Page 124 of 10 Rings I Hate About You
I blinked. She’d lived here for months. She hadn’t unpacked?
Delaney pulled a small tote bag out from the front flap and started adding clothes to it. When she glanced up at me, her cheeks had gone pink. “You must think this is weird.”
I shook my head.
Whatever this was, the last thing I wanted was for her to feel embarrassed.
She closed the top of her suitcase and slung the smaller bag over her shoulder.
“It’s … I just … I can’t sleep in her room,” her voice cracked.
Three quick strides and I was beside her. I slipped the strap from her shoulder and pulled her into my arms.
I didn’t ask questions. Just held her.
She laid her cheek on my chest, and I felt the first warm tear soak into my shirt.
“If I do—if I move in there—then I have to admit she’s never coming back,” she whispered so low I almost didn’t hear her.
I ran my hand slowly up and down her back. “It’s okay, Delaney. Grief isn’t linear. It circles back when we least expect it.”
Her shoulders trembled and I reached for more words that I hoped would help. “And it’s always the hardest when we lose the ones we love the most.”
She nodded against me, and I just held her there until her breathing steadied.
I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Why don’t we call Theo on the way to my place?” I suggested gently. “He can tell us which animals might work best for Friday.”
She sniffed. “No, it’s okay. I don’t want to mess up tonight. The class is important. For both of us.”
My instinct to hyper-plan everything eased.
She didn’t need a strategy meeting.
She needed a quiet night.
“We’ll still figure it out,” I said. “We can talk about it in the car. Did you eat dinner?”
She shook her head.
“We’ll grab pizza from Cibo’s. Eat at my place. Watch a movie.”
She wiped her eyes.
Then, to my complete surprise, she reached into the suitcase and pulled out a large purple vibrator. “I thought we had plans for this, too?”
I wiped the last tear from her cheek with my thumb. “We don’t have to,” I said quietly. “I’m perfectly happy hanging out on the couch with you.”
Her hand covered mine. “Let’s play it by ear, okay?”
I nodded.
She stepped back. “Can you call in the pizza while I grab the rest of my things? I’d like their veggie pizza with eggplant. And no?—”
“Mushrooms. You got it.”
She grinned.
I placed the order and grabbed her bag when she returned.
