for me not to read too far into that question. My mind immediately fills with a list of the million reasons as to what she means and the reason behind the question before I blurt out, “Why not?”
She moves. Suddenly, her knees are tucked beneath her, and she’s facing me, expression half-broken and half-disbelieving. The clash of emotions is strong, rocking through her to me, even with the distance between us. She sets her arm on the couch back and tips forward enough for her knees to hit the outside of my thigh.
“You had ten years, Darren. Ten years to build me a house that you dreamed of with all of my favourite quirks and additions. Where you’d make me my favourite food, spend a night watching all of my favourite movies on a couch just like this, but beside me. You had every chance in the world to get me back, but you didn’t. You waited, and waited, until I became so secluded from my old life that I feared so much as hearing your name in public.
“All this time apart, and you were giving interviews for magazine articles mentioning me and us and a past that used to keep me up at night with tears in my eyes and an ache in my chest. Now, I’m left with knowing that I could have been here sooner. You married someone else, and I thought and hoped that you were happy doing that. At least, enough to stay in that marriage for years longer than you should have. I never said anything to you, or anyone, about it because I assumed you knew what you were doing. But you didn’t, did you? Because allthis time, you’ve been wanting me just as badly as I’ve been wanting you, and I don’t know what to do with that!”
She doesn’t give me a chance to respond before dropping herself in my lap and taking my shirt in her fists. I swallow, my body coming to life in a way that leaves me breathless, unable to fill my lungs.
“I’ve been in love with you for half my life, and you didn’t fight for me. You told me to go and didn’t chase after me. I’ve been waiting for you to do that for eight years. At every street corner, knock on my door, and my grandma’s funeral, I hoped you’d show up, needing me as badly as I needed you. I needed you at the funeral, Darren, and you weren’t there.”
I slide my hand behind her head and lean forward, bringing our faces an inch apart. Her eyes fall shut as an exhale drifts across my lips.
“I was there,” I whisper, blades sinking into every corner of my stomach.
Her lashes flutter as she stares at me. “Where?”
“The funeral. I was there, but I stayed back beside the Steeles. You were grieving, Elle. I didn’t think it was the right time to show up beside you. It wouldn’t have been fair after everything that happened.”
She presses her forehead to mine and shoves me into the couch.
“Kiss me, Darren.”
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