Page 95 of Chasing Love: The Owens
Leia doesn’t say anything, but the hug is enough. It’s her own way of saying she appreciates the fire and the s’mores lesson. That she’s warming up to me a little more. I’ll take it.
I force my feet to move toward my truck, the scent of smoke clinging to my clothes, my heart heavy. The last thing I want to do is leave them or Delaney, but I don’t know how to forgive her. The problem is I don’t know how to stop loving her either.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Delaney
The front bell jingles as the door to The Perfect Petal swings open, a rush of summer air trailing in. I’m trimming stems at the counter, and two sets of eyes now stare back at me.
“Hi, Mommy,” Leia says, both she and Wren giggling.
Darla turns the corner and comes inside. I haven’t actually seen her since the news got out. She could very well be mad at me for making her miss seven years of her granddaughter’s life. Lord knows I would be.
“Day two of summer, and they’re already bored.” Darla groans and pats the girls on the back. “Go find something to do, I need to talk to Delaney.”
The scissors slip from my grasp, falling onto the counter with a thud. “Lottie brought over some cookies from Laurel’s. They’re in the breakroom,” I tell the girls.
They look at one another, squeal, and run off through the back doors.
“Is he here?” Darla asks, walking around the counter to join me.
Fear grips me. I’ve always loved Darla, but I’m not naïve enough to think she’s not angry at me. “No, he’s at Blue Prairie. They don’t really need me now?—”
Her hands land on my upper arms, and she pulls me toward her, hugging me in a tight grip. “Welcome to the family,” she whispers.
“But…”
She doesn’t let me go, so I hug her back. “You are. If he can’t get his head out of his ass, it doesn’t matter. You’re Leia’s mom, and that makes you family.”
Tears spring to my eyes. “Oh… well… you’re not mad?”
She draws back, but her hands stay on my upper arms. “No. I’m just glad you’re here now. Mother to mother, I want you to know, I love her. I would have loved her no matter what, but thank you for giving me another granddaughter to love.” She wraps me in a hug again.
“Okay, Mom, give her some air.” Lottie walks in with Poppy.
“You’re going to suffocate her, Aunt Darla,” Poppy says.
Both of them come over to the counter.
“Where are the little runts anyway?” Romy follows behind, a container of chicken salad in her palm and a box of crackers tucked under her arm.
How does she stay so thin?
“In the back. I bribed them with cookies,” I say.
“Cookies?” Romy’s eyes perk up.
“Jesus, do you have a tapeworm?” Lottie asks, sliding up on the counter.
Bennett’s entire female side of the family is here, and none of them are giving me the cold shoulder or blatantly pointing the finger at me.
“When does Operation Bennett Gets a Swift Kick in the Ass start?” Romy asks, dropping the chicken salad and crackers on the counter.
“Leave it to me,” Darla says.
I sigh. “You guys, it’s complicated. Maybe we just let whatever is going to happen work itself out with time.” I continue putting the flower arrangement together.
None of them say a word, and they’re all staring at me with different faces of confusion.
